21-ft Tall Straw Hat Luffy sets sail to SM North EDSA for Animezing North 2023

by Info @Brand Zone | September 21, 2023

Catch the Giant Luffy and the rest of the Straw Hat crew here at The Block Atrium, SM North EDSA from September 20 to October 8.

From record-breaking chapters, and awe-inspiring anime episodes up to the trending live-action series, 2023 is surely the year for One Piece fans! The well-loved anime franchise illustrated by Japanese creator Eichiro Oda has been stirring the world for decades because of its meticulously crafted geopolitical plotline, influential characters, and intricately designed world-building. With this massive influence, SM North EDSA, in collaboration with Toei Animation Enterprises and Funko, launches the third run of Animezing North featuring One Piece.

Here are the things fans can expect in this year’s Animezing North!

Giant Luffy

A 21-foot-tall Giant Straw Hat Luffy from Toei Animation Enterprises will be the centerpiece of the setup. This inflatable has been on tour in countries such as Japan, Hong Kong, and Malaysia; now Filipino One Piece fans will surely be amazed as it comes here in the Philippines for the first time.

Photo walls

The setup area will be filled with five exciting photo walls from iconic scenes and characters for fans to enjoy. Fans can take their photos inside the Thousand Sunny, Pirates’ Wanted Posters, Pirate Flag, the deck of the ship, and even the other members of the Straw Hat crew.

Exclusive One Piece Merchandise

Licensed brands like Funtastik, Bilmola, Toy Kingdom, Havaianas, Geek PH, Filbar’s, and Coolectzone will sell exclusive One Piece merchandise ranging from toys, to helmets, flip flops, and many more for fans to enjoy.

The Animezing North: One Piece will last for 19 days starting from September 20. So, gather up your crew and let the great pirate era begin here at SM North EDSA! For more updates, check the official social media pages of SM City North EDSA and share your stories using the hashtag #OnePieceAtSMNorth.

9 reasons kung bakit patok ang K-Drama sa mga Pinoy

ni Jenny Rose Albason @Gulat Ka 'No?! | August 21, 2023

Maraming mga Pilipino ang nahuhumaling sa K-Drama o Korea drama mula noong inere ito sa Pilipinas, sinundan ito ng mga sikat pang palabas na nakapukaw sa puso ng ating bayan.

Ang pagtaas ng popularity nito ay tinawag na “Hallyu” na ang ibig sabihin ay “Korean wave.” Ito ay tumutukoy sa paglaganap ng kanilang entertainment sa buong mundo.

Ang Koreanovela ay parte na ng buhay ng mga Pilipino, mula sa telebisyon, pagkain, pananamit, atbp. Ngunit ang tanong na gustong malaman ng mga tao, bakit nga ba attracted ang mga Pinoy dito?

1. ATTRACTIVE ACTORS. Obvious naman na ang mga Korean actors ay attractive, good-looking, at the same time ay talented. Maraming Pilipino ang na-i-inlove sa genre ng Korean dramas dahil sa mga crush nilang leading man at leading lady. Gayunman, kung napapansin n’yo ay bihirang magtambal muli sa ibang teleserye ang mga actor at aktres dahil wala silang permanenteng team-up. Kaya, medyo mahirap sa mga manonood na makita muli ang favorite nilang couple.

2. HINDI MADALING MAHULAAN ANG STORYLINES. Sa mga Korean drama, hindi ganu’n kadali hulaan ang kanilang storyline kumpara sa mga local drama, pati na rin ang pacing ng plot. Cohesive rin ang mga Korean writers pagdating sa storytelling. Ito marahil ang dahilan kung bakit maraming manonood ang attracted dito.

3. KARAMIHAN AY G-RATED. Ang mga K-drama ay G-rated, ibig sabihin ay bihira silang gumamit ng masasamang salita, ang mga love scenes ay hindi ganu’n ka-grabe. In fact, ang makakita ng halikan sa mga Koreanovela ay isang nang balita. Kadalasan, ang mga K-drama ay naglalaman ng family-friendly themes kung saan ay puwede kang manood kasama ang inyong pamilya.

4. CULTURAL APPEAL. Ang panonood ng K-drama ay isang educational, dahil na-a-absorb mo ang mga impormasyon tungkol sa iba’t-ibang kultura. Matututunan mo rin ang iba’t ibang society norms at mauunawaan na ang sapatos ay hinuhubad sa pintuan nang walang sinuman ang kailangang magsabi sa iyo.

5. KITANG-KITA ANG CREATIVITY. Ang mga K-drama ay successful pagdating sa storytelling, kapag maraming elements ang ipinapakita at ang mga manonood ay pinaniniwala sa fiction world. Ang production team ay hindi na kailangan mag-effort sa kanilang craft. Mula sa location, set up, sounds, editing at cinematography, pero sinisigurado nilang maganda ang kalalabasan ng kanilang final product sa screen.

6. ROMANTIC STORY NA ‘DI KAILANGAN NG MALALASWANG SCENE. Ang maganda sa K-drama ay hindi nila kailangang magpakita ng malalaswang eksena pagdating sa romantic scene. Tungkol lang naman ito, sa kung paano mararamdaman ng mga manonood ang sakit at saya ng couples sa istorya, hindi sa kung gaano karami ang balat na dapat nilang ipakita.

7. MAGANDANG PANANAMIT. Ang fashion sa K-drama ay tiyak na may trend appeal kaya naman ang mga Pilipino ay naiimpluwensyahan na ng mga Korean fashion style, pati na rin ang kanilang mga hairstyle.

8. VOCABULARY STRETCH. Isa rin sa dahilan kung bakit attracted ang mga Pilipino sa K-drama ay dahil sa kanilang nakakatuwang accent. Bukod dito, alam na rin ng mga Pilipino ang ilang Korean words at phrases tulad ng “thanks” at “sorry” sa panonood lamang nito. At ang mahalaga, malalaman mo rin kung ano ang ibig sabihin ng “Oppa” kapag nagsimula kang manood ng kanilang mga palabas.

9. GUMAGAWA NG EMOTIONAL CONNECTION SA MGA MANONOOD. Ang Korean drama ay successful dahil sa paggawa nila ng emotional connection sa kanilang mga manonood. Ang mga character ay na-develop sa paraang makaka-relate ang mga manonood at maramdaman ang emosyon ng mga karakter. Ang ending ng cliff hanger ay nag-iiwan sa kanila ng pagka-excite para sa susunod na episode.

Marami pang rason kung bakit ang mga Korean drama ay nakakakuha ng malawak na suporta mula sa mga non-Korean follower. Ang pagpasok kasi sa mundo ng K-drama ay parang tulad din sa pagpasok ng fantasy world, ngunit para sa mga fans, nakahanap sila ng isang reality mula sa magical place na iyon.

Ang mga Koreanovela ay patuloy na magpapainit sa puso ng lahat ng Pilipino hanggang sa nakakaakit ito sa panlasa ng mga manonood.

Cebuano artist Cookie$ makes waves in the Manila music scene

by Info @Brand Zone | April 5, 2023

Hailing from the Queen City of the South, Cebuano rapper Cookie$ is captivating music enthusiasts far and wide with his witty and unique way of mixing his passion and Visayan roots through rap.

Recently, Cookie$ launched the music video to his newest single, “Ayg Pagbuot,” which means “mind your own business” in Bisaya. It is a bold and empowering song that encourages listeners to stand up for themselves and assert their boundaries. With its energizing beat and powerful message, it's sure to be a hit to anyone who had to deal with nosy or judgmental people.

“There’s Maritesses (the colloquial slang for gossipers) in life, and they want to pry into people’s businesses. Sometimes, you feel irked about their meddling. The song is me telling them to mind their own business,” Cookie$ said.

Born in Ormoc and raised in Cebu, Cookie$ makes himself stand out by incorporating his native tongue Bisaya through a tongue-in-cheek, satirical approach to the everyday realities of Filipino life. He began his journey in the music industry in high school as a drummer for a religious youth organization and local Cebuano bands, Shuffled and Drop Decay.

He eventually moved to Atlanta in 2013. It paved the way for Cookie$ to become familiar with the international rap and hip-hop scene.

“I started to learn rap just for fun, then incorporated Bisaya because it’s more comfortable for me. When I released my songs, I saw how people in the Philippines, especially in Bisaya-speaking regions, found my singles funny, witty, and aggressive. It was new to them,” he said.

Cookie$ creates Bisaya-hype tracks, best played in clubs in Visayas and Mindanao. His songs were among the first played in the country, rivaling the foreign counterparts heard frequently in nightclubs, gigs, and more. It gives the Filipinos, particularly the Bisayas, a sense of identity as one of their own is bringing the fresh, rhythmic flow of Atlanta-tinged flow.

When his songs went viral on social media, Cookie$ flew back to the Philippines and began carving his niche in the local music scene.

Cookie$ raked in over 8.3 Million plays on Spotify and over 2.5 Billion views on TikTok with his recent single, "Sabak Daddy" (trans., Sit On Daddy's Lap).

Listen to “Ayg Pagbuot’ and more from Cookie$ on YouTube. For more information and updates, follow Cookie$ on Facebook and Instagram (@cookie.vibe).

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Follow on Facebook and Instagram: @cookie.vibe