Top K-pop girl groups Twice and Blackpink release new music at the exact same time
Twice, which consists of members Nayeon, Jeongyeon, Momo, Sana, Jihyo, Mina, Dahyun, Chaeyoung and Tzuyu, released its fourth full-length album, titled This Is For, along with the music video of its title track of the same name.
Blackpink, which is made up of Jisoo, Jennie, Rose and Lisa, released the music video of its first new song in years, titled Jump.
The song This Is For is fully in English and is an empowerment anthem with inspirational lyrics for women.
Jump, on the other hand, marks a sonically different sound for Blackpink while keeping true to Blackpink's swagger.
Both releases are currently performing well, and fans have since praised the music videos from both groups for their styling and visuals.
Following the release of these new songs, Twice and Blackpink will embark on their respective world tours.
Twice's This Is For tour will kick off at South Korea's Inspire Arena on Jul 19, with the Singaporean leg of the concert happening on Oct 11 and 12. Ticket sales will be announced at a later date.
Blackpink's Deadline tour kicked off on Jul 5 at South Korea's Goyang Stadium, with Nayeon and Jihyo also in attendance. The Singapore leg of the tour will take place at Singapore's National Stadium on Nov 29 and 30. Tickets for the concert have completely sold out.
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Independent Singapore
2 hours ago
- Independent Singapore
‘I thought toilet got ghost': TikTok user says she saw something scary at bathroom at CBD
SINGAPORE: A woman who has been sharing her creepy encounters on TikTok for the past few years recently talked about the time when she was new at work at a building in the Central Business District (CBD) and may have had a ghostly encounter in the bathroom. In her July 8 (Tuesday) video, Olivia Ong, who goes by @oliviaonqq on the platform, did not specify which building in the CBD area she had been working in at the time but did say that the company she worked for shared bathrooms with other firms. @oliviaonqq Replying to @🌈 ᵥₐᵥₐᵥᵣₒₒₘ👼🏻✨️ yes mam hahahs new horror story is up!! #horrortok #horror #horrorstory #cbd #office #officelife #corporatelife #paranormal #horrorstories #storytime #story #sg #sgtt #sgtt #sgtiktok #sgfyp #fy #fypシ #fyppppppppppppppppppppppp #scary #scarytiktoks #eerie #creepy #toilet #haunted ♬ Creepy and simple horror background music(1070744) – howlingindicator It seems that the bathroom in question already had a reputation for being 'dirty.' Many women working at the building would go to the toilet two by two, but as Ms Ong was new at the time and really needed to urinate, she went on her own. At the time she used the bathroom, she wrote that the sensor normally controlling the lights was not working, but there were windows, so it was not completely dark. When she went into the cubicle and closed the door, however, she saw a pair of shoes right outside, and while this caused Ms Ong to get 'super scared,' because she really needed to use the bathroom, she did not just run out, like maybe others would have done. She looked down the whole time, however, because she was afraid of seeing a ghostly apparition if she looked up. Ms Ong then devised a plan to hold the door open with one hand while making a fist with her other hand, saying, 'Because if I need to fight a ghost, I need to fight a ghost.' She then opened the door and came out swinging, but since no one was there, she quickly washed her hands and ran back to her office. When she got there, she told her colleagues all about her experience. Ms Ong ended her video by saying: 'So next time when your boss asks you why so many people need to go to the toilet at the same time, you just tell them, 'I thought toilet got ghost'.' This was Ms Ong's eighth 'horror story,' with the first dating back to 2022. Her video has received a lot of comments, including those who've also claimed they've seen ghosts in toilets. 'Sis, this made me remember the time I was taking pictures of myself while waiting for my friend to use the toilet (in sec school) and the ghost was in the picture with me. The picture spread through the school, and we had a morning assembly about not 'distributing fake info.' Like, Sir, do you think I want to be in a selfie with a ghost???' one wrote. 'A lot of buildings in the CBD area are haunted. I worked in one building in 1993. Toilet haunted. I resigned a month later,' added another. One commented, 'Wait, something like this happened to me in sec school, but instead the 'thing' ran across my cubicle and I could hear and see the shoes from the bottom gap, and when I opened, almost immediately there was no one.' This caused Ms Ong to reply: 'Omggg feel bad to say this, but I'm happy we're on the same boat HAHAHAHAHAHA if not so lonely sia.' /TISG Read also: Ghost or glitch? Resident claims CCTV motion detector goes off—but captures nothing
CNA
8 hours ago
- CNA
Out at 6pm, home by 11pm: Why alternative clubbing experiences are gaining popularity
Don't fancy a night out till 3am with hiked taxi fares and groggy mornings after? Now you can be in bed by 11pm after grooving to exceptional music with the slew of alternative party collectives popping up in Singapore. From coffee clubbing experiences to kid and pet-friendly raves, these collectives host a variety of party concepts at unique venues that typically end by 10pm, providing an alternate experience to your typical nightclubs. With more people working from home and rising transport costs, nightlife operators seem to be increasingly shuttering in Singapore and more are turning to these earlier, more unique party options. CNA Lifestyle attended two alternative parties and spoke with three collectives on this growing trend in Singapore. Here's what to expect should you choose to dance the (afternoon or evening) away at one: DRIP COFFEE WITH DEEP BEATS It's 2pm and the energy at the Beans and Beats sold-out one year anniversary coffee party back in May was unmistakable: Sunlight streaming in, hanging plants cascading from above the dance floor, warm lights casting a soft glow across the room, and the pulse of house music setting the tone. Hosted at Behind the Green Door at Duxton, there was generous seating from plush sofas to bar stools and cafe-style tables, creating a space where guests could lounge comfortably, rather than jostling for standing room at a typical nightclub. But the most distinctive factor – the gentle, comforting aroma of freshly ground beans in the air. As I approached the bar, I instinctively expected the usual sight of bartenders shaking up drinks. Instead, I was greeted by baristas standing behind rows of drip coffee machines, each one carefully coaxing flavour from lines of curated specialty beans displayed along the counter, serving a no-added sugar birthday cake coffee instead of alcohol to guests. While most partygoers were groups of friends and couples, dotted throughout were also solo flyers – some people-watching, some making friends, others simply enjoying the moment with their coffee and the music. As the afternoon wore on, the dance floor filled up quickly and the tracks became more bass-heavy and upbeat. Soon, most people were on their feet dancing, jumping, hands in the air, without the need for alcohol as a confidence booster. But it was the atmosphere that fueled the energy – inclusive, welcoming and authentic, with the freedom to dance at 4pm in the afternoon without judgment and without the need for alcohol. Co-founded by 21-year-old students Ethan Lee, Matteo Lie and Aden Low in 2024, Lee said that one of their intentions behind Beans and Beats was to share their passions for coffee as well as for music, especially genres that were not typically found in nightclubs. He said that they also wanted to create a space for people to socialise. 'I think in this age with social media, everyone is in their own world, so we wanted to provide an opportunity for people to be able to go out and interact in a non-pressurising environment,' Lee added. 'Also without alcohol, it provides an environment where people can really be themselves, without any fear or judgement,' he said. 'You can come alone and chill, there's really no expectations.' When asked whether the lack of alcohol as a social lubricant was a challenge, Lee said: 'No, actually, the real trick is music, it's really a DJ's skill.' 'DJs that are so good that they know how to control the crowd – I think the energy is really actually more up to the DJ than the drink,' he explained, adding that Beans and Beats had flown out international DJ Yello Music for the event. Lee shared that he feels that serving coffee as a substitute for alcohol does not make a very salient difference in the party experience. 'Alcohol is a depressant, caffeine does the reverse. If you tell me that people cannot have fun without alcohol, I think it's definitely a mistake. I wouldn't agree with the argument.' Attendees too feel an affinity to more unique party experiences. 'It's more inclusive,' said Thet Thet Aung San, 18. 'There are some people who don't drink alcohol, and they can just come here for the vibes and have fun without the pressure to drink.' Another attendee Sushant Dwivedi, 37, said: 'It's definitely something different. Weekends are very precious to people, and normally, when you go out on a Friday or a Saturday, your Sundays just come with recovery, depending on how much you drink. 'But it (afternoon or evening parties) just gives you a bit more flexibility to do more with your weekend,' he added. Lee said that their attendees at first mainly consisted of Gen Zs in their early 20s, but as the concept caught on and gained popularity on social media, they have been seeing an increase in age in their demographic, with people in their mid 20s to 30s coming to their events. 'Definitely the price point is one of the things that are driving people towards our parties as alternatives instead of nightclubs,' Lee said, adding that they try to keep ticket prices affordable – around S$15 to S$20, which are cheaper than nightclub tickets. Each ticket also comes with a free coffee. 'So I think it's something that allows people to enjoy the same kind of music that they may look for at a club, but at a lower price point and also at a time slot that doesn't impact their sleep schedule,' he said. Lee however, said that he does not see Beans and Beats as a countercultural or a reaction against nightlife in Singapore. 'I see this rather as just a healthy alternative to people who want something different,' he shared. 'I think the beauty of the concept is that it appeals to people who would not traditionally partake in nightlife as well.' DANCING IN DAYLIGHT Perched atop the hill at Haw Par Villa was the popular party collective, Ice Cream Sundays' party, Haw Par Thrilla, with the bass thumping, audible well before reaching the top. From 3pm, the outdoor space at the courtyard transformed into more like a day festival: Food booths, picnic-style tables filled with people playing casual games of chess and catching up. In contrast to the Gen Z-heavy sober crowd at Beans and Beats, Ice Cream Sundays drew a predominantly millennial audience and served alcohol. But this wasn't your typical party scene either – there were also toddlers, babies in strollers, and dogs alongside their owners. The afternoon dance floor stayed comfortably uncrowded. With the open layout under a tent, groovy house and disco set pouring from the speakers, the space was made to feel very inviting, leaving party-goers with more freedom to dance, making the party experience more authentic, unpretentious and rather joyful. 'We're both very pro clubs, but it felt like there was another layer to the music events scene that was not fully formed yet,' said co-founder of Ice Cream Sundays Daniel O'Connor who helms the collective together with fellow members Jake Camacho, Meltem Acik and Nick Bong. Started in 2016, the number of attendees for their parties grew from 60 people, to now, 1,200 tickets sold-out for their Haw Par Thrilla event. According to Camacho, party goers can often expect to hear a mix of disco, house and music often rooted in soulfulness. 'You don't have to be a specific type of person to appreciate what's going on or to have a good time,' Camacho said. 'You might just be sort of a casual puncher who is just looking for a place to chill on the weekend with good music, but at the same time, you could be a hardcore house and techno fan and you come to see a specific DJ or to hear a specific sound.' Closer to night time, the space started to adopt more similar characteristics to a conventional beach club; outdoors with neon lights glowing and crowds of people drenched in sweat dancing their hearts out till 10pm. 'I do think we are trying to present an alternative way to enjoy dance music,' said O'Connor. 'Our purpose is to bring people joy through music and interesting experiences.' 'Broadly speaking, that's the impression we would want people to have when they come to one of our parties – it's something that's not too edgy,' Camacho added. 'You don't have to be so cool to fit in or anything. It's just very inclusive and appeals to a lot of different types of people.' Similarly, another collective, Fivetotenpm strives to give goers a well-rounded, unique experience with their parties. Co-founded by five individuals, they host afternoon to evening parties just like Ice Cream Sundays, with a DJ set and various festival-like activities in the daytime that, as their name suggests, start around 5pm and end no later than 10pm. Their next event, Sunday Mess, will be happening on Jul 19. 'You kind of give people the option to pick your own adventure - if people want to come and drink at our party, by all means. But then at the same time, if you want to bring your kids here and you want to have a family day at our party, that's also an option,' said co-founder and resident DJ Aloysius, 26, who declined to share his last name. 'It creates a lot more possibilities of what a party space can be.' 'Whereas in a club, there's an age limit and it's always tied to that one experience,' he continued. 'Which is just that you'd expect to be in a dark place with a speaker thumping at you – it's just one vibe.' 'But when it comes to a day party, we have many options – we've thrown our day parties in basement bars where it's completely dark and super smoky to the point where you can't even see the DJ, whereas the last one we did in Dempsey it was outdoors, with nature at the back.' Aloysius explained that they curate the music they play and build the creative direction of the party around the venue they choose. Co-founder Belle, 25, who declined to share her last name, also added that people often have certain expectations during a night out, for instance the transport home being too expensive or inaccessible. In contrast to throwing it in the afternoons or evenings, shops are still open and party-goers still have time to hang out with friends after and not have to worry about the late nights and lack of sleep. More than the timing, it is also the community these collectives are able to build with their events that are drawing more people in. 'Every time we play a different sound, we actually see a different crowd - the crowd actually moves with which DJ we book and the sound that we play, people definitely come for the music,' Aloysius said. 'If you follow the music that you like and go to the events, you will kind of always find your community, which is strange and also magical.'
CNA
9 hours ago
- CNA
Food stylist and influencer Sunny Han's house is inspired by holidays in the Italian countryside
One of the best tiramisus I had in my life was not in a restaurant. It was whilst perched on a high stool at Sunny Han's kitchen island. The tiramisu was so good that the next time I met up with another guest who was at that same dinner, we started our conversation dissecting what made Han's version of the Italian dessert just right. I had looked forward to that meal, as Han is a famous culinary virtuoso who documents her cooking on Instagram with sprezzatura aplenty. She diligently makes everything from scratch – risotto alla Milanese, tteokguk, soya sauce chicken rice, to name a few – spending hours in her kitchen with nary a hair out of place and ears adorned with vintage earrings – Chanel, no less. Han's impeccable style and gastronomic preoccupation is traced to a lineage of connoisseurs. Her grandmother was married to South Korea's first naval admiral and hosted many dignitaries, including President Park Chung Hee. Han's mother cooked in South Korea's first bistro before opening the country's first international interior design store. 'She would go to the Maison & Objet Paris fair twice a year to shop, and I would follow her when I was 10 to 15 years old,' shared Han, who studied hospitality management at Cornell University, New York, followed by two years at the Culinary Institute of America in Napa Valley, California. A meal by the seasoned host is always a thorough affair. Han recapped a recent Easter meal featuring a five-hour, slow-roasted leg of lamb 'cut very thin, soaked in its own pan drippings and served in a variety of condiments and sauces, including silky tahini sauce.' This was matched with a spring tablescape of a green-outlined, yellow vintage jacquard French linen tablecloth, emerald-green Marie Daage dinner plates Han hand-painted and parrot tulips arranged in a Japanese flower frog. 'I wore a vintage pink gingham Chanel shirt – a classic Easter colour and pattern to suit the occasion,' detailed Han. An aesthete through and through, she also puts her perceptive design sense to good use as creative director of Singapore's largest high-end co-work operator, The Work Project (TWP), which was founded by her husband Junny Lee. Both of them hail from South Korea but carved a life in Singapore running their business that has expanded to include locations in Hong Kong, Melbourne, Brisbane, Sydney and soon, London. The couple made a great pair of hosts during the dinner they invited me to – Lee, with his candidness and humour, and Han with her elegant meal of handmade pasta and beef. The setting was equal part homely and aesthetic, with candlelight saturating the room with atmosphere. The pair moved into this Bukit Timah detached house two years ago from their apartment in town for more space as well as a different pace of family life with two young boys. They were drawn to the site for the leafy park across the street with 'a handsome, grand-looking tree.' Han elaborated: 'We love living in this quiet and intimate neighbourhood. The park is such a versatile place for us, where the kids can play in the mornings and afternoons, where we do picnics, and where we can have a glass of wine as an aperitivo before dinner.' The Italian-inflected house was steered by their love for the country. 'We do a three-week-long summer trip to Tuscany, and some shorter trips over the year to other parts of Italy,' said Lee. These are dreamy days, of Han in her element, wandering into markets to buy fresh produce to whip up Italian dishes as the children play in fields against ombre sunsets. "I like to cook various cuisines – Japanese, Korean, Vietnamese, French, Italian and more. However, if i were to choose one, it is Italian cooking that mesmerises me. I roll different shapes of pasta with different sauces based on what is available in the season. All the inspiration comes from the travels. Italian cooking looks simple but it can actually be very technical in order to do it correctly," said Han. Diego Molina and Maria Arango of ArMo Design Studio, formerly from ONG&ONG (the house's architect of record), helped design their dream house. Matthew Shang Design Office (MSDO), known for creating narrative-led dining destinations like Revolver and Atlas Bar, designed the interiors. Shang had also designed the couple's previous home as well as some TWP Singapore locations so this partnership was seamless. While neoclassical Italian villas provided the precedent, the house's expressions are contemporary. 'We incorporated materials like natural stone, timber and [red travertine tiles inspired by] terracotta that age gracefully and resonate with the Italian countryside inspiration. Architectural features such as arches and pergolas not only provide structural rhythm, but also pay homage to classical design principles,' explained Molina. In the entrance vestibule, a statement staircase finished in smooth stucco curls gracefully to one side like a side-swept skirt, carving a void for Han to welcome guests with seasonal floral displays – for example, large bursts of yellow mimosa in spring and branches of autumn leaves in fall, accessories by pumpkins. The other parts of the home embody a similar tempered elegance, with marble floors, walls of marmorino stucco (a material used in Venetian palaces of yore), spaces conceived as rooms from one to another, arched doorways of oak, and sun-tipped lemon and olive trees outside the windows. Symmetry, colour and proportion are carefully considered with features like teal- and artichoke-coloured silk panels, and dark green Verdi Alpi marble portals flanking a faux red travertine hearth in the living room. 'It is always difficult to do a 'fake' fireplace in the tropics but here, the marble accents and scale make it a wonderful focal point,' said Shang. Han also contributed vintage Murano glass Venetian sconces bought in an online auction. 'I have been adding small furniture and decor items everywhere in the house since we moved in. I think adding stories and layers to every corner of the house as you live in it is the real beauty of home decorating,' she said. Many special pieces came from the couple's travels. 'While the house was being built, I was pregnant with my second son, and we went on a long trip to Tuscany as a babymoon. We met so many local artisans in different parts of Tuscany, hand-making all sorts of things – from ceramic floor tiles to brass door handles and hand-carved wood appliques,' said Han. An artisan in Florence made one of these appliques – a vanilla-coloured piece now attached to her custom cooker hood as a centrepiece in the kitchen. This space sees constant addition not just of decor, but also of cooking apparatuses, other culinary paraphernalia and 'kitchen stories'. 'The kitchen is very much the heart of the home – not just in function, but in how it brings the family together,' Arango commented. The large island often sees family and friends gather around to chat with Han as she preps and cooks. The professional-grade kitchen incorporates a red La Cornue stove and everything that Han had always wanted in her workspace, including a rotisserie that works its magic every week for a regular Sunday roast. Events in this room segue into those in the backyard through large doors that are kept open in the late afternoons. 'The children truly love every part of the house. Yet, it is definitely the kitchen that they enjoy the most. Since our pool is connected to the kitchen, it has become a ritual [for them] to swim before mealtimes, and watch me cook and prepare meals. By appreciating these daily rituals and slow lifestyle, the children have gradually made the home their own,' Han reflected. Arango observed that this connection between the inside and outside spaces 'reinforces the open, relaxed spirit of the home, where boundaries between living, cooking and leisure are gently dissolved.' She and Molina had shifted the original driveway here to another side of the plot to allow for a bigger pool that they clad in the same red travertine as the kitchen floor in the style of Mediterranean kitchens. I asked Lee if he cooks and he chuckled: 'I used to quite a lot but my skills have been rendered useless. On the odd weekend, Sunny will let me do the poolside barbecue. But my job is to play with the boys, and get them really hungry and tired.' View this post on Instagram A post shared by Sunny Han (@sunnyskitchen) The rustic kitchen is presided over by two grand conical Wastberg lamps that appear like abstracted upside-down chefs hats. Walls of oak storage include glass-fronted cabinets showcasing Han's collection of plates and crockery. 'These displays add a personal and lived-in character to the kitchen, making it not only a functional workspace but also a space that tells a story – one that is always evolving with the seasons, meals and memories made there,' said Arango. The dedication of Han's hosting is found in a 'party closet', accessed by a butler's corridor. Here, Han keeps her heirloom silverware (some have been used by past South Korean presidents), serve ware, piles of neatly folded linen, et cetera that take their turn to be admired at gatherings. 'I like to buy vintage and objects that looks used. A lot of them were inherited from my grandmother,' said Han. There are also vintage espresso cups belonging to her mother. Guests close enough for a tour upstairs often marvel at the peach-coloured walls tracing the round void of the stair core on the second storey. The shade was chosen to match the terracotta downstairs. 'Since it's the kids' area, I wanted it to be more vibrant, yet still in keeping with the Italian language. It was really hard to arrive at that colour,' said Han. The library and doors to bedrooms encircle this void. One of the doors leads to the couple's suite in the attic that has a dedicated bar area.. 'We spend a lot of time here in the evenings,' said Lee. For the space, Shang was inspired by Italian architect Piero Portaluppi's classic Milanese modernist interiors. Rather than downplay the quirk of the slanted ceiling, he celebrated it with rich polished green stucco plaster. I asked the couple what a normal day is like in this home after the children have returned from school. 'We have the kids at the playground, then have dinner, and then reading time in the library. Then they will go off and get ready for bed. Usually, I will do a little more work at home, a bit of reading, listening to music, then a nightcap and go to sleep early before 11pm,' narrated Lee. Han mused: 'We sound like old people.' Clearly, family life is given serious attention. But so too is fun with friends – such is the couple's joie de vivre attitude to life. 'When we entertain friends, we invite them to the living room first with a glass of champagne to start before dinner. Then we all move to the kitchen where I cook and entertain simultaneously,' shared Han. 'Afterwards, we continue to the upstairs bar with a digestif or two. It always ends up in a small house party with endless songs and drinks through the night.'
