Latest news with #1stAvenueMall
The Star
16-07-2025
- Entertainment
- The Star
It's great fun going offline
Just one more round...: Visitors playing at the many booths during the ABGF at 1st Avenue Mall in George Town. — CHAN BOON KAI/The Star GEORGE TOWN: Imagine having to tear yourself away from the phone. Gasp! But that's precisely what participants of the Asian Board Games Festival (ABGF) 2025 did for at least two hours as they familiarised themselves with the rules, devised strategies and tried to outdo each other in a friendly competition billed as the largest English-speaking board game convention in Asia. 'Nowadays, because of life and work, you tend to be glued to your phone. It was nice to be able to put it aside and just have fun,' said media lecturer Intan Amalina Mohd Ali, 34. To her, the offline games were refreshing. She said many people assumed board games were just for children. 'But some are actually for adults. They are really complex and make you think,' said Intan Amalina, who was among those who stopped by the three-day festival in 1st Avenue Penang, which ended on Sunday. The event, which featured rows of tables filled with colourful cards and wooden tokens, drew in families, friends and curious onlookers. Players drifted from one table to the next, and many stayed for hours. Hospitality student Wong Jia Chuen, 23, went looking for new games to add to his growing collection. 'I have two younger siblings. We try to play on weekends when we're free,' he said. 'We like those with local themes. Some games make us feel like we are running a kopitiam or selling durians.' ABGF began in Singapore in 2019 and came to Malaysia last year under a collaboration with creative studio Luma as part of the George Town Festival. Luma founder Goh Choon Ean said more people sat down to play the games this year. 'We even had visitors from other states and countries,' she said. 'It was nice to see families and people of all ages laughing and playing without looking at their phones.'
The Star
04-07-2025
- Entertainment
- The Star
Cosplay gives youth a canvas for courage and creativity
Living fantasy: Loh (second from right) and his friend Isaac Chen, 23, (right) who are cosplaying as Zhongli and Freminet from 'Genshin Impact' posing for a photo with Ng (red hair) and Yeam during Cosworld Festival's third anniversary at 1st Avenue Mall in George Town, Penang. — LIM BENG TATT/The Star GEORGE TOWN: From flashy wigs to ostentatious costumes, they come dressed in bold colours and quirky accessories. But beneath the out of the ordinary make-up, theirs is a story of resilience and a tightly-knit cosplay community. The supportive group of cosplayers has spurred an aspiring makeup artist to keep chasing her dreams. Luna Law, 23, had to quit her makeup artistry course due to financial constraints. To hone her skills and her love for anime, she now works as a barista while offering freelance makeup services at cosplay events. At CosWorld Festival's third anniversary at 1st Avenue Mall, Law ran a small booth for on-the-spot cosplay make-up. She charged only a nominal fee, knowing that many anime enthusiasts were usually on a tight budget. 'I come from a single parent household. My mother and I work to support each other. 'I want to be a full-time makeup artist for cosplayers and brides,' said Law, who was dressed as Kurumi Tokisaki, a character from the anime Date A Live. It was one of her go-to characters to showcase her makeup skills. She took one-and-a-half-month to make her costume – a black dress with white and red accents. Working on a tight budget, she sourced cheaper cloth and pieced it together using a portable sewing machine and hand-stitching. Although store-bought costumes are available, Law prefers making her own. 'It feels more personal. But I make them a bit conservative to respect my mother,' she said. She acknowledged that she has much to learn. 'I had no sewing skills before this.' Loh Teck Wah, 27, said studying Chinese history helps him portray Zhongli, a character from the video game Genshin Impact, with more depth. 'I take the character seriously. Zhongli is composed and dignified, and I try to reflect that when I'm in costume,' he said. Loh, who goes by the name TeckWah, runs a supplements business but he manages his time to fit in regular cosplay practice. 'I spend three to four days a week working on makeup, posing and styling wigs,' he said. Most of his outfits are custom-made and ordered online due to their complexity. He said the cosplay community has helped him improve as they shared shared tips and gave him encouragement. 'In real life, I'm quite jovial. But when I wear the costume, I stay in character,' he said. Also at the event were Jessie Ng and Yeam Kah Yeen, both 20, who came from Sungai Petani. They dressed up as characters from the video game Honkai: Star Rail. 'We're excited to meet the professional cosplayers here,' said Yeam, who is studying art. She said events like this give fans the space to be themselves. Ng said wearing costumes gives her a confidence boost. 'I'm a shy person, but once I'm in costume, I feel less nervous,' she said. The three-day event will end tomorrow.
