Browse Tag

entertainment - Page 4

KajoAsks: Going behind the DJ deck with Nick Dhillon

Published on

Knowing how much festival goers are still pumped up for more music even after the performances at Jungle and Tree Stages end, Rainforest World Music Festival introduced the DJ After Party Stage in 2019.

One of the DJs who took over the mixers during the festival this year was DJ Nick Dhillon from Kuala Lumpur.

Covering music genres from EDM,  RnB, Hip Hop, Commercial, retro, Afrobeat and Bolly/Bhangra, it’s no wonder this electronic music producer was brought in for RWMF.

Deejaying since 2003, DJ Nick has released a few singles with artists from Denmark, UK, India, Portugal and Malaysia.

So far, DJ Nick has performed all over Malaysia including Sabah, Johor, Malacca, Penang as well as other countries such as Singapore, Bangladesh and Indonesia.

DJNick Profile 64
Recently, KajoMag had the opportunity to ask DJ Nick Dhillon on his inspiration and what goes on behind his DJ deck.
IMG 20190722 WA0006
DJ Nick Dhillon on his deck.
KajoMag: When did you start DJing and what or who were your early passions and influences?

Nick Dhillon: Basically, I started to learn how to DJ at 9 years old. I got inspired by my father who was a DJ/stage performer back in the day. When I was about 10, I always wondered how people made music. While listening to music on the radio, it just struck my mind – like how did music get created? I then did my research slowly with a lot of attempts. Today I make my own music and I DJ to it.

KajoMag: What are currently your main challenges as a DJ?

Nick Dhillon: My challenges are to get my music heard to a large audience and how to start well, maintain and end well during a set. I’ve set up a goal and the goal is to always do better in every gig I get as I move along.

KajoMag: How you decide to play a particular record during your sets? Is there a criteria other than pure subjectivity for selecting what to play at a gig?

Nick Dhillon: Basically, I usually prepare my set every time before my gig. I listen to new music or similar sounds of what I usually play during my sets. Sometimes I get an original track and remix it and then play during my set. Though the main actual selection of songs during my set comes on the spot while looking at the crowd response. 

KajoMag: Do you feel a crowd is actually able to appreciate the intricacies and complexity of DJing if they don’t really know what goes behind the deck? 

Nick Dhillon: Usually when I DJ, what I believe is in seeing the crowd enjoying the music. Though the understanding of you can’t please everyone with music is always there, the main aim is to catch the majority, especially playing the next song and seeing how they respond to it.

KajoMag: How much do you feel is the club experience or crowd response shaped by cultural differences? When travelling, do you take these cultural differences into consideration? What was your experience during RWMF, for example?

Nick Dhillon: Well, the club experience and the outdoor experience – especially at the RWMF – is very different.

I must say it was amazing. It’s difficult to express in words but just amazing. And playing the music I make, that is mixing traditional Punjabi instruments into modern beats. The reaction is unbelievable. Music does bring everyone together. And that’s beautiful. Though, RMWF is one of my best experiences DJing, without a doubt.

IMG 20190722 d
Nick Dhillon performing during RWMF 2019.
KajoMag: Care to share some of your future plans or dreams?

Nick Dhillon: My future plan is to always be consistent in music, I have plenty of new music coming up. That isn’t a remix, its original tracks I am looking forward to put up to the crowd. Also I’m working on an album.

I’m an electronic (EDM) music producer. I mix electronic music elements with some traditional Punjabi/bhangra elements that’s more what it’ll sound in my upcoming music releases. I look forward to more music festivals around the world to share my music with everyone.

Check him out on Spotify, Facebook, Instagram, YouTube and official website.

All photos courtesy of DJ Nick Dhillon.

You might be interested in

10 South Korean disaster movies you need to watch

Published on

The thought of “What’s the worst that could happen?” is perhaps how most disaster movies came about.

Any good disaster movie will keep its viewers glued to their seats; there are always multiple storylines going on while featuring a large cast and a tremendous set, all the while following the conventional main heroes as they try to escape or inspire others to cope with the disasters.

Although it doesn’t happen too often in Hollywood disaster movies, some South Korean movies do see their heroes dying, making them tear-jerking.

If you are haven’t watch these, here are 10 South Korean disaster movies you need to watch:
1.Tidal Wave (2009)

Considered as South Korea’s first disaster film, this movie received more than 11 million admissions nationwide.

Although the film’s English name is ‘Tidal Wave’, the film is actually referring to a tsunami.

Just like most disasters movies inspired by real-life disasters, this one was inspired by the 2004 Indian Ocean earthquake.

Watch the trailer here.

2.Deranged (2012)

While Tidal Wave was South Korea’s first disaster movie, this one is the country’s first medical thriller on an infectious disease epidemic.

If you believe in conspiracy theories of greedy pharmaceutical companies behind the spread of some diseases or illnesses, this movie fits that theory. It is a fatal outbreak of mutant parasitic horsehair worms that can control the human brain.

Watch the trailer here.

3.Flu (2013)

Imagine a scarier and deadlier strain of H5N1 influenza virus that could kill its victims within 36 hours… and then throw in the human factor.

Flu (2013) takes place in the district of Bundang in Seongnam where half a million people go into a panic after an outbreak of deadly flu.

What starts out like a detective story as it follows the spread of the flu, escalates into mass hysteria, so much so that the government is forced to put its military forces out against its own citizens.

Directed by King Sung-su, the movie stars Jang Hyuk and Soo Ae.

Watch the trailer here.

4.The Tower (2012)

Before Dwayne Johnson rescued his family from a Hong Kong condominium tower taken over by terrorists and set on fire in Skyscraper (2018), there was this movie called The Tower (2012).

In this film, a fire breaks out in a luxury skyscraper in central Seoul on Christmas Eve. Like most disaster movies, this is a story of bravery as the manager Dae-ho (Kim Sang-kyung) tries to save his loved ones and colleagues from the fire.

Watch the trailer here.

5.Pandora (2016)

Make sure you prepare your tissues for this movie because you are going to need it.

The story follows Jae-hyeok (Kim Nam-gil) who works in a local nuclear power plant. Suddenly, an earthquake strikes, causing an explosion at the plant.

While the whole nation is in a state of panic, Jae-hyeok and his colleagues return to the plant to prevent another nuclear disaster.

Watch the trailer here.

Korean disaster movies
A screenshot of Pandora trailer from Youtube.
6.Tunnel (2016)

If you are claustrophobic, this might not be a good movie for you to watch. Starring one of Korea’s most talented actors – Ha Jung-woo – this film revolves around a car salesman who gets trapped in a poorly constructed tunnel that collapsed.

After he regains consciousness, he finds himself trapped under tonnes of concrete.

Watch how he tries to survive with two bottles of water and his daughter’s birthday cake.

Watch the trailer here.

7.The Terror Live (2013)

Before Jung-woo starred in Tunnel, he acted in another disaster movie called The Terror Live (2013).

Here, he plays an ambitious news anchorman Young-hwa who monopolizes the live broadcast of a terrorist attack following the explosion of Mapo Bridge on the Han river.

Apparently, he is not the only one who wants to exploit the disaster for their own agenda.

Watch the trailer here.

8.Train to Busan (2016)

This is the kind of disaster that might be scary but interesting if it really happened. The plot takes place mostly on a train to Busan as a zombie apocalypse breaks out in the country.

The film set a record as the first Korean film of 2016 to break the audience record over 10 million viewers.

Besides the convincingly scary zombies, what makes the movie engrossing was the storyline of different characters.

From Gong Yoo’s acting as Seok-woo, a fund manager who is obsessed with his work to Kim Eui-sung as the selfish businessman, every character carries their own weight making the movie interesting to watch.

Watch the trailer here.

9.Exit (2019)

When disaster strikes, it is natural for humans to use every knowledge or skill they know in order to survive. In this movie, the main character Yong-nam (Jo Jung-suk) uses his rock climbing skills to save everyone from a mysterious white gas covering Seoul.

Watch the trailer here.

10.Sinkhole (working title, 2020)

Well, this movie is not out yet and is expected to be released in 2020. But the cast line-up already has people talking. The movie stars Cha Seung-won, Kim Sung-kyun and Running Man’s Lee Kwang-soo.

Furthermore, the film will be directed by Kim Ji-hoon, the same director for The Tower. With one successful disaster movie in his belt, movie buffs can have high expectations for Sinkhole.

The film follows residents of a villa who are trapped after a sinkhole occurs.

You might be interested in

KajoPicks: 10 literary detectives that we love

Published on

When it comes to fiction, who doesn’t love a good crime novel? Not only are the mysteries fascinating, but the characters themselves are essential to any compelling mystery crime fictions, be it in short stories or novels.

There are all kinds of literary detectives out there; from private investigators to professional policemen.

Some of these literary detectives have even made it to TV shows or the big screens, gathering a new fan base, especially among those who do not read crime novels.

Every literary detective usually has his or her own quirks or issues that keep readers coming back for more.

Here are KajoMag’s top 10 picks of our favourite literary detectives:
sherlock holmes 462978 1280
1.Sherlock Holmes

We cannot talk about literary detectives without mentioning Sherlock Holmes. In terms of Holmes’ depictions on screen, fans have had long arguments on who has played Holmes better, Robert Downey Jr. or Benedict Cumberbatch. (Who also happen to share the big screen in the MCU universe XD)

At the end of the day, though, books are always better than movies or TV shows. Besides letting you imagine the setting or events happening in the story, books can usually create more interesting plots or let you in on what the characters are thinking.

Created by British author Sir Arthur Conan Doyle, Holmes is one of the most famous literary detectives of all time.

sherlock holmes 931897 1280
2.C. Auguste Dupin

Before there was Holmes, the literary world had C. Auguste Dupin first. Edgar Allan Poe penned him in The Murders in the Rue Morgue (1841), The Mystery of Marie Roget (1842) and The Purloined Letter (1844).

The Murders in the Rue Morgue is widely considered as the first detective fiction story ever.

After Poe created Dupin, the character had inspired other authors to create their own literary detectives, including Holmes.

3.Hercule Poirot

Here is another character which is inspired by Dupin. English writer Agatha Christie first created Poirot in 1920 in the book The Mysterious Affair at Styles. This was during the “Golden Age of Detective Fiction” (1920s-1930s).

Obviously obsessive-compulsive, Poirot’s interesting character along with Christie’s writing style where she likes to keep her readers guessing, makes him one of the most memorable literary detectives.

Besides Poirot, Christie also created Miss Marple, an elderly lady who is an amateur consulting detective.

4.Harry Bosch

With years of experience as a crime beat writer and crime reporter, it’s no wonder American author Michael Connelly is one of the best crime fiction writers in recent decades.

His most notable works are those featuring Los Angeles Police Department (LAPD) detective Harry Bosch.

He has appeared in 21 novels to date since the first novel The Black Echo in 1992.

After reading any of Connelly’s books featuring Bosch, one can imagine him as a very confrontational and hostile person who always has problems with authority despite being a police officer himself.

Apart from novels featuring Bosch, other must-read books by Connelly are of Mickey Haller. He is a Los Angeles attorney and Bosch’s half brother.

5.Harry Hole

After reading crime novels written by Norwegian author Jo Nesbo, one can’t help but notice the similarities between Connelly’s Bosch and Nesbo’s main character Harry Hole.

That is because Nesbo took Bosch not only as the inspiration for his own character but also a tribute to the American literary detective.

Just like Bosch, Hole also has repeated conflict with his superiors and colleagues.

And just like Bosch, Hole is a brilliant detective who, despite his sometimes compulsive behaviour, still earns respect among his colleagues.

6.Dave Robicheaux

What do Dave Robicheaux and Harry Hole have in common apart from both being literary detectives?

They have both problems with alcohol. Created by American writer James Lee Burke, Robicheaux first appeared in The Neon Rain (1987). Burke’s latest book to date featuring Robicheaux is The New Iberia Blues (2019).

7.Adam Dalgliesh

Perhaps it is a trend or scientific fact that being a loner, or someone not in any committed relationship, makes one a great detective. Most of the literary detectives in this list are single men who either sleep around or are divorced, widowed or simply those who prefer to be alone in the first place.

P.D. James’ Adam Dalgliesh falls under the widowed category after he loses his wife in childbirth.

Like any British detective fiction, Dalgliesh is depicted as the gentlemen detective throughout fourteen mystery novels he has appeared.

8.Inspector Morse

Created by British author Colin Dexter, Inspector Morse is another gentleman detective that we love.

Inspector Morse appeared in 13 novels with the last one being The Remorseful Day (1999).

Like most literary detectives, Inspector Morse has a snobbish characteristic, but he is good at his job.

9.Jack Reacher

While most literary detectives on this list are policemen or private investigators, this character is a former major in the United States Army Military Police Corps.

British author Lee Childs first created Jack Reacher in 1997 with the book Killing Floor. Since then, Reacher has been roaming around the countryside, always coming across a mysterious situation that requires him to put on a detective’s hat.

If this character sounds familiar, that is because Tom Cruise portrays him in the movie adaptations.

10.Dr Temperance Brennan

Speaking of onscreen adaptations, Dr Temperance Brennan is perhaps one of the literary detectives that successfully transitioned from book to TV.

However, the TV’s Dr Brennan in Bones (played by Emily Deschanel) is just loosely based on American author Kathy Reichs’ Temperance Brennan.

Other than sharing the same name, they also share the same occupation as a forensic anthropologist.

According to Reichs who is the executive producer of the show, the TV’s Brennan is like the younger version of the novel’s Brennan.

Either way, if you like Dr Brennan in Bones, you might also like her in the crime novels.

Do you have any favourite literary detectives? Let us know in the comment box.

You might be interested in

KajoPicks: Top 11 Series on Netflix with 10 or Less Episodes

Published on

Just one more episode of Netflix…..

Kajopicks: Top 11 Series on Netflix with 10 or less episodes (Picture source: Pixabay)
Top 11 Series on Netflix with 10 or less episodes (Picture source: Pixabay)

For people who don’t have the staying power to watch a series with more than 10 episodes on Netflix, it can be pretty draining to wait for the ending.

So here are the top 11 series on Netflix with 10 or less episodes per season that you can binge-watch over the weekend.

The Many Faces of Ito (Japanese)

Rom-com screenwriter Rio Yazaki has a big hit four years ago for a popular drama series. However, ever since then, she has been under a dry spell. For inspiration, she tricks four different women into telling their love problems under the pretence of giving love advice. Due to a twist of fate, the love interest of all the women is named “Ito”. As Rio discovers later, all the Itos in the women’s stories refer to the same guy.

With just eight episodes, you will be glad it is a short series as you will be dying to know who Ito really is.

Number of episodes per season: 8

Current number of Seasons: 1

Watch the trailer here.

Pose (USA)

If you are into fabulosity, opulence and dramatic entrances, then you should definitely watch Pose.

Pose is set in 1987 in New York City, taking place in the life of African and Latino American ballroom culture scene. After a dispute with her house mother, a HIV-positive transwoman, Blanca Rodriquez-Evangelista (formerly Abundance) decides to leave and start her own house (House of Evangelista).

Her house children include talented homeless dancer Damon-Richard Evangelista, transwoman sex worker Angel Evangelista, Damon’s boyfriend Ricky Evangelista and drug dealer Esteban ‘Lil Papi’ Martinez-Evangelista.

Now, some of you might be confused (but hopefully intrigued) with the terms ‘House’, ‘Mother’ and ‘ballroom’. But trust me, if you just watch one episode it will all make sense.  

The second season takes place in 1990 after Blanca has full-blown AIDS.

Pose has been renewed for a third season.

Number of episodes per season: 8 (10 for Season 2)

Current number of Seasons: 2

Watch the trailer here.

On My Block (USA)

On My Block is a coming-of-age series that centres around a group of 14-year-olds entering high school in Los Angeles. While navigating the ups and downs of high school life, On My Block follows the story of four best friends as they land themselves in a money heist plot in their neighbourhood. Apart from the adorable characters, the absurd yet chaotic plotline of On My Block is never boring. The endings of the first and second seasons will leave you hang and wanting to know more.

On My Block has been renewed for a third season.

Number of episodes per season:  10

Current number of Seasons: 2

Watch the trailer here.

Derry Girls (UK)

Derry Girls reminds me a lot of Mean Girls, if they were the unpopular kids. This series Netflix made it to our top 11 list due to its quirky storyline and lovable characters.

Derry Girls takes place in the 1990s in the city of Derry, Northern Ireland during the the decades-long conflict between Irish nationalists and United Kingdom loyalists. At what seems like the most intense period, the girls provide much laughter and hilarity even during the most mundane momentd of their librd.

With just 6 episodes for each season, you can easily finish this series in just a day.

Number of episodes per season:  6

Current number of Seasons: 2

Watch the trailer here.

Midnight Diners (Japanese)

For those on a diet, I strongly recommen NOT watching this in the middle of the night.

The series focuses on its main character, the chef known as ‘Master’ and his relationship with his customers. As his diner only opens at midnight, Master has a niche group of customers. These include those who work late into night or when their shifts start late at night as well as those who are just plain lonely. These people include pensioners, yakuza, prostitutes, a taxi driver and a lonely housewife. Midnight Diners highlights how Master listens intently to his customers’ colourful yet sad life struggles as he serves them their favourite dish.

So, imagine having Master as a therapist who served you delicious food every time you visit him.

Number of episodes per season:  10

Current number of Seasons: 4

Watch the trailer here.

The Cravings (Korea)

When newly single Jegal Jae-young breaks up with her boyfriend, she does what she loves best; EAT.

Apart from her unwelcome status, she also has to deal with work struggles and people who comment on her looks and weight. #rude

However, when she gets home after work, Jae-young will make sure to make time to cook dishes that she craves. What sets The Cravings apart from other food series is that, each episode is only 10 minutes long. So, you can finish one season in just under an hour. Towards the end of each episode, the scene showcases how Jae-young prepares her favourite dishes. So, viewers will get to see different delicious yet simple Korean recipes.

Think of it as a Korean cooking show but with a plot.

Number of episodes per season:  6 (10 for Season 2)

Current number of Seasons: 2

Watch the trailer here.

Kingdom (Korea)

Next on the list of top 11 series on Netflix with 10 or less episode to watch is Kingdom.

This series has been listed in one of our articles for its zombie plot. However, as it fits in this category, it is worth mentioning that you can binge-watch Kingdom in just one day.

Kingdom is renewed for a second season which is set to be release in 2020.

Number of episodes per season:  6

Current number of Seasons: 1

Watch the trailer here.

The Umbrella Academy (USA)

With its quirky storyline and equally eclectic characters, The Umbrella Academy is like a Nanny McPhee spin-off if it was directed by Quentin Tarantino.  

The Umbrella Academy follows the life of six orphans from different parts of the world with supernatural abilities. They are adopted by a mysterious billionaire, Sir Reginald Hargreeves who trains the children to be superheroes. Instead of giving them names, he calls them by numbers. They are however given names by their robot mother who is invented by their father. Sadly, out of the seven orphans he adopted, one was killed before the series started. The series follows the characters as they try to stop the apocalypse from coming.

The series centres around Luther (Number Two) who has super strength, Diego (Number Two) who has the ability to throw his knives in curved trajectories, Allison (Number Three) who can manipulate people by spreading rumours, Klaus (Number Four) who can see the dead and Ben, Number Five (the only one who has no name) who can time travel, the deceased Ben (Number Six) who can turned into a monster and Vanya (Number Seven) who can manipulate wave into destructive force.

The Umbrella Academy is renewed for a second season.

Number of episodes per season:  10

Current number of Season: 1

Watch the trailer here.

Russian Doll (USA)

If you are into dark humour and unusual plot, then Russian Doll is for you.

The series centre around cynical software engineer, Nadia who repeatedly dies during her 36th birthday. Having been trapped in a time loop where she dies and returns back alive to her birthday party, Nadia try to figure out a way out from experiencing death over and over again.
To be honest, I am not a big fan of a repetitive story line. However, Russian Doll gives out a different plot every time Nadia comes back to life.

Apart from that, the Russian Doll only has eight episodes, each 25 minutes long. So, this series is perfect if you are looking something to binge-watch in just one night.

Number of episodes per season:  8

Current number of Seasons: 1

Watch the trailer here.

Queer Eye (USA)

Queer Eye (2018) made it to our top 11 drama series on Netflix with 10 or less episode you need to watch for various reasons.

First, it broke the stereotypes that good skin care routine, eating healthy, dressing well and grooming are reserved for gay men. Second, regardless of what body type you are, there are clothes made for you. Third, it is nice to see straight men opening up instead of bottling up their feelings, thus combating toxic masculinity. And fourth, people can be accepting towards each other regardless of their background.  

The makeover show revolves around five gay men of various specialties going around America giving straight men (and sometimes women) makeovers. They are culture expert Karamo Brown, grooming expert Jonathan Van Ness, food expert Anthony Porowski, fashion designer Tan France and interior designer Bobby Berk. Once they are done throwing pixie dust around the ‘hero’, he or she is transformed after spending a few days with the Fab 5.

The show explores various cultural and racial issues as well as religious barriers in America. Our cultural, racial and religious issues might differ from those in America, but what the show is trying to convey is kindness, acceptance and that love is the way to be.

Queer Eye has been renewed for a fifth season.

Number of episodes per season:  8

Current number of Seasons: 4

Watch the trailer here.

Tidying Up with Marie Kondo (Japan-USA)

If you have not heard of Marie Kondo’s battle cry ‘KonMari’ before, then you might want to add it to your lexicon.

This reality show made it into our top 11 list because it is a soul cleanser. It is also not your typical home makeover show where people come in and redo your house. Instead, it features Japanese organising consultant Marie Kondo coming into various family homes and helping to declutter their space by getting of things that do not “spark joy”. By the end, each family will be left with a tidy and organised home and a clutter-free mind. And what makes this show so addictive is that it actually shows that tidying up is not difficult once you make up your mind to do it. 

After watching it, you will be wondering, does owning 65 pair of shoes give you joy?

Number of episodes per season: 8

Current number of Seasons: 1

Watch the trailer here.

You might be interested in

KajoPicks: 5 performances we loved during RWMF 2019

Published on

If you were there during Rainforest World Music Festival (RWMF 2019), chances are you may still be suffering from post-RWMF withdrawal.

Despite a claim on international media last year that the festival was a dying brand with no new stories being told, the festival has definitely proven the critics wrong.

The number of festival goers this year hit 23,650 people – the highest it’s been since RWMF started in 1998.

And if you were one of those thousands who danced beneath the moonlit sky with the Santubong mountain in the background, you might not have realised how big the crowd was.

It was definitely good to see the festival highlight more local Sarawakian performers such as Suku Menoa, Suk Binie’, Kemada, Staak Bisomu and crowd favourite, At Adau.

With so many performers from all five continents gathering at Sarawak Cultural Village for three days, it was definitely hard to choose our favourites.

But here are KajoMag’s picks for our five favourite acts during RWMF 2019 which took place from July 12 to 14.
1.Duplessy & The Violins of the World (France, Mongolia and Sweden) featuring Guo Gan (China)

The beauty of Rainforest World Music Festival has always been the ability to bring artists of different musical styles and cultures to perform on the same stage.

And this year, one of the performances which managed to do that beautifully and successfully was the performance by Duplessy & The Violins of the World featuring Chinese erhu musician, Guo Gan.

Four soloists- Mathias Duplessy, Guo Gan, Naraa Puredorj and Aliocha Regnard – came together for two different sets called “Marco Polo” at the Theatre Stage and “Crazy Horse” on the Tree Stage.

Inspired by the Italian explorer who travelled through Asia, “Marco Polo” gave the audience a crossover of Western and Asian classical music, while “Crazy Horse” truly reflected its name with fast-paced, cantering rhythms and swinging tunes.

Their performances might have been a fusion between East and West cultures, but there was no confusion among the audience who was listening.

It was definitely a nice eclectic mix of classical guitar (Duplessy), erhu (Guo Gan), traditional Swedish string instrument the nyckelharpa (Regnard) and the Mongolian fiddle (Naraa).

2.Otava Yo (Russia)

This group of seven musicians from St Petersburg had a goal: to shatter the stereotype that Russian folk music was boring and undanceable.

Judging by how the crowd danced on Friday night during their performance, Otava Yo definitely achieved their goal.

Using instruments such as the Russian fife, gusli (Russian psaltery), the bagpipe and fiddle, they gave a performance which transcended languages and cultural boundaries.

Night session 144
Otava Yo. Credits: RWMF Official Photograph
3.Kila (Ireland)

If you are a veteran RWMF festival goer, then Kila might be a familiar act. They performed in RWMF back in 2013 and they were back again this year.

Kila is a musical ensemble of eight Dubliners centering around Irish classic, folk and rock music.

BBC World Review once described their music to be ‘one of the most beautiful euphoric live experience’ and we agree.

Kila gave a phenomenal performance as the last act on Friday night and they outdid themselves when they performed with Oki Kano, an Ainu Japanese musician on Sunday night.

Who knew a collaboration between the sounds of Dublin and Hokkaido would blend perfectly together?

Night session 201
Kila performing on Friday night. Credits: RWMF Official Photograph.
4.Macka B (United Kingdom/Jamaica)
IMG 0649
Macka B. Credits: RWMF Official Photograph.

According to Macka B, Sarawakians have the reggae spirit in them and we couldn’t agree more: the moment Macka B took over the mic on Saturday night, the audience was immediately taken by his stage presence.

With a career spanning nearly four decades in the United Kingdom and Jamaica, Macka B was definitely a seasoned performer and an expert on working the crowd.

He brought the house down with songs you would expect a reggae artist to sing; peace, love, a tribute to Bob Marley and marijuana.

But Macka B’s hit “Wha Me Eat”, in which he raps a long list of food he eats as a vegan was definitely one of our faves.

Most RWMF 2019 festival goers might never have been to Jamaica but he had us screaming “Ya man!” all night.

5.Tabanka (Cape Verde)

If Tabanka could bottled up their energy and sell it, I would definitely be the first in line to buy it.

This band who performed as the final act during the final night of Rainforest World Music Festival 2019 had an infectious, excessive energy on stage.

They introduced funana, an accordion-based music and dance genre from Cape Verde.

The genre was once forbidden by the Portuguese colonial rulers but later became part of the post-Independence Cape Verdean identity.

Check out their official music video down below and you would understand why we loved them.

Who were your personal favourites during RWMF 2019? Let us know in the comment box.

Which type of RWMF goer are you? Here are 10 types that we usually see during the festival.

Here is throwback to who we loved during Rainforest World Music Festival 2017.

You might be interested in

15 South Korean revenge films you need to watch

Published on

They said revenge is sweet but here at KajoMag, we say it is sweeter when filmmakers make a movie out of it.

Perhaps the reason why revenge films are popular, especially the ones with good storylines and convincing lead characters, is because they bring the audience on an emotional roller coaster ride.

First, it creates a bond between you and the main character. Then it brings you down with sadness and sorrow when something important is taken from the character. When the character decides to take revenge, then you feel the eagerness and determination. After the revenge finally takes place, you feel satisfied along with the main character.

But we cannot talk about revenge films without mentioning those that come from South Korea.

Over the years, the South Korean movie industry has been generous in giving us revenge films that are not only satisfying to watch but borderline gruesome as well.

Here are 10 South Korean revenge films you need to watch:

1.The Vengeance Trilogy

The trilogy is a series of three films that are not connected in stories but directed by the same director Park Chan-wook.

The first installment Sympathy for Mr. Vengeance (2002) is a tale of how revenge can go wrong.

It all starts when a deaf-mute man kidnaps a young girl to pay for his sister’s surgery. When the young girl accidentally dies, her father seeks vengeance.

Meanwhile in the second installment Oldboy (2003) revolves around a man who is imprisoned for 15 years. He is then released without any explanation as to why he was confined and released.

When he think he has the freedom, he is given five days to learn his captor’s true identity or his new love interest will be killed.

As for the third and final installment aptly named Lady Vengeance (2005), the film tells the tale of a young woman released from prison doing time for a child killer. She of course seeks revenge against the man for whom she served time.

The movie really tells how long a person can hold grudges and how far they will go to seek revenge.

Watch the trailer here.

2.I Saw the Devil (2010)

Rolling Stone magazine picked this movie for its top 20 of ‘scariest movies you’ve never seen.” So you can imagine how scary the revenge must have been or how the events led up to the revenge must have been.

It follows Kim Soo-hyun (Lee Byung-hun) who embarks on a journey of revenge after his fiancee was brutally murdered by a psychopathic murderer.

Oh, did I mention Soo-hyun is a secret service agent of the National Intelligence Service (NIS)?

Hence, it is a cat and mouse story except the role of the cat switches between the antagonist and protagonist.

Furthermore, the psychopathic murderer (played by veteran actor Choi Min-sik) is everything you imagine your perfect villain to be: sadistic and brutal.

Watch the trailer here.

3.Mother (2009)

How far would you go to protect your son? Hye-ja is a single mom to 27-year-old Do-joon who is extremely shy.

Do-joon is prone to attack anyone who mocks his intellectual disability. Walking home one night, he encounters a young girl and then decides to follow her.

The next morning, she is found dead and Do-joon is accused of her murder.

Like any protective mother, Hye-ja sets on a journey to seek the real killer in order to free her innocent son.

Watch the trailer here.

4.Pieta (2012)

Imagine a job of threatening debtors into paying his clients, loan sharks who demand 10 times the return. That is what Kang-do does for a living.

To recover the interest, the debtors sign an insurance application for a handicap. And then Kang-do comes in to injure the debtors brutally so that they file the claim.

This might be a feasible idea to make ends meet. But what is not that feasible is to seek revenge for a woman who just shows up claiming she is your long lost mother.

That is what happens to Kang-do when a strange middle-aged woman visits him.

Later when he finds his mother missing, Kang-do goes to every person he crippled to find his mother.

Watch the trailer here.

5.Bedevilled (2010)

Have you ever thought what would make the perfect murder weapon to carry out your vengeance? In this Korean revenge film, a sickle fits the bill.

The story starts with Hae-won who escapes from her busy life to take a break in Mudo, an island where she spent her childhood.

There, she meets her friend from teenage years, Bok-nam. Bak-nam suffers under her abusive husband and her attention goes all to her young daughter Yeon-hee.

When her daughter is accidentally killed, Bok-nam seek her revenge by starting a killing spree on the island with a sickle.

Watch the trailer here.

Korean revenge movie
When a mother carries around a sickle to avenge her daughter’s death. Credits: IMDB

6.Hwayi: A Monster Boy (2013)

Hwayi: A Monster Boy (2013) revolves around a 16-year-old boy who is raised by five criminal fathers to become the perfect assassin.

He follows his adoptive fathers in their criminal activity until he learns that the first man he killed was his real father.

That is when he starts his journey of vengeance against his criminal fathers who took him from his real parents.

Watch the trailer here.

7.Broken (2014)

“Life no longer exists for parents that lost their child,” is a famous quote from this movie. It centers around widower Lee Sang-hyeon (Jung Jae-young) who avenges the death of his daughter.

Frustrated with the pace of the investigation team, Sang-hyeon begins his own investigation. After he accidentally kills the first suspect, he finds out there is more than one culprit.

Then he sets to find those who are responsible for his daughter’s murder with the police hot on his trail.

Watch the trailer here.

8.No Mercy (2010)

This Korean revenge movie comes with a very shocking plot twist. It all starts with pathologist Kang Min-ho (Sol Kyung-gu) who is about to retire.

When a dismembered corpse of a young woman is found, Kang agrees to do one last job.

The main suspect for the murder is Lee Sung-ho (Ryoo Seung-bum). It seems like it is an easy case because Lee is all ready to confess for the murder. Or is there more to the story?

Watch the trailer here.

9.Soo (2007)

Two brothers, Tae-soo and Tae-jin separated when they were young. Tae-soo (Ji Jin-hee) becomes an assassin while Tae-jin becomes police detective.

When they finally reunite as adults, Tae-jin is suddenly killed. The killer really should know better than kill an assassin’s brother because Tae-soo then decides to get revenge.

10.The Five (2013)

What if you are physically incapable to take revenge on those who hurt you? Then you manipulate and threaten others to do it for you.

Go Eun-ah (Kim Sun-a) is a crippled woman who gathers four people to kill the serial killer who murdered her family.

In return, Eun-ah promises them her organs once her revenge is complete. However, things do not go as planned and the killer starts hunting them instead.

Watch the trailer here.

11.Don’t Cry Mommy (2012)

Don’t Cry Mommy is inspired by a real case of revenge which happened in South Korea. An 8-year-old Kim Bu-nam was raped by her 35-year-old neighbour Song Baek-gwon.

21 years later, following two divorces and months in a mental hospital, Bu-nam went back to her hometown where she stabbed Baek-gwon to death.

Acknowledging that she went through enough, the court sentenced Bu-nam to a three-year suspended sentence and a requirement that she receive medical treatment.

However in this South Korean revenge movie, the victim Eun-ah (Nam Bo-ra) is not that lucky. She takes her own life after being brutally raped by her schoolmates. This leads her mother Yoo-lim (Yoo Sun) on a path of vengeance to kill those who are responsible for Eun-ah’s death.

Watch the trailer here.

12.Monster (2014)

First of all, Kim Go-eun acting as Bok-soon in this movie is impressive. Bok-soon is known to be an aggressive woman with a mental disability.

She lives happily with her younger sister Eun-jeong while running a stall in a local market. Everything changed when a serial killer Tae-soo (Lee Min-ki) kills Eun-jeong.

Thus, Bok-soon’s journey to avenge her sister’s death starts making you wonder who is the real monster in this movie.

Watch the trailer here.

13.Azooma (2013)

This Korean revenge movie had its world premiere at the 2012 Busan International Film Festival. It centers around a mother seeking justice for the rape of her 10-year-old daughter.

When her daughter is sexually assaulted, Yoon Young-nam (Jang Young-nam) is not happy with how the police handles the case.

So Young-nam decides to track down the child molester herself.

Watch the trailer here.

14.Princess Aurora (2005)

This is a story of a woman who sets out to kill everyone whom she believes played a role in her child’s death.

At first glance, it seems that there is a serial killer on the loose asthere seems to be no connection between all the victims excepts for small sticker depicting a character from the popular “Princess Aurora” cartoon series is found at every crime scene.

Eventually, the killer allows herself to get caught simply to carry out the final act of her revenge.

Watch the trailer here.

15.Revenger (2018)

To sum up most of these Korean revenge movies, do not molest, rape or kill anybody because their family members, especially parents, will definitely come and find you.

Unlike the other movies on this list, Revenger (2018) is set in the near future where dangerous criminals are housed in a hellish prison island.

Then comes a man who purposely sends himself to the island just to carry out his revenge.

Watch the trailer here.

You might be interested in

5 South Korean zombie movies you need to watch

Published on

You have to admit, Korean zombies are among the scariest of all fictional zombies; they run, they run in a horde, they twist into bone-breaking pretzels, they eat people alive… they are exactly what you imagine zombies should be.

When comes to terrifying an audience, Korean zombies can beat most Hollywood zombies (except those from 28 Days Later and World War Z) and of course Malaysia’s own zombies from Kampung Pisang.

Here are five South Korean zombie movies you need to watch:
1.Train to Busan (2016)

When comes to zombie movies, this is THE zombie movie to watch. Starred Gong Yoo, Jung Yu-mi and Ma Dong-seok, the movie takes place on a train to Busan as a zombie apocalypse suddenly breaks out.

The audience also get to watch the reunion for Gong Yoo and Yu-mi who both starred in a based on a true story movie Silenced (2011).

Anyway, the storyline is thrilling and the acting even for those who had only small roles is impressive.

To top it all, the zombies are just purely gory and terrifying.

We guess the movie is so good that there is a sequel in the pipeline with the Korean title Bando.

Watch the trailer here.

2.Seoul Station (2016)

If you wondering how did the events in Train to Busan unfold, then you need to watch its prequel animated zombie film.

Released a month later after Train to Busan, Seoul Station (2016) revolves around a young runaway woman named Hye-sun.

It also centers around her father Suk-gyu who is looking for Hye-sun only to find out she has become a prostitute.

While a father-daughter reunion is about to take place, a zombie epidemic conveniently breaks out in Seoul.

Watch the trailer here.

3.Rampant (2018)

When Korean period drama meets zombie epidemic, what you get is Rampant (2018).

Since it is set during the Joseon dynasty, you can imagine there would be horse riding, sword fighting, some archery skills in the movie.

The story circles around a prince named Lee Chung (Hyun Bin) who was given to the Qing empire as a political hostage.

When he returns upon hearing the death of his brother the Crown Prince Lee Young, Lee Chung is met with zombie epidemic plaguing his country.

Though the plot is predictable (you basically know which one is the bad guy and who is going to sacrifice himself in the end), this Korean zombie movie is still worth to watch.

Why? Because of the zombies of course! They are creepy, quick, disgusting and just scary.

Watch the trailer here.

4.The Odd Family: Zombie on Sale (2019)

If there is a possibility of a profiting from a zombie, would you give up the opportunity? This zombie comedy film revolves around the Park family who resides in a peaceful rural town.

One day, the whole town turns up and down when a zombie suddenly appears.

So the Park family decides that they need to find the zombie and tries to profit from it.

Watch the trailer here.

5.Kingdom (2019)
Korean zombie movies

First of all, this is not movie but a Netflix original series consists of six episodes. It is on the list because we cannot talk Korean zombie onscreen without mentioning Kingdom. It is definitely worth-watching.

Adapted from the webcomic series The Kingdom of the Gods, the series is set in Joseon period.

It tells the story of Crown Prince Yi Chang (Ju Ji-hoon) who becomes embroiled in a political coup. While investigating about what happened in the palace, the prince embarks in journey that takes him right into a zombie epidemic.

On top of the exciting plots which keeps audience on their toes, we cannot help but notice the picturesque cinematography.

You might be flip a table after watching the series because the ending is a cliffhanger. But fret not, the filming for the second season had started last February so yeay!

Watch the trailer here.

You might be interested in

10 more South Korean movies based on real-life events to watch

Published on
You have read our 10 South Korean movies based on true stories. Now, we have 10 more films inspired by real-life events that you need to watch while learning a bit about South Korean’s history:
1.71: Into the Fire (2010)

The Battle of P’ohang-dong which took place during the early Korean War was a fight was between the United Nations and North Korea from Aug 5-20, 1950 around the town of P’ohang-dong, South Korea.

71: Into the Fire (2010) is based on true story of a group of 71 under-trained, under-armed, and outgunned South Korean student-soldiers who took part in the battle.

For 11 hours, this group of students defended the local P’ohang-dong girls middle school from an attack by North Korean forces.

Unfortunately, most of the students died during the battle as they were unmatched against the North Korean’s special forces commando 766th Unit.

Watch the trailer here.

2. A Taxi Driver (2017)
5 movies inspired by Gwangju Uprising you should watch
Five movies inspired by Gwangju Uprising here.

The Gwangju Uprising took place in Gwangju city from May 18 to 27, 1980.

After President Park Chung-hee was assassinated on Oct 26, 1979, Chun Doo-hwan, a former South Korean army general successfully led a military coup and became the de facto South Korean leader.

The uprising in Gwangju began when local Chonnam University students demonstrated against Chun’s martial law government.

In response, the South Korean army and police used firearms, violence and even sexual assault to suppress the protest.

Meanwhile, the Gwangju citizens stood up against the authority by robbing local armories and police stations.

This 2017 South Korean movie centers around Kim Man-seob (Song Kang-ho), a taxi driver who ferried a German journalist named Jurgen Hinzpeter (Thomas Kretschmann) around Gwangju and past military cordons.

Man-seob’s character in the movie is loosely based on real-life Kim Sa-bok while Hinzpeter (1937-2016) was the real-life German TV reporter who reported on the Gwangju massacre to the world.

Apart from A Taxi Driver, the real-life events which happened in Gwangju also inspired other movies such as May 18 (2007) and Peppermint Candy (1999).

Watch the trailer here.

3. The Attorney (2013)

Speaking of Chun Doo-hwan, another incident called the “Burim case” of 1981 happened during Doo-hwan regime.

The military government arrested 22 students, teachers and office workers who belonged to a book club without warrants and on fabricated charges that they were North Korea sympathizers.

The Attorney (2013) is loosely based on this event in which tax lawyer Roh Moo-hyun formed a legal team with Moon Jae-in and Kim Kwang-il to defend the group.

Today, the real-life Moo-hyun went on to become the 16th South Korean president while Jae-in is currently the South Korea president.

Watch the trailer here.

4. 1987: When The Days Come (2017)

Even after the Gwangju Uprising, university students continued to protest against Doo-hwan.

One of the students, Bak Jong-cheol was detained and interrogated for his role in the student protest. During the interrogation, the authorities used the infamous waterboarding technique to torture Jong-cheol which led to his death.

The movie is set in 1987, focusing on the real-life events that led up to the June Democratic Uprising including the death of a student protester during police interrogation.

Unlike the Gwangju Uprising which was limited to the city, the June Democratic Uprising was a nationwide democracy movement in the country that brought about mass protests from June 10 to June 29, 1987.

Watch the trailer here.

5. The Battleship Island (2017)

Hashima Island is commonly known as “Gunkanjima” meaning “Battleship Island”. This uninhabited island was where Korean civilians and Chinese prisoners of war were forced to work during the Second World War.

Sadly, it is estimated that about 1,300 labourers died on the island due to exhaustion, malnutrition and accidents from poor working conditions.

Inspired by the events on Hashima Island, The Battleship Island (2017) is about an attempted prison break from the forced labour camp.

Watch the trailer here.

6. Northern Limit Line (2015)

Starring Kim Mu-yeol, Jin Goo and Lee Hyun-woo, Northern Limit Line is a naval thriller film based on the real-life events of the Second Battle of Yeonpyeong.

The battle was a confrontation at sea between North Korean and South Korean patrol vessels near Yeonpyeong island in 2002.

During the real-life events, two North Korean patrol boats crossed the contested border and engaged with two South Korean patrol boats.

Subsequently, the North Koreans withdrew before South Korean reinforcements arrived.

Unsurprisingly, the North Korean state media outlet slammed the movie being distorted while conservative South Korean leaders recommended the film.

Watch the trailer here.

7. Sea Fog (2014)

Here is a movie based on the ugly side of real-life human trafficking cases. The islands of South Korea’s southwest coast have been used as routes for illegal Chinese immigrants to enter the country seeking for better life.

In 2001, 25 of these illegal immigrants were suffocated to death in the storage tank of a fishing vessels. Instead of giving them a proper burial, the boat crew dumped their bodies into the sea.

Sea Fog is a romanticized version of this real-life event with the youngest crew member Dong-sik (Park Yoo-chun) trying to protect a young female migrant.

Watch the trailer here.

8. Norigae (2013)

This year, the K-pop fandom was rocked by its biggest scandal in the industry ever. Big Bang’s youngest member Seungri was named a suspect for offering prostitutes to clients at his nightclub.

Before this scandal, there was the death of actress Jang Ja-yeon. In 2009, Ja-yeon killed herself, leaving behind a shocking suicide note.

She described how she was beaten and forced to entertain and have sex with program directors, CEOs and media executives.

Inspired by the events surrounding her death, Norigae (2013) follows a journalist in finding the truth behind a young actress’ suicide.

Watch the trailer here.

9. Another Family (2013)

Imagine a movie that was both invested in and produced solely by crowdfunding and all the actors in the cast worked in the film for free.

That was how much the South Korean public wanted this movie to happen. Another Family (2014) was based on the true story about the legal battle between Korean conglomerate Samsung and its employees who contracted leukemia.

Meanwhile, the movie was a fictionalised account of the real-life story of Hwang Sang-ki. Sang-ki was a taxi driver who waged a four-year legal battle against Samsung.

His daughter Yu-mi was diagnosed with advanced stage of leukemia two years after working at a Samsung semiconductor factory. Then in 2007, she lost her battle to cancer at the age of 23.

Watch the trailer here

10. Birthday (2019)

The world was shocked when the news of the Sewol Ferry Disaster broke out. On the morning of Apr 16, 2014, the ferry sank while carrying 476 people en route from Incheon towards Jeju.

Overall, 305 passengers and crew members died in the disaster. In addition to that, more than half were rescued by fishing boats and other commercial vessels.

Most of the victims were secondary students from Danwon High School, Ansan city.

Inspired by the incident, Birthday (2019) follows how a family copes with the grief from the loss of their son in a tragic accident.

Watch the trailer here.

You might be interested in

KajoMag predicts possible scenarios in Game of Thrones Season 8

Published on

Current mood: Playing Game of Thrones‘ theme song on repeat until 15th April.

kylo 705639 unsplash
Image source: Unsplash

The Internet is dark and full of spoilers.

So, since there are a lot of them on the Internet, I thought why not just join and contribute more predictions into the Game of Thrones black hole.

After endless nights of watching reruns, here are some things that KajoMag predicts will go down in Game of Thrones Season 8:

  • Cersei is not really pregnant

In Season 7, Episode 5 of Game of Thrones, Cersei tells Jaime that she is pregnant.

But if you recall in Season 5, Episode 1, Maggy the Frog told Cersei that she would become queen, would only have three children, and all of them would die. So far, she’s been right on all of these counts.

There are some mindbending theories, like the one about her and her mad scientist maester Qyburn conspiring together to impregnate her via artificial insemination. (He turned the Mountain into his own medieval Frankenstein monster, so it doesn’t seem completely impossible.)

Other speculations are whether the other part of Maggy the Frog’s prophecy which is present in the books, but not the TV series will show up in season 8:

And when your tears have drowned you, the valonqar shall wrap his hands about your pale white throat and choke the life from you.

A Feast for Crows, Ch36, Cersei VIII

“Valonqar” in High Valyrian is “little brother”. Cersei in the books has long thought that it was Tyrion, which explains her (additional) loathing for him. Others recall that Jaime was born after Cersei, and so some speculate that it could be the one-handed Oathbreaker. Another theory is that in a twist of fate, Cersei could die in childbirth like her mother, killed by the “little brother” to her other children.

A more complicated reading of the “tears” in the above quote is that the salt water could be referring to the sea-going Greyjoys. The baby could be Euron Greyjoy’s and she may be killed in a miscarriage.

Yet another theory is that the pregnancy symptoms could actually be menopause symptoms. For those who are still grieving over Olenna Tyrell, the old lady might still have the last laugh over Cersei as in season 3, she argues with Tywin Lannister against Loras being married off to Cersei as her “change will be upon her before long”.

Knowing how well Cersei can lie with a straight face, she could be lying about her true condition to keep Jaime by her side.

In Season 7, we see Jaime questioning his allegiance to his sister/lover when she refuses to join the fight against the White Walkers.

Jaime whispers a tortured, “I don’t believe you” to Cersei before really leaving her in the final episode. So is he referring to her saying, “there’s one more yet to come”, (meaning their baby) or to her willing to kill him for walking away from her?

  • Khaleesi will bear a child

At the end of the Season 7 of Game of Thrones, it’s revealed in a discussion between Bran and Samwell Tarly that Jon Snow was the son of Rhaegar Targaryen (Daenarys’ brother) and Lyanna Stark, which means that Daenerys and Jon are actually aunt and nephew.

All the while, this conversation takes place as we watch (in mounting horror) Jon Snow and his aunty Dany steaming it up on the ship, completely oblivious.

Prior to that steamy scene, there are subtle hints that Jon Snow and Daenerys could end up making a kid together in Season 7.

First, there’s that scene when Jon Snow first touches Drogon and Daenerys says that no matter how big her dragons get, they would always be her children (*subtle hint).

Then there was that scene after Jon Snow, Danaerys and the gang meet up with Cersei, where they have a heart to heart and she tells him about the witch who said that she would not be able to bear children. For some reason, Jon is cynical and casts doubt on that prediction. (*hint hint).

Danaerys is often quoting Mirri Maz Duur’s quote:

When the sun rises in the west and sets in the east
When the seas go dry and mountains blow in the wind like leaves

But the TV series cut out the next part, which appeared in the books:

When your womb quickens again and you bear a living child
Then he will return, and not before.

The ‘he’ could refer to Khal Drogo. So will that mean we will get to see the sexy Khal return to his Khaleesi?

With Jon Snow and Daenerys finally sealing the deal on their increasingly intimate friendship throughout season 7, now it’s just a matter of counting the months. We predict that Daenerys may end up on the Iron Throne cradling a baby, or the “stallion who mounts the world”.

The Targaryen has a long history of incest in their family so Dany might not think her relationship with her nephew is weird. But Jon Snow was raised a Northman, so he will likely pack up his bags, vow to take up a life of celibacy (and stick to it) and return to taking up his watch in the North – if he survives the great war.

  • All the dragons will die in the season finale

I honestly think that the only reason why dragons appear in Game of Thrones is because of the great war that will take place in Season 8.

After the war ends, the dragons will no longer have a purpose until the next war comes.

So, the dragons will probably perish during the great war.

And then maybe at the end of the season finale, three new dragon eggs will appear indicating three new dragon riders?

  • Sansa lives, Arya dies

After seven seasons, I think we all should know better than to underestimate the Stark sisters, especially Sansa.

After what she went through, she survived until season seven.

So, in the end she might end up as the only Stark in Winterfell. With Bran being the Three-Eyed Raven, and the possibility that Jon, not Dany, being the Prince that was Promised, Sansa could end up being Queen of the North as well.

Arya on the other hand is not interested in politics, more focused on completing her list. Due to her restless nature, she might put herself in danger, thus making her an easy target for death.

While the recent trailer of the Starks staring at their effigies in the Winterfell crypt may indicate that both sisters will die young (since Jon Snow’s statue is the only one that shows that he ages), it is not wrong to be hopeful that Sansa could survive it all.

After all, if anyone deserves at least one happy ending, it should be at least one of the Stark girls.

  • Nymeria will show up

So far, Ghost is the only direwolf the we get to see on screen.

But in season 7 of Game of Thrones, we get to see Arya’s direwolf, Nymeria suddenly appear in the woods with her pack.

Could this be a hint that she will also appear when Arya most needs her in season eight?

  • One of the Stark boys will become the new Night King

Fan favourite Jon Snow is predicted by many to have a bleak destiny.

Some say he will die or disappear.

Many have also speculated that Jon Snow will be the one to kill the Night King.

But what if killing the current Night King means that Jon Snow will have to replace him as the new one to lead the White Walkers back to the North?

Another fantastic theory by a Redditor called u/donkyboobs is that the Night King is after the “Prince That Was Promised” and he’s looking for Jon Snow to replace him and end his own reign as the Night King.

Why Jon Snow? The Redditors explains that in the stories about the Long Night and the Others told by Old Nan to Bran in Season 1 that the Night King was a Stark.

Also, there seems to be a hint of something in Jon’s eyes when he and the Night King finally see each other. Premonition?

For KajoMag, we can’t really see him on the Iron Throne or in Winterfell. His lone wolf persona fits the bleakness North of the Wall.

To echo Ned Stark: When the snows fall and the white winds blow, the lone wolf dies, but the pack survives.

Alternatively, it could be Bran that becomes the new Night King.

Please do not be true, because I prefer the idea of Bran becoming a tree by the end of the season finale.

Some have theorised that he has become so otherworldly and so all-knowing as the Three-Eyed Raven that he could be the Night King warging back and forth.

Others have speculated that Bran has already travelled back through time, becoming Bran the Builder who built the Wall to keep the White Walkers out; becoming King Aerys, sparking off his madness and triggering him to yell “Burn them all!”, perhaps when Bran himself is in the present time facing down White Walkers; and if he wargs into the Night King’s body, he could be trapped there forever.

Since Bran has shown to have strong capabilities in warging and time travel – the Greensight – since becoming the Three-Eyed Raven, it would not be impossible for him to be the next Night King.

  • Bran will time travel and rewrite history

Ok, this theory is a longshot. If Disney were to write Game of Thrones, you can expect a happy ending, despite how gloomy the storyline may first start off.

If GOT took the Disney route, our prediction is that, as Bran discovers his powers to time travel, as the Three-Eyed Raven, he will travel back in time to reverse everything before the Wars of the Five Kings or maybe before Robert’s Rebellion to save his family.

You might be interested in

10 movies starring Lee Jung-jae you should watch

Published on

If KajoMag were to pick the most talented and versatile Korean actor, Lee Jung-jae would definitely be on top of our list.

The 46-year-old actor has managed to pull off different types of characters, from melodrama to action movies.

In every film that he has starred in, Jung-jae developed a distinct way of speaking for his character, making it iconic.

Even if you have never seen his movies, you might recognise his characters, because some K-pop idols love to imitate and parody the characters that Jung-jae has played

So here are 10 movies starring Lee Jung-jae you must watch:

1.New World (2013)

This is perhaps one of the Jung-jae’s most iconic roles so far. He plays an undercover cop in a crime organisation who finds it hard to play his role.

The movie is interesting thanks to its shifting-alliances plot, with viewers left with questions on who is on whose side now.

As for Jung-jae, viewers can appreciate how he portrays the struggle between the good and evil in him. (Or maybe he is just evil in the first place.)

Watch the trailer here.

2.The Face Reader (2013)

Even when he is put on the same screen with a more senior and experienced actor like Song Kang-ho, Jung-jae still manages to shine.

Here, he portrays Prince Suyang who is involved in a power struggle with a high-ranking general.

He won Best Supporting Actor at the Blue Dragon Film Awards and the Baeksang Arts Awards for his role.

Watch the trailer here.

3.The Housemaid (2010)

There is one word to describe Jung-jae’s character in The Housemaid – ‘disturbing’.

Directed by Im Sang-soo, this melodramatic, erotic thriller follows a maid of an upperclass family named Eun-yi played by Jeon Do-yean.

She becomes part of a destructive love triangle between Hoon (Jung-jae) and his wife Hae-ra (Seo Woo).

The movie had its premiere at the Cannes Film Festival and Toronto International Film Festival. Meanwhile, Jung-jae nabbed the Best Actor Award at the Fantasporto Director’s Week.

Watch the trailer here.

4.An Affair (1998)

Here, young Jung-jae plays a man who has a scandal with his fiance’s older sister. It was the seventh highest-grossing Korean film in 1998.

It also won the Best Asian Film award at the 1999 Newport Beach International Film Festival.

5.Typhoon (2005)

Together with another charismatic Korean actor Jang Dong-gun, Typhoon (2005) definitely makes our list.

Here Jung-jae plays a South Korean Naval Intelligence Service Officer named Se-jong. The plot follows modern-day pirate planning a massive attack on North and South Korea.

Watch the trailer here.

6.Il Mare (2000)

How about a time-travel romance movie starring Jung-jae? Directed by Lee Hyun-seung, the movie also stars Jun Ji-hyun.

In this film, the main characters both live at a seaside house named Il Mare or ‘The Sea’ in Italian but two years apart in time.

However, they are able to communicate through a mysterious mailbox.

There is an American remake of the movie called The Lake House, starring Keanu Reeves and Sandra Bullock.

7.The Thieves (2012)

This movie is like a dream come true for Asian movie fans. This is because it manages to combine the best of both Hong Kong and Korean film scenes with a star-studded ensemble cast.

Jung-hae stars as Popeye, one of the criminals in a cross-border diamond heist. He also reunited with his former co-star Jun Ji-hyun who plays a cat burglar named Yenicall.

The Thieves is currently the fifth highest-grossing film in Korean film history with over 12.9 million ticket sale.

Watch the trailer here.

8.Assassination (2015)

Set in 1900s during Japan’s rule over Korea, Jung-jae plays a resistance fighter named Yem Sek-jin. He tries but fails to assassinate the governor-general and a pro-Japanese businessman.

Due to his role in this movie, Jung-jae won a Best Actor Award at the 24th Buil Film Awards.

The movie was the highest-grossing Korean film of 2015 as well as the eighth highest-grossing movie of all time in Korean cinema industry.

Watch the trailer here.

9.The Accidental Gangster and the Mistaken Courtesan (2008)

It is every interesting to see how this actor jumps from one character to another in each different movie.

Here Jung-jae plays Cheon-doong, a comical hoodlum who meets and falls in love with Seol-ji, a kisaeng.

While he pursues Seol-ji, he unknowingly angers the top-ranking gangster in the area.

The movie is based on actual fight that occurred at a kisaeng house in 1724 , depicting the gangster culture of Joseon Dynasty.

Watch the trailer here.

10.Along with the Gods: The Two Worlds and Along with the Gods: The Last 49 Days (2017 and 2018)

Well, first of all Jung-jae is not even the main characters in Along with the Gods movies.

However, he plays as the supporting character as Yeomra so well that he is almost unrecognisable in the film.

Perhaps because he wears a wig and beard in the films, but also because his charisma as the god of death in the movie was both interesting and imitating.

Watch the trailer here.

You might be interested in

1 2 3 4 5 6 … 8