Jake Consing made his short film, Dildo, as part of his directing class. One Instagram ad later and it is now set to screen at the Outfest LA LGBTQ Film Festival.

Related: This High School In Cagayan De Oro City Hosts Its First Film Festival For And By The Students

We all have to start somewhere. And this holds true for filmmakers and directors. Some of the most talked about and celebrated directors right now didn’t attain overnight success. Instead, some started out through short films and quick shorts done during their student years. But even if short films are made on a shoestring budget and tight schedule, they are also early showcases of potential and talent that a young filmmaker can possess. And the beauty of cinema is that no matter where you are in the world, films, whether feature length or short, have the ability to jump language barriers and connect. This is the scenario college student Jake Consing finds himself in.

Last year, he created a short film called Dildo for his directing class about a massager being used more than well, a massager. Entertaining and impressive to those who watched it, Dildo managed to bag a jury prize at a competition up against LGBTQIA+ centric films from around the world and is now set to screen at the OUTFEST Film Festival this July, one of the biggest LGBTQIA+ film festivals in the world. NYLON Manila got the chance to talk to the young filmmaker about working on the eccentric project and what it feels to have his film get recognized internationally.

A CURIOUS SON AND SUPPORTIVE MOTHER

At just over a minute long, Dildo follows a teenage boy who discovers that his massager can do more than just sooth his muscles. Mid pleasuring himself, his mother walks in on him and gets mad at him for using the massager. She then hands him a real sex toy to use for his pleasure. “A supportive mother who just wants the best for her son,” is how Jake would describe the film. While not intrinsically complex, it’s off kilter approach to a taboo topic has endeared it to many who have seen it.

“A lot of my work has been influenced by my own experiences, with mental illness, with queerness, with activism, with memory—but I’m still trying to figure out who I am as an artist and a filmmaker. My most cherished experiences have been when my work connects with people,” says Jake.

THE RANDOM ORIGINS OF DILDO

True to his ethos, the budding filmmaker got his inspiration from the film through his own experiences. “While filming another project at home, I found my actress massaging her face with a massager, that looked a bit…well, phallic. From there, the idea popped in my head: what if someone used it as a dildo? After that, the idea just lingered, not as an idea for a film, but just as a funny joke.” By the time Jake had to make a short for his directing class under Dan Villegas, the inspiration wasn’t hard to find. “I had the stupidest thought: ‘That dildo joke would make a funny short.'”

Assembling a crew that consisted of close friends and former co-workers, the making of Dildo was surprisingly not that awkward despite its subject matter. In fact, Jake found the experience hilarious. “Our main actor, James, had no previous acting experience, but was so game for the role. Whenever we’d finish a take, we’d all burst out laughing, especially when watching the playback. Our actress, Ellena, who had acted as well in my previous short, gave me the idea to base her character’s costume off of Qiu Yuen’s character from Kung Fu Hustle. When she put on the costume, she just became the character. It was hilariously amazing. I had a blast shooting Dildo. It was some of the most fun I’ve had on set.”

INITIAL REACTION

Once the film was completed, he posted it on his Facebook page. And to Jake’s shock, what started out as a dumb joke from a dirty mind turned into a viral hit. “I remember waking up the next day after I posted Dildo to see it had almost 10,000 views on Facebook. I couldn’t believe it. My stupid idea of a joke had apparently resonated with over ten thousand people. And then it became fifty thousand. And then a hundred. Now, over 215,000. Being used to directing drama and having only made one other comedy short, I wasn’t sure if I could pull it off, and I was really happy to see that I did.”

More than 960,000 views and 25,000 reactions later, the post has even managed to reach people outside the Philippines. What struck most for Jake though was not how people found the concept funny, but the accepting reaction from his fellow members of the queer community. “Many found the mother’s strangely progressive and sex positive reaction to her son both funny and weirdly endearing. Comments flooded in saying, “sana all supportive!” I wasn’t thinking about it while writing it, but as a sex-positive advocate myself, I guess my politics found its way into the comedy.” He adds, “A couple of people who watched Dildo connected with the relationship between the son and the mother, in a strangely heartwarming way.”

GOING INTERNATIONAL

But online virality and great use of Sweet Dreams (Are Made Of This) by Eurythmics wasn’t the only things Jake’s short film had going for it. From joke to class project, Dildo could also add international film to its pedigree. This past April, Dildo was one of the winners of a competition hosted by Outfest, one of the biggest LGBTQIA+ film festivals in the US. “I follow the Instagram page of Outfest, an LGBT film festival in the US, and one day, I saw an ad for their one-minute movie competition. I thought, hey, Dildo is technically a queer short. So, I gave it a shot.”

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A post shared by Outfest ?? (@outfest)

That contest was the Outfest Fusion One Minute Movie Contest and competing with films around the world, Dildo was awarded a jury prize, even receiving praise from staff at Outfest. As part of his prize, the film will screen as part of the “I Have to Laugh: Comedy Night at the Ford” program on Saturday, July 23 at 8:00 PM PDT at The Ford Theater (Sunday July 24, 11:00AM Philippine Time). While he’s still undecided if he’s going, Jake says he’s proud of the achievement. “It’s surreal. I had no idea that Dildo would ever make it that far. I’m just so humbled and grateful for the opportunity given to me by Outfest. And as a queer advocate, how appropriate!”

FILMMAKER IN THE MAKING

Over the past year, we have seen quite a few Filipino be recognized and premiere internationally. And Jake can add his short film to the list. Despite the fact that he’s still in college, Jake has already worked on his fair share of productions. Some have been used by international brands while some have even been screened in international film festivals.

As for what’s next for Jake career-wise, the FAMAS nominated young creative wrote and directed a film called Write Here starring Bodjie Pascua and Rolando Inocencio about an old gay man with Alzheimer’s disease struggling to hold onto his identity and the memory of his one true love. He hopes to have the film’s local premiere at a film festival this August. If you want to see more his work, you can check out the following avenues, “My first film Cut starring Dylan Ray Talon and Tristan Ahorro is available on Viddsee and the YouTube page of Gawad Sining; my one-minute shorts are on my personal Facebook profile; and the two-minute pride short I made starring Joel Saracho and Brigiding Aricheta is on the Facebook Page of the Philippine Anti-Discrimination Alliance of Youth Leaders (PANTAY).”

Continue Reading: LOOK: These Students Made A Wildest Dreams-Inspired Music Video And It Only Took Them Two Days To Shoot

In episode 6 of season 2 of He’s Into Her, Donny Pangilinan and Belle Mariano reach a new level of their top-tier chemistry.

Related: He’s Into Her Season 2 Episode 5 Recap And Review: Change For The Better

Did someone say kilig? Because that’s what episode six is delivering in droves. We always knew that the chemistry between Donny Pangilinan and Belle Marinao was strong, but it hits different this episode. And aside from that, He’s Back is intriguing plot wise and finally gave Kaori Oinuma’s Michiko her most substantive moments of the season so far.

HAPPY MONTHSARY

The weekend is here, but more importantly, it’s the monthsary of our main three couples. Deib, bonsai gift in hand, goes to ask permission from Max’s dad if he could take Max out on a date. While Tito Maxim still has his doubts, he agrees and tells him to prove what Max said about him during the trial right, in essence showing that he is trusting Deib and Max. Later on, we find the whole gang and Deib’s new Southbay friends at Kurt’s videoke place. Together, they celebrate life, friendship, and of course, love. While everyone hits the dance floor, we find Michiko sulking as she can’t celebrate her monthsary with Tob. That is until she gets a call for a reservation under Tob’s name. She leaves the places and races for the restaurant.

Meanwhile, we find the other characters opening up about their struggling love lives. Elle tells Migs that if she can’t find someone to love, she wants it to be him. Migs then says that she can love her, but only if he can’t find a guy to love him. Ysay is still alone while Lorde isn’t 100% sure about his prospects with Khloe. Lee then prepares the song he wrote for Naih. And in a twist, Ysay is the one who sings the song because Lee doesn’t think he can do the song justice. It probably would have been a real gag if Ysay and Lee sang the song as a duet. But the episode was saving more twists for later.

KILIG, COURTESY OF TAGSEN

Look at them after the kiss!?

HIH2 CELEBRATION#DonBelle #HesIntoHerSeason2#HesIntoHerS2E6 pic.twitter.com/nVGRHPadOu

— … (@itssmeTink) May 25, 2022

Slipping past the crowd, TagSen decide to have their date night nearby. And Deib, being the sweet lover he is, surprises Max with a dinner by a field of purple flowers and a heart at the center. It’s one of the most stunning shots in the season so far. And it’s made even more memorable by what Deib and Max do next. The chemistry between the two was electric. On one hand, we wanted them to get a room. But on the other, we wanted to see every second of it. After dinner, Deib gives Max his monthsary gift, which is a promise ring. Max then gives Deib her monthsary gift, which is love coupons based on the love languages that Deib can redeem anytime.

And by anytime, it means now because Deib uses the physical touch card and asks Max to reenact their first kiss. They then go at it but Deib puts the paper between their lips. But even if that was the case, the kiss scene was hot and the steamiest we’ve seen TagSen together. Even if their lips didn’t touch, we felt the feels. We very much wanted to be the paper during the scene. Fun fact, that scene was actually shot during Donny’s birthday so we feel that he must have had a nice 24^th birthday.

PRINCESS CHARMING

I’m so satisfied with today’s episode!
No more crying na ah michiko ?@kaori_oinuma #KaoriOinuma#HesIntoHerS2E6
HIH2 CELEBRATION pic.twitter.com/42Kn0mULs4

— serendipity (@_ytipidneres_) May 25, 2022

But while TagSen was heating up the flower garden, Michiko’s heart was breaking into more pieces. While she initially thought that she was going to see Tob again, it turns out that he booked the table before his family had to leave. Sobbing and heartbroken once more, she decides to visit Dale at the hospital. There, she confides in him all her emotions, similar to what he did to her back then. Even though Michiko was the only one talking in the scene, Kaori carried it all the way through. You could feel the emotions emanating from her words and actions as she talks about feeling hurt and like she lacking and isn’t good enough.

It turns out that a good cry is all that Dale needed as finally, he awakes from his coma, which leads to a heartwarming family reunion between the Enriles. The next day, Michiko visits Dale, who still can’t speak or move his body, in the hospital and offers him cookies. The two then share a wholesome exchange.

As for Tito Boyet, while he initially pushes through with the plan, he decides to high tail it out there which doesn’t bode well for him and his family. The episode ends with Max, her lola, Tito Boyet, Randall, and Zell having breakfast together. From family lineage, the conversation goes to what happened to Dale, with Tito Boyet realizing that he was at Dale’s shooting with everything coming back full circle. Just when you think people can be happy, there’s always something happening. It really is only a matter of time before the truth is revealed.

KILIG BEFORE THE STORM

#TagSen : you and me, always and forever. ?

HIH2 CELEBRATION#DonBelle | #HesIntoHerS2E6 pic.twitter.com/su9QaYgFHI

— sierra (@doughnbel) May 25, 2022

When it came to He’s Into Her season one, most of the best episodes were in the season’s second half. And it seems that season two is continuing that trend. Following the strong episode five, episode six is another eventful chapter in the lives of these young Benisonians. For starters, the scene with Deib and Max at the flower garden is one of the best TagSen scenes in the whole show. The chemistry was undeniable and we loved watching them.

The episode also gave Michiko that character depth we were looking for. Seeing her break down like that was so sad, but it gave her the development that she needed for the season. Kaori Oinuma was also able to flex her acting muscles more this episode which is also nice. And seeing Dale finally wake up from his coma added an exciting new dimension to the story. In particular, the relationship between Michiko and Dale might just be the sleeper hit of the season. And of course, Tito Boyet’s time hiding his past will probably end soon. Papunta pa lang tayo sa exciting part indeed.      

Continue Reading: He’s Into Her Season 2 Episode 4 Recap And Review: He’s Innocent, Your Honor

After over a decade, Hwang In Youp is set to make a heartwarming return to the Philippines, the place he lovingly called home for a while, in the highly anticipated BYS Fun Meet in Manila.

It is no secret, at least to those who have really been captivated by the compelling charm of Hwang In Youp, that the South Korean actor has quite the connection to the Philippines. Other than the obvious, which is the unceasing fascination for all things hallyu, fans and followers have taken to memory the fact that he lived the Filipino way of life way prior to destiny calling his name. Before he was the model and actor that we know of today, navigating intense storylines and nail-biting narratives, he was Ryan Leon (his English name), the student diligently making his way through high school and college in Davao city. “Philippines is always a beautiful country,” recalls the standout star of True Beauty in an interview with the Philippine Star. “Also I really miss my friends who treated me with a warm and friendly heart even though I was a foreigner.”

Despite having such striking titles neatly filed in his already sterling resume as W.H.Y., Freshman, Tale Of Nokdu, 18 Again, The Sound Of Magic, and the soon to be released Why Her, he is looking forward to sink his teeth in the mouthwatering delights of Filipino cuisine, particularly the lechon. “I really liked lechon,” he shares candidly with NYLON Manila last year. “If I can visit again, I really want to eat lechon.”

And now, close to thirteen years later, Hwang In Youp is set to make new memories in the Philippines, culinary and otherwise, as he is set to finally come back, this time as a K-drama superstar.

Everybody’s Welcome

When Hwang In Youp was introduced as the face of the Uncover True Beauty campaign of BYS Philippines, the idea of him carving time out of his presumably busy schedule to return to the country was floated, but at the time, it seemed like a dream more than anything. But for the stereotype smashing actor and ambassador, he wanted to make it a reality. And here we are, the prospect of him meeting his fans beyond carefully curated posts and glitch-prone Zoom call inching closer.

While it has been known for a while now that when the circumstances permits, Hwang In Youp would be making his way to Manila at the soonest possible time, BYS Philippines just made many fantasies come true by announcing how one can be part of what is expected to be a fun meet with their oppa. A first of the sort for the K-drama idol, it has been revealed that all roads lead to the New Frontier Theater on June 19, where Hwang In Youp will be waiting for you, striking good looks and glorious, glowing skin and all.

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A post shared by Hwang In Youp .____. (@hwangiy_011991)

Hold on tight to your Skin by BYS Minis, because by simply purchasing product packages from BYS Philippines on TicketNet, you will get the chance to see Hwang In Youp in the flesh. Sorted as BYS Gold (P5250 for one VIP seat and products), BYS Silver (P3675 for one Loge seat and products), and BYS Bronze (P2100 for one Balcony seat and products), there is a space for his Filipino fans whom he also fondly considers his family. In fact, his fandom has been aptly christened HIYLIY (Hwang In Youp’s Family), so everyone is welcome to take part and most importantly, have fun with him.

Ready for this return? We know Ryan Leon is.

CONTINUE READING: UNCOVERING TRUE BEAUTY: HWANG IN YOUP PROVES HE’S MORE THAN JUST ANOTHER K-DRAMA ACTOR

The fans are already calling them Mavy and Cassie!

Much to everyone’s surprise, we’ve been seeing James Reid and Liza Soberano hanging out a lot recently. And no, the two are not being shipped together, but have rather been called “siblings” or “twins.” Let’s be real though, James has been giving big kuya energy to Liza who’s four years younger. in fact, their fans are already calling them Mavy and Cassy Legaspi all grown up and they’re not wrong. We’re still speculating what the two have been up to, but rumor has it that they have a secret project dropping real soon. Read on below to see all the times James and Liza were straight up giving big bro-little sis energy.

READ MORE: Bella Poarch, Liza Soberano, James Reid and More Filipinos Took Over The Gold House Gala in Style

1. WHEN THEY WATCHED A FOOTBALL GAME TOGETHER

James and Liza watched a game at the Los Angeles Football Club Experience center together with music producer DJ Flict. At this point, we’re assuming they’re about to drop a mixtape. ?

2. WHEN JAMES AND LIZA WENT SHOPPING

Just a normal day for the two, pictured with the Careless crew.

3. WHEN THEY SHOWED UP TO THE GOLD HOUSE GALA

we love u, mavy and cassy! ?‍♀️ pic.twitter.com/rPN4wuFI0F

— elaine marie (@carelesslane) May 23, 2022

This fan said it best: “we love you Mavy and Cassy!” James Reid and Liza Soberano walked the red carpet at the Gold House Gala recently looking downright expensive.

4. THEY EVEN WENT TO THE AFTER PARTY

A little party’s not gonna hurt. James and Liza were matching at the Gold House Gala afterparty wearing dominantly black outfits.

5. ‘CAUSE ATTENDING ONE GALA IS NOT ENOUGH

James Reid with Guy Tang and Liza Soberano at the Asia Society Southern California 2022 Annual Gala

?guy_tang#JamesReid | James Reid | @tellemjaye pic.twitter.com/JQtfNCzcSi

— ?? (@_LemonLimeSoda_) May 23, 2022

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A post shared by Platform (@platformprteam)

James Reid at the #AsiaSocietyGala pic.twitter.com/cn0ZHhIVIz

— Philippine TV & Film Updates (@PHTVandFilmUPD) May 23, 2022

One fan even said that they look like Mafia Boss twins when they saw James and Liza at the Asia Society Southern California 2022 Annual Gala. Liza wore a velvet number while James kept it sleek in black and white.

CONTINUE READING: We’re Living For Nadine Lustre and Liza Soberano’s Low-Maintenance Friendship

Overall, season 3 of Love, Death & Robots is a solid entry with some visually stunning standouts. Though not every episode was created equally.

Related: The New Movies And Shows Of May 2022 That Are Going Straight To Our Watchlist

Ever since it’s premiere in 2019, Netflix’s Love, Death & Robots has stood out for its myriad of animated shorts that tackle themes within horror and sci-fi through eccentric, unique, and often violent ways. The animated anthology doesn’t shy away from exploring the visceral and otherworldly through the medium of adult animation. And with the recently released third season, Love, Death & Robots may have reached its highest peak yet. Season one was a fun, albeit long, introduction to what the show has to offer. Season two, dropping two years later, was okay, but also divisive and received criticism for being uneven.

But season three stands out as the best of the series so far, with nine genre animated flicks that feel unique from one another. And while this season is a solid one, that doesn’t mean every episode is a knock out of the park. This is why we’re taking a dive into season three of Love, Death & Robots in this worst to best ranking. (Do note though that when we rank an episode low, that doesn’t necessarily mean that it’s a bad episode. It’s just that it doesn’t fully stand up to the other episodes of the season.)

9. KILL TEAM KILL

This 2D animated short revolves around a group of elite soldiers tasked to destroy a target. That target, it turns out, is a terminator-like bear built by the CIA that has gone against its creators. Story-wise, the episode is pretty generic. The characters themselves are your typical American soldiers who’s military training equals that of their masculine personality. But while the episode lacks nuance and introspection, it does make up for it in the action and violence. Kill Team Kill is meant for those who want noting but action, and maybe a few d*ck jokes on the side. It takes heavy inspiration from Saturday morning cartoons and 80s action with an adult filter. You’re basically getting a gleefully grotesque battle with a mecha bear.

8. THREE ROBOTS: EXIT STRATEGIES

For a first in the series, one of the episodes has gotten a sequel. A follow up to the fan favorite Three Robots from season one, Exit Strategies follows the three robots on their journey around a post-apocalyptic world. The robots learn and explore the different ways in which humanity tried to survive the end of days, often to failure. Watching the episode, you can clearly tell the theme it is trying to navigate. In fact, you can even call it heavy handed. Climate change, social inequality, human greed, and corruption are all on full display in the episode as it makes fun of how humans are slowly destroying the planet. It’s a fun yet subtle season opener that could have benefited from dialogue that wasn’t too on-the-nose.

7. SWARM

Set in a future where humanity has learned space travel and interreacts with alien races, a scientist travels to a swarm colony hoping to learn how they tick. There, he meets another human scientist who has managed to cohabit with the swarm as she’s spent years learning their ins and outs. It turns out though that the scientist is looking to harness the powers of the swarm for humanities own gain, which, as you can expect, doesn’t end well.

This sci-fi space tale intrigues because of the many exciting elements it introduces. Humanity’s space faring, other alien races, the history of the swarm, those are all exciting things we would like to know more of. The problem though is that the episode ends on a cliffhanger that leaves us wanting more. The episode ends just about when it feels like it’s about to start. It screams sequel material and in fact, is lore deep enough to be expanded into its own series or movie.

6. IN VAULTED HALLS ENTOMBED

At first glance, In Vaulted Halls Entombed might seem like your typical story of soldiers. A team is tasked to find and rescue a hostage being kept inside the caves of a mountain. But later on, the episode turns into something more. As the team enter the cave, they realize that its actually holding something dark and sinister, an old gold trapped in the mountain bent on conquering the world. The penultimate episode of the season may sometimes feel like a video game cutscene, but at least it gives us a Lovecraftian take on modern war as well as one of the most unforgettable endings of the season. While generic soldiers will always be generic soldiers, the mystical and horror elements take this slightly above the rest.

5. THE VERY PULSE OF THE MACHINE

This episode, along with Kill Team Kill, are the only episodes of the season that are animated in 2D. But this episode made sure to use the most of its format. Two scientists are exploring the moon of Jupiter, Io, when they’re vehicle gets into an accident. Hours away from home base, a scientist must now make her way back all while hauling the corpse of her deceased co-scientist. This episode is not for everyone, but it shines thanks to having arguably the most meaningful story in the season. It’s philosophical in nature as director Emily Dean weaves a tale of poetry meets the chemistry of Io about the true meaning of life. The visuals on display as well are absolutely stunning with its kaleidoscope of colors. 

4. MASON’S RATS

One thing that Love, Death & Robots is known for is taking mundane ideas and viewing them through an off-ball and violent twist. That is done to great effect in Mason’s Rats. One day, a foul-mouthed barn owner discovers that his barn is infested with rats. But these aren’t just any rats. They are sentient rats who have taken arms to bring about the ratpocalypse. The farmer then gets help from pest control, who sells him state-of-the art technology to kill the rats with plasma and lasers. But thanks to the ingenuity of the rats, it’s going to take a lot more than robots to kill them.

Mason’s Rats is a fun, funny, and oh-so violent watch on the horrors of war. In a span of ten minutes, the episode turns a simple rat infestation into an R-rated Tom and Jerry-like tale . While the ending might be too fairy tale for some, it doesn’t ruin the episode.

3. NIGHT OF THE MINI DEAD

Zombies? Been there done that. Though Night Of The Mini Dead manages to avoid falling into mostly cliché territory thanks to its off kilter approach to a zombie apocalypse. When a horny couple decide to have sex in a chemistry, things go awry as it inadvertently leads to a zombie apocalypse that is quickly taking over the world. At just seven minutes long, it’s the shortest of the season, but it makes the most of its time thanks to its over the top perspective. The whole world is shown as miniatures that have been sped up. So, in essence, you get a sped up bird’s eye view of a zombie apocalypse which plays in a comedic effect. It’s a simple yet quirky take that’s both exciting and funny.  

2. BAD TRAVELLING

From director David Fincher comes this true horror delight. The second episode of the series revolves around a ship’s crew who encounter the Thanapod, a crab like monster with a taste for human flesh. When they trap it in their ship’s cellar, the captain and the monster agree to make a deal that tests to deadly ends the morality of the crew.

This episode is so exceptional and stands out for many reasons. For starters, the story is compelling and engaging as the captain and his crew debate and fight amongst themselves whether or not go through with the deal. The edge-of-your-seat morality tale is enhanced by the animation. It is some of the most realistic, fluid, and striking ever seen in Love, Death & Robots. Once the Thanapod starts feasting and the blood gushes, it’s enough to make your skin crawl. From the opening scene to its unexpected ending, Bad Travelling does not miss.

1. JIBARO

Love, Death & Robots really saved the best for last for season three. Even if you haven’t seen the season, you may have come across people who’ve talked about this episode. And that’s for many good reasons. The episode follows a group of knights traveling through a forest. One of those knights is deaf. While passing by a lake, a siren emerges from the body of water and lures the men into the lake to their death. That is, of course, except for the deaf knight. Following this, the deaf knight and the siren enter into a deadly dance of wits to see who comes out on top.

Where do we even begin with this episode? For starters, the animation is absolutely breathtaking. It is rendered realistically, but employs a stunning and surreal art style that both makes it look real but exaggerates when it needs to. The character design, especially for the siren, is beautiful and memorable. Director and writer Alberto Mielgo brought animation to another level in this episode with its use of calm shots and in-your-face close-ups. It’s frenetic beauty at its finest as the soldier and the siren try to one up each other. The episode also tells a poignant tale of abuse, colonialism, and greed. The siren is there to defend her land while the soldiers try to defile it. While the episode isn’t for everyone, you can’t deny that it’s a work of art. It’s unique, beautiful, and at times even touching, but it’s also brutal and violent.

Continue Reading: Nothing To Watch? Netflix Has Got You Covered For Every Week Of 2022

Each member of TWICE is now on Instagram, which means we get a more intimate look into the lives of some of the most popular K-pop stars in the world.

Related: The Hack Days Are Gone: Instagram Reels And Music Finally Lands In The Philippines

Up until recently, if ONCEs wanted to see more of TWICE on Instagram, they would go to their shared IG account, @twicetagram. On it, the members would share personal pics and other behind-the-scenes fun. But that era has mostly come to an end. In great news for many fans, each member of TWICE recently launched their own personal IG account a little over a week ago following their encore shows at the Banc of California Stadium. And speaking of, we love how every member’s first post is the same group pic from the concert.

At the time of this writing, most members have cleared four million followers, some even closing in on five million and counting. While this development is great news for fans who want to see more of TWICE, this also gives us the opportunity to see how each member would approach a personal account. So, here’s how the members of TWICE are taking over Instagram, so far.

TZUYU

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A post shared by 쯔위 (TZUYU) (@thinkaboutzu)

Let’s start things off with the maknae of the group, Tzuyu. As of this writing, the visual of the group has already reached 4.6 million followers. And that’s even if she’s only has four posts so far. Already, she gets bonus points for her creative username, @thinkaboutzu. Yes, Tzuyu, we are thinking about you. In terms of her IG game, it’s so far been pretty normal with a couple of selfies and pics from their New York trip. But we love how she posted a bare faced selfie. She looks gorgeous and we hope for more of these unfiltered moments.

CHAEYOUNG

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A post shared by 채영 (CHAEYOUNG) (@chaeyo.0)

The fact that Chaeyoung’s profile pic is her in a face mask already makes her a winner in our book. With just four posts so far, the main rapper of TWICE is also on the light side of posting. But that hasn’t stopped 4.2 million people from following her. Under the username @chaeyo.0, she has posted about art and a couple of pics of herself. Can we just say though, we love how we can see Chaeyoung’s tattoos. It’s about time her tattoos aren’t censored and we get to appreciate them.  

DAHYUN

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A post shared by 다현 (DAHYUN) (@dahhyunnee)

With the username @dahhyunnee, Dahyun keeps things simple, but cute. So far, most of her pics are her out and about. But already, the lead rapper of TWICE has given us some major posing inspo like that pic of her posing by the park café.

MINA

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A post shared by 미나 (MINA) (@mina_sr_my)

Speaking of posing inspiration, Mina showed the girls how it’s done. With the username @mina_sr_my, Mina has given us pics that show off her grace and beauty, as well as fun and effortless poses to do the next time you’re out in town. On one hand, we get sweet Mina. On the other, she treats us to Sharon, aka her English name.

JIHYO

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A post shared by 지효 (JIHYO) (@_zyozyo)

At seven posts so far, Jihyo has the most posts out of all the members. And as the leader of TWICE, she made sure to satisfy ONCEs with her feed. Under the username _zyozyo, she has shared aesthetic photos of her trips abroad. Jihyo isn’t also afraid to get goofy as seen in this pizza pic that we wouldn’t mind getting a bite of.

SANA

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A post shared by 사나 (SANA) (@m.by__sana)

With 4.9 million followers and counting, Sana is the most followed member of the group so far. Most of her posts are photod of herself that capture her beauty both in staged poses or candid mirror selfies. But regardless of the pose she’s in, Sana looks great. You can find her under the username @m.by__sana.

MOMO

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With 4.8 million followers and counting, Momo takes the spot as the second most followed member so far. With the username @momo, we are majorly impressed that she managed to get that username considering how common and popular that name is. We don’t know what magic JYP Entertainment pulled on Instagram, but clearly, it worked. Impressive username aside, most of Momo’s posts have been pics of herself. Though we love how we get to see her red cheeks.

JEONGYEON

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Creative usernames must have been on the agenda when TWICE made their individual IG accounts because Jeongyeon has one of the best among all the members. A play on her company JYP, her username is @jy__piece. At just three posts so far, the lead vocalist of TWICE hasn’t posted much yet. (Hopefully she didn’t lose her password.) But we do appreciate how her posts show us how healthy she’s been lately. She looks so good. Now, go give Jeongyeon a follow.  

NAYEON

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What has the lead vocalist and lead dancer of TWICE been up to lately? Well, based on her IG feed, she’s been a bit busy. User @nayeonyny has shared pics of herself looking tourist chic during her trip to America. She also began promoting her upcoming solo debut, her highly anticipated mini-album, IM NAYEON, which you can pre-order now. Whatever she does next and the other members really, we can’t wait to see it.

Continue Reading: TWICE Thinks That Love Isn’t A Science In Their Comeback, SCIENTIST

Four years after its hiatus, Hunter x Hunter creator Yoshihiro Togashi has confirmed on Twitter that he’s currently working on four new chapters.

Related: 8 Upcoming Anime Series And Movies We Can’t Wait To See

Anime and manga fans have been eating well as of late. Among other things, there is the continued success of Spy x Family that has taken the anime world by storm. There is also the upcoming season of Chainsaw Man and Jujutsu Kaisen that (hopefully) will come out within the next year. And now, anime and manga fans have one more thing to celebrate as Hunter x Hunter is finally coming back. That’s right, the iconic shonen manga is exiting its hiatus to treat readers to brand new chapters.

On May 24, a new Twitter account seemingly belonging to the manga’s creator creator Yoshihiro Togashi popped up and tweeted that he was going to work on four more chapters. The accompanying picture had a six on the bottom of what looked like a manga page, seemingly alluding to how Togashi has already written six chapters and will be writing four more. While some initially thought that the news was too good to be true, One Punch Man author Yasuke Murata quoted the tweet and said that it’s real and he was just with the man. Togashi’s tweet went viral, raking over one million likes and his new account gaining more than a million followers. And just like that, fans around the world rejoiced in celebration.

とりあえずあと4話。 pic.twitter.com/OwoB4ljp1x

— 冨樫義博 (@Un4v5s8bgsVk9Xp) May 24, 2022

THE LEGEND RETURNS

In case you aren’t familiar with the manga or haven’t seen the anime, it revolves around a boy named Gon Freecss who discovers that his father, Gling, is a hunter. Hunters are basically very special licensed professionals with the ability to do a whole host of activities such as hunt unique animals or go after individuals of concern. Gling leaves his son at a young age and Gon decides to become a hunter himself with the hopes of finding his father. Along the way, readers follow Gon’s adventures as a hunter.

Many rightfully consider Hunter x Hunter as one of the most iconic manga and anime of all time. It’s up there alongside greats like Naruto. The manga first appeared on Weekly Shonen Jump beginning March 1998. The popular anime adaption began airing from October 2011 to September 2014. Following the release of the latest chapter in 2018, many fans were hoping that the series would get a conclusion and avoid the fates of other works such as Takehiko Inoue’s Vagabond. So much so in fact that fans created a hiatus chart for the manga.

Clearly, the hopes, wishes, and prayers of fans have finally been answered. 2022 seems to be the year of the dormant manga revival as even the late Kentaro Miura’s Berserk manga is getting six new chapters to finish the current arc before starting a new one. It should be noted though that one of the main reasons why the manga hasn’t gotten a proper conclusion until now is because Yoshihiro Togashi has suffered from chronic back pain. He has been vocal in the past about how the grueling manga production schedule and his severe back pains have made it hard to continue his work on a regular basis.

TIME TO CELEBRATE

No word yet on when the new chapters will be released. And, of course, with new chapters probably means we might see the return of the anime adaption down the line. . As we wait for the official release, here are some fan reactions on the internet as they celebrate around the virtual bonfire of the beloved manga’s return.

Gon and Killua’s voice actors reaction about hunter x hunter’s comback is the cutest thing ?❤ pic.twitter.com/rHjBbjPJSA

— cia (@osaragiwrshppr) May 24, 2022

HUNTER X HUNTER FINALLY COMING BACK!!LESSGOOO ??? pic.twitter.com/40wPxIYT2g

— Mikey Himiko (@fruityjmsz) May 24, 2022

HUNTER X HUNTER IS FOR REAL COMING BACK LETS GOOOOOO pic.twitter.com/0jpLCAvUBu

— Johnny (@JohnnySpittin) May 24, 2022

Hunter x Hunter is coming back. This is not a drill. pic.twitter.com/osX8ZegDeb

— whimsydearest (@whimsydearest) May 24, 2022

Hunter x hunter is back ?? pic.twitter.com/tUXIViEcH8

— Hunter X Hunter (@HxHVizuals) May 24, 2022

Hunter x Hunter fans right now pic.twitter.com/ZizbhIOHqP

— Dani | Bleach ? (@ichigod22) May 24, 2022

Nobody:

Hunter x Hunter fans today: pic.twitter.com/WbrCBJYNrw

— ????  (@SageWeeb) May 24, 2022

Since Hunter X Hunter is coming back, I gotta remind yall that it’s the best shonen anime to ever exist. pic.twitter.com/7LlDs0ryzs

— Lᴏʀᴅ Vɪɴsᴍᴏᴋᴇ ? (@normalguy201) May 24, 2022

if you told me yesterday that THEE yoshihiro togashi will announce a hunter x hunter comeback using twitter i would have told you that you need to be put in an institution pic.twitter.com/Ku5uj1CA8S

— ‏ً (@ihsoka) May 24, 2022

Hunter x Hunter is coming FINALLY back and it’s not a joke this time pic.twitter.com/wqrsCPas62

— kira ? (@kirawontmiss) May 24, 2022

” Hunter x Hunter is back “

Anya from Spy x Family anime : pic.twitter.com/0mlDb9eZHs

— ✣ (@raplineshero) May 24, 2022

Hunter x Hunter manga actually coming back pic.twitter.com/HoPzwy6dnc

— JOL (@Saitamagoated) May 24, 2022

hunter x hunter nation… we can finally smile again pic.twitter.com/vHsMmXNBUy

— an⁷ (@killugonist) May 24, 2022

Continue Reading: 12 Anime Series That Got A Good (And Bad) Live-Action Adaptation

For their latest Riff Off, LA-based group The Filharmonic take on P-pop hits like Bazinga from SB19 and The Light from BGYO.

Related: A Celebration Of Pinoy Pop: The PPOP CON 2022 Concert Puts The Rise in P-Pop Rise

When Pitch Perfect first hit theaters in 2012, it became a sleeper hit that ushered in a time when a capella groups and a capella in general was the hottest musical genre. With nothing but the voice, a capella captivated people around the world with how you can take on popular songs through this unique orchestration. While it isn’t a new genre, the movies brought it renewed attention. Aside from nearly everyone having an obsession with cups, the Pitch Perfect movie franchise also introduced to the masses the Riff Off, an event where a capella groups would come together and sing songs based on certain topics and themes. Competing groups can come in so as long as the last word of the other team’s song is the same as the first word of the song the team will come in with.

One such group who has mastered the art of the Riff Off is acapella group The Filharmonic. The LA-based group composed of Filipino-Americans first got our attention when they competed in The Sing-Off and had a memorable cameo in Pitch Perfect 2. Among other things, they have also appeared on The Late Late Show with James Corden whenever he does Riff Offs with his guests. More often than not, these Riff Offs revolve around international music. So, for their latest Riff Off, The Filharmonic decided to get back to their roots in a K-pop x P-pop Riff Off.

CATEGORY IS: P-POP AND K-POP

While a capella music may not be the most popular of genres these days, The Filharmonic proved that the it is still home to exceptional music. The theme of their latest riff off was P-pop and K-pop. The vocal group, composed of members Joe, Jules, Trace, VJ, and Niko, was on team P-pop as they delivered a capella covers of Born To Win by BINI, The Light by BGYO, and Bazinga by SB19. They sang both in English and Tagalog all while using their voices to replicate the pop beats of the songs. On the other end was a group of Korean a capella singers doing covers of The Feels by TWICE, How You Like That by BLACKPINK, and Butter by BTS.

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Needless to say, both groups slayed their covers. In particular, hearing these P-pop classics in this new light gave it a fresh yet familiar feeling to it. When The Filharmonic started the video with Born To Win, it was hitting in all the right places. Their covers of Born To Win, The Light, and Bazinga were more mellow than the originals but it still hyped us up. The group looked at ease and were having fun as they made their way through the songs.

High-key, we need full covers of these songs and more because they sounded so good. Also, while some people still insist that P-pop is just a cheap imitation of K-pop, this Riff Off shows us that both genres can co-exist peacefully. And if The Filharmonic decide to do another Riff Off, they could include more P-pop songs from other groups. A capella and P-pop was a combination we weren’t expecting but are happy it’s real.

Continue Reading: Did You Know, 4*Town’s Tae Young From Turning Red Is Actually Voiced By A Filipino?

Making their debut on the 2022 PPOPCON stage, DIONE delivered a promising debut with BLING BLING and earned a spot on the P-pop radar.

Related: P-pop Girl Group G22 Kick Butt And Take Names With Their Debut ‘BANG!’

With many new P-pop groups now active on the scene, it sometimes can be hard to get the pulse on the groups who have been making noise. With more than a dozen P-pop groups to follow, there are a lot of acts pining for your attention. And one such new P-pop group that deserves it is girl group DIONE. While most of the group had their fair share of failure, they came back stronger than ever in a debut that showed many that DIONE is more than just a run-of-the-mill act.

DIONE is a four-member girl group composed of members Joyden (leader, vocalist, rapper), Clara (main dancer, rapper, vocalist), Ella (main rapper and dancer), and the youngest DK (main vocalist). The group is under FirstOne Entertainment, and if that name sounds familiar, that is because the company is also home to P-pop boy group 1^st.One, which makes DIONE their sister group. Joyden, DK, and Clara all used to be in another four-member girl group called LUNA under the same company. In fact, they made their debut in July 2021 with the song LA LUNA. Sadly, they didn’t last, disbanding in November 2021. But the girls would get the chance to prove themselves again when in March 2022, FirstOne Entertainment announced that they were debuting DIONE with the three members and new addition, Ella.

GUESS WHO’S HERE? ITS DIONE

P-pop afficionados were already looking forward to what they had to offer and they did not disappoint during their debut stage at PPOPCON 2022 when they performed Bling Bling for the first time.

An upbeat song that blends elements of pop and EDM, their debut single tells a message of following your dreams and pursuing your goals. Even though we have the tendency to use glitter and glam to hide our flaws, the girls tell us that it’s okay to be imperfect, because the road ahead is long and filled with lessons. Considering how the girls had a hand in writing the lyrics, it’s also not hard to see the song as the opening chapter of their new musical careers. The vocals are solid and the beat drop during Clara’s rap is so good. The track is a catchy bop, with dance break to boot, that mixes both international sound with Filipino pop. And the accompanying music video does not disappoint.

HIGIT KANINO BLING BLING HEY

Starting out as regular girls in their bedroom, DIONE transforms into four fierce performers, look and all. As the music video progresses, you see the group sing and dance through a multitude of sets, from bright LED lights displaying their name, to high-end cars and a room filled with luxury clothes and items. It culminates in the girls at the club, taking their spot center stage as the stars of the night. It’s a well done music video that’s reminiscent of a 2NE1-lite vibe. Throughout the music video, you can see the confidence, bravado, and stage presence.

Considering how the Bling Bling video has raked over 1.2 million views in a little under a month since its premiere, they’ve certainly made their mark. That’s actually quite an impressive feat for a rookie P-pop group to achieve. If you’re looking for a new P-pop group to stan, we highly suggest DIONE should be on your radar.

Continue Reading: KAIA Has No Time For Toxic Relationships In Their Banging Debut, ‘BLAH BLAH’

Even Herlene couldn’t believe that she’d make it to Bb. Pilipinas Top 40.

You may know Herlene Nicole Budol as “hipon girl” on the noontime show Wowowin for her witty jokes and cheeky humor. Since then, the 22-year-old has been teased often to join pageantry for her long legs, to which she just brushes off, thinking she’d be doing comedy and hosting forever. But much to the surprise and delight of her fans, Herlene took on the challenge and exceeded all expectations when she decided to join Bb. Pilipinas 2022. And yes, you guessed it—she made it to the Top 40 shortlist, representing Angono.

Herlene is a queen in her own way, being honest to herself and to everyone around her, which honestly should be a sign of real-life royalty. A queen after our own hearts, we’ve rounded up reasons why she’s one of the realest pageant candidates we’ve seen in a while.

READ MORE: 12 Times MJ Lastimosa Was The Unofficial Cheerleader Of Miss Universe Philippines

1. SHE’S FULLY EMBRACED HER “HIPON GIRL” PERSONA

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The term “hipon” may be offensive to some, but not to Herlene Budol. In fact, she’s embraced it, no matter what names her bashers call her. She even refers to her fans as “Hiponatics, mga KaSquammy, KaHipon, KaBudol.” We love a self-aware queen.

2. HERLENE’S BEEN CONSTANTLY SPEAKING IN HER MOTHER TONGUE

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No pretense, no trying to fit in, Herlene Budol is one of the queens who prefer to speak in their mother tongue, which is Tagalog. “Hindi ko pipilitin ang mag-Ingles. Wikang Filipino po ang gagamitin ko,” Herlene shares in an interview. She isn’t afraid to crack some jokes in between, too.

3. SHE ASKED MISS UNIVERSE PHILIPPINES 2013 ARIELLE ARIDA IN THE PAST IF SHE STOOD A CHANCE IN BB. PILIPINAS

@jaymarbugcal #araarida #herlenebudol #bbpilipinas2022 ♬ original sound – JaymarBugcal

Arielle Arida initially thought that Herlene was joking about joining pageants due to her being kalog IRL. She sought Miss Universe Philippines 2013’s advice since they were co-hosts at Wowowin and harmlessly asked if she had a winning shot. But even before Herlene asked for tips, Arielle already saw her official photos and cheered her on.

4. HERLENE HAD THE BEST ANSWER TO CHOOSING BETWEEN ADOPTION AND IVF

@thamaraeditxz Handa na talaga lumaban si Herlene. #herlenenicolebudol #nicolebudol #hipongirlwowowin #binibiningpilipinas #binibiningpilipinas2022 #fyp #fypシ ♬ Fly – Nicki Minaj

On having kids, Herlene prefers to adopt than to have an IVF (in vitro fertilization). While some people may raise their eyebrows on this choice, she kept it real by saying that IVF is only for those who have the budget and that adoption is her wholehearted decision. The stigma on adoption honestly needs to end so props to Herlene for being straightforward.

5. HER PRIMARY ADVOCACY AS A QUEEN IS CENTERED ON AUTISM

@thamaraeditxz Beauty with Brain talaga si Herlene ❤️? #herlenenicolebudol #nicolebudol #herlenebudol #hipongirlwowowin #binibiningpilipinas #binibiningpilipinas2022 #fyp #fypシ ♬ suara asli – favmusicvibes

Aside from wanting to use her platform for the greater good, Herlene Budol has also vowed to dedicating her efforts towards children with autism and disabilities.

6. SHE STILL CAN’T BELIEVE THAT HER BB. PILIPINAS JOURNEY HAS ALREADY STARTED

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It’s not easy joining the pageant world, let alone being discouraged for not fitting in the beauty queen mold. “Wearing my sash Angono Rizal it’s like kasama ko buong bayan ng Angono at mga Angoneño / Angonians sa prestihiyosong patimpalak na sinali ko Binibining Pilipinas,” Herlene says in a recent post where she posed with her official photo at Gateway Araneta. Winning the crown is one thing, but opening doors for more representation like what she did goes a long way.

7. HER CAPTIONS ARE FUNNY AS HELL

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If there’s anything that her fans regularly look forward to is her daily dose of wisdom as seen on her captions. A wise philosopher once said, “Aanhin mo pa ang glutha kung panalo na si Angola” And i….Hip?n!”

8. SHE ONCE CRIED OUT OF FRUSTRATION FOR BEING UNABLE TO UNDERSTAND THE OTHER QUEENS

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“Opo, indi ko po eto ikahihiya naiyak ako dahil sa English. But it doesn’t mean hanggang dyan nalang si Hipon girl nyo,” Herlene admits. Now that’s on queen behavior!

9. SHE’S NOT BOTHERED BY THE NEGATIVE COMMENTS

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Despite the passive aggressive comments thrown at Herlene, she doesn’t mind at all. She sees it more as a motivation to prove them all wrong. “Pagsisikapan ko para maging confidently beautiful with a heart si Hip?n girl.”

10. HERLENE BELIEVES THAT 8 IS HER LUCKY NUMBER

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Her official number in Bb. Pilipinas is number eight, believed to be a lucky number by the Chinese. “Professionalism, material freedom, kasaganaan and self-confidence ay nauugnay daw sa number 8 ng numerology. Isn’t it amazing!” Tell ’em!

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