Netizens are calling for the boycott and cancellation of Korean star Kim Soo Hyun, 37, following allegations that he was in a relationship with late actress Kim Sae Ron when she was a minor.

Sae Ron was found dead in her home in an apparent suicide on February 16. She was 24.

YouTube channel, HoverLab, better known as Garosero Research, posted a video on Mar 10, claiming the two were in a secret six-year relationship which began when Saw Ron was 15.

His agency, Gold Medalist, has denied the claims, calling them “baseless” and said it will take legal action against those spreading rumours.

Hoverlab has since released more evidence, which included intimate photos of the pair and other materials said to be provided by Sae Ron’s family.

One of the pictures showed the actor wearing glasses while kissing Sae Ron on the cheek.

The other was a love letter Soo Hyun allegedly wrote to Sae Ron during his military service.

The letter, dated June 9, 2018, is titled: "I Love You, Kim Sae Ron (A Letter from Private Kim Soo Hyun)" and contains handwritten words of affection.

Soo Hyun enlisted in 2017, while Sae Ron was just a 17-year-old high school student at the time.

In their exchanged letters, the actor referred to himself as "Private Kim", while the Sae Ron called herself Seronero. Soo Hyun also used this nickname to address her.

Hoverlab also suggested the actress chose to end her life on Soo Hyun's birthday as she was under pressure to repay Gold Medalist, which she was previously signed to, 700 million won (S$643K) in compensation related to her drunk driving incident in 2022. 

Sae Ron left the agency in 2022 following the accident and retreated from the public eye.

She sparked backlash when she posted and quickly deleted a selfie with Soo Hyun showing their faces pressed against each other in March 2024, at the height of Soo Hyun’s drama Queen Of Tears’ popularity.

Then, the agency denied any romantic links between the pair, saying it had “no idea what her intentions were” in uploading the photo.

Soo Hyun has come under fire following the recent revelations by Hoverlab, with many calling for his boycott and cancellation.

The star has reportedly lost more than 400K followers on Instagram and several brand deals are at risk.

Brands have also distanced themselves from Soo Hyun, removing ads and halting promotional activities featuring the actor.

Fans are obsessed with Olivia Rodrigo and Chappell Roan‘s performance of the latter’s ‘HOT TO GO!” last night. During her GUTS World Tour show in Inglewood, California, the “good 4 u” hitmaker, 21, welcomed Chappell, 26, to the stage by calling her “one of the most singular, inspiring, powerful artists [she has] ever had the pleasure of meeting.”

“And I’m so excited because she’s gonna sing one of my favorite songs of all time!” Olivia added, according to fan-captured videos.

As Chappell joined her on stage, Olivia hugged the “Pink Pony Club” artist before they kicked off the song. They even performed the track’s signature dance moves while the audience erupted into cheers.

This isn’t Olivia and Chappell’s first time working together. From February through April of the GUTS World Tour, Chappell was Olivia’s opening act. Not only that, but the fellow artists have provided vocals for each other’s music in the past. Chappell sang in Olivia’s two GUTS album tracks “lacy” and “obsessed.”

While speaking with reporters in January, Chappell explained that she and Olivia “work out of the same studio and [songwriter] Dan [Nigro once asked me] ‘Are you free right now, can you come help?’”

“So, I go over there and sing harmonies ’cause it’s really nice on a song to have different tones,” Chappell pointed out, before adding, “I love that [Olivia’s] open to having another vocalist; she’s so sweet to me.”

Shortly before taking the stage with Olivia on August 20, Chappell opened up about her discomfort with “entitled” fans in two TikTok videos. According to the clips she shared on Monday, August 19, the “Casual” artist asked her followers whether they believe it’s “normal” for the public to “stalk” and “harass” a celebrity.

“I don’t care that abuse and harassment, stalking, whatever, is a normal thing to do to people who are famous or a little famous, whatever,” she said. “I don’t care that it’s normal. I don’t care that this crazy type of behavior comes along with the job, the career field I’ve chosen. That does not make it OK, that doesn’t make it normal. That doesn’t mean that I want it, that doesn’t mean that I like it.”

Toward the end of one of her videos, Chappell doubled down on her mindset by saying, “I don’t give a f**k if you think it’s selfish of me to say ‘no’ for a photo or for your time or for a hug. That’s not normal. That’s weird.”

If you’re active on Weibo, you might have noticed the keywords “Jay Chou Macau” topping its trending list.

Like many, we thought the Mandopop King had announced his concert in the city, only to discover that rumours were spreading that the 45-year-old had incurred a massive gambling debt in Macau.

It all began when some Chinese media outlets reported that a “super A-list male star” had lost his entire 1.03bil yuan (S$189mil) fortune during a week-long gambling spree at the Wynn Palace casino.

He allegedly had to mortgage three luxury homes and a private jet to cover his gambling debts, with some netizens speculating that the celeb in question is Jay Chou.

Turns out it was nothing but a wild rumour.

In fact, the singer has not visited Macau in years.

Jay’s music label JVR Music has since issued a statement, refuting the claims: “The trending topic on Weibo today regarding ‘super A-list male star gambling heavily in Macau’ has led some netizens to speculate that this refers to our artiste, Jay Chou. We hereby clarify that these rumours have no connection whatsoever with Jay Chou! We urge everyone to stop spreading false information.”

Meanwhile, Jay took to Instagram, sharing photos of himself working on his album and out with fellow musicians Alan Kuo and Gary Yang — indirectly addressing and dismissing the rumours.

​Jay’s pal and personal trainer, Taiwanese live streamer Liu Genghong, also humorously refuted the rumours by posting on Weibo: “Let’s balance out the trending topics by posting a video of Jay Chou’s ‘Xiamen’ workout! Don’t waste public resources on baseless gossip — redirect attention to something meaningful. Stop spreading unverified stories online! We’ve got a workout session tonight—focus on your health instead!”

Years ago, similar rumours circulated about Jay allegedly losing money gambling in Macau.

In 2010, he was also said to have lost nearly $2mil gambling at the Marina Bay Sands.

On Monday (Mar 10), Lady Gaga announced that she would be performing four nights at the Singapore National Stadium in May.

Her Mayhem concerts on May 18, 19, 21, and 24 will mark her first concerts in Singapore since 2012's Born This Way Ball Tour.

Many Little Monsters (aka what Gaga's fans are called) are already gearing up for a ticketing war. If Taylor Swift’s 2024 Eras Tour in Singapore is of any indication, a blood, sweat and tears-filled battle for tickets is expected.

Some fans have also started planning their concert logistics.

Little Monsters have taken to social media to discuss their game plan come ticketing day (Mar 18).

Overseas fans are also hoping to link up with companions for the show, with a fair number looking to share the costs of travel packages.

Xiaohongshu group ‘Lady Gaga Singapore’ has already amassed hundreds of members from China, Hong Kong, Taiwan, and Malaysia.

According to reports, some of these fans have already paid for their air tickets and accommodations even before they get tickets. 

And we thought us Singaporeans were kiasu.

There are several options to snag tickets. 

The presale starts on March 18, and Mastercard, Klook, Krisflyer, and Live Nation members will get the chance to buy their tickets on respective designated presale periods. General ticket sales will take place on March 21. You can refer to the ticketmaster site for more presale details.

Travel site Klook will launch a package which gives fans the option to buy two tickets and a four-star hotel stay for S$589 and up. There's also a five-star hotel stay package that starts from S$728.

Krisflyer members can utilise their miles to pay for their tickets. It will cost them 26,000 miles to 42,000 miles, depending on the seats.

According to Minister for Culture, Community and Youth of Singapore Edwin Tong, the Singapore government did not provide any grants to get Lady Gaga to perform here. Her upcoming concerts are an arrangement between the star and the organisers, Live Nation and Kallang Alive Sport Management.

Brandon Sklenar wants everyone to know that the social media drama surrounding the It Ends With Us cast isn’t reflective of the film’s message. The 34-year-old actor, who played Atlas Corrigan in the movie, broke his silence on the “stuff swirling online” in a Instagram post. Although he did not name either of them, Brandon’s statement alluded to the speculation about his co-stars Blake Lively and Justin Baldoni’s rumored tension.

“[Author] Colleen [Hoover] and the women of this cast stand for hope, perseverance, and for women choosing a better life for themselves,” Brandon insisted at the beginning of his message. “Vilifying the women who put so much of their heart and soul into making this film because they believe so strongly in its message seems counterproductive and detracts from what this film is about. It is, in fact, the opposite of the point.”

Brandon went on to explain, “What may or may not have happened behind the scenes does not and hopefully should not detract from what our intentions were in making this film.” He then added that it’s “been disheartening to see the amount of negativity being projected online.”

Throughout his note, the 1923 star pleaded fans to “trust” him when he says that there “isn’t a single person involved in the making of this film that was not aware of the responsibility we had in making this. He also clarified that the responsibility was to “all the women who have experienced generational trauma, domestic abuse or struggle with looking in the mirror and loving who they see.”

Brandon concluded his statement by explaining the meaning behind their movie and by encouraging fans to stop spreading “hate on the internet.”

“This movie is a harsh reality check for the men who need to get their s**t together and take responsibility for themselves and their actions,” he wrote. “This film is meant to inspire. It’s meant to validate and recognize. It’s meant to instill hope. It’s meant to build courage and help people feel less alone. Ultimately it’s meant to spread love and awareness. It is not meant to once again, make the women the ‘bad guy,’ let’s move beyond that together.”

​Following its August 9 premiere, It Ends With Us became a box office hit. However, multiple outlets reported that disagreements ensued between actor and director Justin, 40, and film star Blake, 36. Additionally, the Gossip Girl alum has faced backlash over resurfaced interviews and comments she made in the past.

Neither Blake nor Justin has publicly commented on the rumors about their alleged rift. Justin, however, hired a crisis PR manager amid the ongoing situation.

Chappell Roan made it clear that her celebrity status isn’t an invitation for uncomfortable fan interactions. In a series of TikTok videos that the 26-year-old “Red Wine Supernova” artist posted, she asked fans to think about a few questions.

“I need you to answer questions, just answer my questions for a second: If you saw a random woman on the street, would you yell at her from your car window?” Chappell asked. “Would you harass her in public? Would you go up to a random lady and say, ‘Can I take a photo with you?’ and she says ‘No, what the f**k?’ and then you get mad at this random lady? Would you be offended if she says no to your time because she has her own time?”

Chappell continued by asking if anyone would “stalk her family” or “follow her around,” then asked if anyone would “try to dissect her life and bully her online.”

The “Good Luck, Babe!” songstress also pointed out to viewers that the “lady” in this scenario is someone “you don’t know and she doesn’t know you at all.”

“Would you assume that she’s a good person, assume she’s a bad person?” she prompted. “Would you assume everything you read online about her is true? I’m a random b**ch, you’re a random b**ch. Just think about that for a second, OK?”

In a follow-up TikTok post, Chappell pointed to the public opinion that it’s “normal” to investigate a celebrity’s personal life.

“I don’t care that abuse and harassment, stalking, whatever, is a normal thing to do to people who are famous or a little famous, whatever,” she said. “I don’t care that it’s normal. I don’t care that this crazy type of behavior comes along with the job, the career field I’ve chosen. That does not make it OK, that doesn’t make it normal. That doesn’t mean that I want it, that doesn’t mean that I like it.”

Over the past year, Chappell has reached new levels of stardom thanks to her breakthrough Lollapalooza and Coachella performances. Moreover, she’s gained a strong social media presence with millions of followers. However, fame can come with uninvited attention, which she pointed out in her second clip.

​“I don’t give a f**k if you think it’s selfish of me to say ‘no’ for a photo or for your time or for a hug. That’s not normal. That’s weird,” she doubled down.

The “Pink Pony Club” artist went on to note that she doesn’t want “whatever the f**k you think you’re supposed to be entitled to whenever you see a celebrity.” At the end of her second video, the “HOT TO GO!” singer insisted that she is “allowed to say ‘no’ to creepy behavior.”

Christina Applegate, who has been experiencing multiple sclerosis (MS) symptoms for some time, recently opened up about the physical changes brought on by the progressive immune disorder.

During an episode of the “MeSsy” podcast on Tuesday, August 20, which she co-hosts with actor Jamie-Lynn Sigler, Applegate used a specific children’s book character to describe how her body has changed.

“I have no muscles in my legs, which I showed you,” Applegate, 52, told Sigler. “I look like Humpty Dumpty. My little tiny, weird legs and then my big menopausal belly.”

Sigler, 43, who was diagnosed with MS in 2001 at the age of 20, shared that the disorder has forced her to become a “homebody,” a significant shift from her once active and athletic lifestyle.

“I was the most active, athletic — if everyone was going to go play a sport, I was in it till the end,” Sigler recalled. “If everyone was going to go for a walk, I was the first one to be out in the street. That was me, that was my personality. That was my life. I just always wanted to be doing something, and up and out, I was never home. Now I feel like I’m always home.”

Applegate, in contrast, admitted that she has always been more of a homebody, preferring the comfort of her bed. However, the progression of MS has made her even more reliant on staying in.

“I like being home now because, well, I like being in my bed, but also I don’t want to be in my bed,” she said. “But once I do go out, I’m happy I’ve done it.”

Applegate explained that her friends now understand her limitations and don’t expect physically demanding activities, such as hiking. “That’s not going to happen because I’m so not conditioned right now,” she said, adding that the lack of physical activity has left her feeling deconditioned, making even small exertions like walking uphill feel overwhelming.

In line with the title of their podcast episode, “I Love When People Cancel,” Applegate mentioned that she asks her friends for “grace” in case she needs to “cancel right before” plans to hang out.

​MS is a disease in which the body’s immune system attacks the brain and spinal cord, leading to symptoms such as muscle stiffness and difficulties with walking and talking.

The Anchorman, Married With Children, and Bad Moms star previously discussed her insecurities about aging and her appearance during an August 1 episode of the podcast.

The numbers are in, and Mediacorp's blockbuster drama Emerald Hill is a hit with Netflix viewers in Singapore.

The 30-episode series premiered on Netflix Singapore on Monday (Mar 10) and shot straight to the top spot overnight.

It also made history as the first Mediacorp Chinese drama to reach this milestone.

Emerald Hill is a spin-off of 2008's mega hit The Little Nonya and features new characters and fresh faces to the storyline, which is set in the '50s to the '70s.

Mediacorp actress Chantalle Ng who plays the main antagonist Zhang An Na was also seen ecstatically sharing a screenshot of the show’s success on Netflix.

Chantalle tells reporters that she was on set filming another show when she heard the news and said she didn’t expect the drama to hit number one so quickly.

“Tasha [Low] and I had a watch party, and we were just talking about how if we made it into the top 10, it would be amazing,” she laughs.

“But overnight, we became number one in Singapore, and that was quite unexpected and very good news,” she adds.

Chantalle also tells us that she hopes viewers will continue supporting the show, especially since she “only appears from episode six onwards”.

No spoilers now, please!

The first three episodes are now available on both Netflix Singapore and premium subscribers on mewatch.

Emerald Hill will also be available on demand for free on mewatch starting March 17 and Ch 8 on March 19.

Taylor Swift made sure to include time for the families of the London girls affected by the tragic stabbing attack at a dance and yoga class in Southport, England.

During her Eras Tour shows in London on Aug. 15 and 16, the folklore singer welcomed Hope and Autumn, along with their mother, Sami Foster, for backstage visits during her five-night stand at Wembley Stadium.

“You drew stars around my scars,” read the caption of a TikTok video—with the song “Enchanted” as background music—uploaded by the mother of the young Swifties on Sunday, August 18. “The biggest thank you to @Taylor Swift and her mum for making the most magical night possible for us all 🫶🏻 thank you for bringing Hope & Autumn pure happiness last night & always.”

In the photos, one of the girls appears to have a bandage on her forearm, on which is written a fitting lyric from the song “Cardigan.” Swift’s mother, Andrea Swift, is also seen posing with Foster’s family in the carousel of photos.

It was reported before the start of her run at Wembley that Swift had privately reached out to the families of the three girls killed—Bebe King, 6, Alice Dasilva Aguiar, 9, and Elsie Dot Stancombe, 7—in the attack.

Eight other children and two adults were also injured in the incident, with six listed in critical condition at the time. On Aug. 6, Merseyside police announced that the injured children had been released from the hospital.

About 25 children were believed to be in the class at the time of the attack by a 17-year-old boy. Axel Rudakubana, now 18, was arrested and charged with three counts of murder, 10 counts of attempted murder, and possession of a bladed article.

In the wake of the attack, Swift shared a message via her Instagram Stories on July 30, expressing her grief.

“The horror of yesterday’s attack in Southport is washing over me continuously, and I’m just in complete shock… The loss of life and innocence, and the horrendous trauma inflicted on everyone who was there—the families, the first responders. These were just little kids at a dance class. I am at a complete loss for how to ever convey my sympathies to these families.”

Mandilah Singapura? Seems like the great shower debate isn't confined just to Singapore.

K-pop group NCT 127's Doyoung has gone viral for repeatedly reminding fans to take a shower after attending their concert. This interesting exchange took place in Newark, New Jersey where NCT 127 was on their Neo City - The Momentum tour.

In the clips shared online, Doyoung was seen telling fans towards the end of the show: "When you guys arrive home, drink a lot of water [and] take a shower please."

His fellow members agreed with him, echoing "That's right!" in the background. Just in case the fans didn't hear him the first time, he emphasised his point with a chuckle: "Promise. Take a shower please."

The rest of the group laughed off Doyoung's random request, and while many were tickled by it, others said it shone a light on fans' personal hygiene when attending concerts.

In fact, his request made some wonder if the audience "stank so badly" that he could smell the stench from the stage.

"Having to gentle parent your fans to wash their a**** is crazy," laughed one netizen. Another wrote: "Normalise showering and using deodorant when going to concerts!"

As lighthearted as his request might have been, Doyoung also sparked a discussion on concert culture, where fans usually camp outside the venue for hours prior to the show to ensure they get the best spots in the standing pens. One can imagine the crowd wouldn't smell too great after waiting for hours outdoors, especially if the weather is hot or humid.

Some netizens felt it was "embarrassing" for fans to be called out for their personal hygiene in such a manner. Others also believe the camping culture "has to stop", for the sake of other fans and idols.

Doyoung has also been praised for his candour. "I'm glad he spoke up, I've left some concerts actively gagging," shared a netizen.

Anyone else with a stinky concert experience to share?