Three of South Korea’s hit boys’ love (BL) series are making their way to iWantTFC where viewers in the Philippines and select countries can stream “Semantic Error,” “Our Dating Sim,” and “Love Mate” for free.
Campus-youth romance “Semantic Error” will be available on the streaming platform in its Filipino-dubbed version beginning September 27 (Wednesday), with a new episode dropping every Wednesday.
The eight-episode series revolves around Chu Sang Woo (Park Jae-chan), a serious law-abiding computer science student and Jang Jae Young (Park Seo-ham), the senior campus heartthrob who has it all. The two are tasked to work together on a final presentation to earn their college degree, but Chu Sang Woo is left to accomplish it all on his own and thus decides to remove the name of Jang Jae Young and his freeloader friends, putting Jang Jae Young’s dream to study abroad in great jeopardy.
What happens when two polar opposites are forced to work together? Will Chu Sang Woo be able to debug Jang Jae Young when a strange attraction develops between them?
Viewers can also look forward to an overload of ‘kilig’ in the Tagalized versions of workplace romance BL series that are streaming soon on iWantTFC. Catch “Our Dating Sim,” where Lee Jong-hyuk and Lee Seung-gyu star as school friends that reunite years later for work, and “Love Mate” where Cho Han Gyeol and Cho Hyun Min star in a series about a new hire that instantly falls in love with his boss.
Stream “Semantic Error” for free this September 27 in the Philippines, Singapore, Indonesia, Malaysia, Thailand, Vietnam, Brunei, Myanmar, Laos, and Cambodia on the iWantTFC app (iOS and Android) and website (iwanttfc.com). The series is also available to standard and premium subscribers worldwide. In other select countries, watch iWantTFC on a larger screen with select devices, including VEWD, ROKU, and Amazon Fire streaming devices, Android TV, select Samsung Smart TV models, Telstra TV (in Australia), and VIDAA. Visit https://bit.ly/iWantTFC_TVDevices for a complete list of compatible devices, sign-in instructions, and account activation.
Beckham, a four-part documentary series, tells the inside story of a global football star and cultural icon. David Beckham is one of the most known names on the planet, yet few people know who he really is. From his humble working-class beginnings in east London, his drive and determination to win, and the battle to find balance between ambition, love and family, David’s story is one of immense ups and downs. The series takes you on that rollercoaster and builds a surprising, personal and definitive story of one of the most recognizable and scrutinized athletes of all time.
In Beckham, Academy Award-winner Fisher Stevens (Palmer, And We Go Green, The Cove) along with Academy Award and Emmy Award-winning producer John Battsek (One Day in September, Searching for Sugar Man, Winter on Fire) are granted unprecedented access to David, his wife Victoria, his family, his friends and his teammates. The result is an intimate portrait of a man as well as a chronicle of late-modern sports and celebrity culture.
The renowned FairPrice Group (FPG), Singapore’s grocery giant, unveiled plans to delight Filipino tastebuds with its renowned range of snacks. By the year’s final quarter, Metro Manila’s leading supermarkets will stock FairPrice’s signature potato chips, roasted nuts, and more.
Singapore Ambassador to the Philippines Constance See graces the booth of FairPrice, Singapore’s largest retailer, at Singaporium 2023 in SM Aura in Taguig City. (L-R) Jonathan Young, FairPrice Consultant (International Business); Grace Chua, CEO of FairPrice Own Brands Food Solutions; and Hock Yam, FairPrice Director (International Business).
A Sneak Peek at Singaporium 2023
For those who attended Singaporium last month, they’ve already had the pleasure. From August 18th to 27th, attendees sampled a rich array of FairPrice’s gourmet offerings, from decadent Truffle Potato Chips to a selection of perfectly roasted nuts.
Symphony of Flavors: FairPrice Potato Chips
Crafted with precision and passion, FairPrice Potato Chips use only 100% fresh potatoes to bring to life a flavorful symphony. With an ensemble of seven flavors, including the classic salted Original, aromatic Truffle, tangy Sour Cream, zesty Black Pepper, fiery Hot & Spicy, creamy Cheese, and smoky BBQ, there’s a melody for every palate. Notably, the FairPrice Truffle Chips bagged the prestigious title of Retail Product of the Year at the 2023 Retail Asia Awards.
Nuts About Quality: FairPrice’s Nut Collection
No snack venture is complete without a dose of healthful nuts. FairPrice’s collection of Almonds, Cashews, and Pistachios have been sourced from prime locations worldwide, ensuring unparalleled quality. These cholesterol-free treasures are perfect standalone munchies or as flavor-packed ingredients in culinary creations.
Snacking, The Filipino Way
Grace Chua, the dynamo behind Own Brands Food Solutions at FairPrice Group, emphasized the Filipino love for quality and taste. “It is our honour to offer Filipinos our FairPrice Group’s high quality and delicious snacks. For Filipinos, snacks are more than delicious treats, they’re also a way of life and a way of injecting fiber and nutrition into their diets. From high quality nuts, sourced globally from the USA to Asia, Filipinos can enjoy healthy snacking with FairPriceNuts. As Filipinos look for tasty snacks, FairPrice potato chips in exciting flavours such as truffle and black pepper are now an alternative to traditional snacks like chicharron.”
Filipino food enthusiasts have much to anticipate with FairPrice Group’s imminent entry. Bringing a taste of Singapore to the Philippines, these gourmet delights are set to carve a niche in the Philippines’ vibrant snack market. Whether it’s the enticing aroma of truffle chips or the natural goodness of roasted nuts, there’s no doubt that this flavorful journey, straight from the heart of Singapore, will be one to remember. Get ready, snack lovers, for a culinary adventure unlike any other.
Negrenses are in for some great Italian-American food as Italianni’s opens its 27th store at SM Bacolod! The feeling of excitement around its opening is palpable, as food lovers in the City of Smiles get ready to give a warm welcome to Italianni’s and the array of bountiful dishes that they can partake of without travelling to nearby Cebu or Metro Manila.
From the moment guests step into the doors of Italianni’s, they immediately feel a warm welcome from the staff’s Buon Giorno greeting. The sense of being appreciated continues as they partake of their favorite dishes.
Begin your meal with a complimentary basket of bread dipped in olive oil and aged balsamic vinegar. The classic dishes that people keep on coming back for more include Sicilian Salad, Spaghetti and Meatballs, Spinach and Artichoke Formaggio, Chicken Italianni’s, Grilled Pork Chop Au Poivre and New York.
There are at least a dozen new ones to try, from appetizers to main and desserts: Italian Sausage Stew, Eggplant Caponata, Beetroot Pecorino Salad, Zucchini Asiago Soup, Chicken Florentine Pizza, Seafood Pizza, Angel Hair With Clams and Garlic Butter, Spaghetti with Clams and Bacon, Red Pesto Rigatoni, Penne Ham and Peas and Pane Budino.
Italianni’s has an ongoing Happy Hour promotion at 30% off on all alcoholic drinks from as early as 2 pm to 7 pm daily. A table is waiting for you at Italianni’s Bacolod. It is open from 10am to 10pm daily.
The highly anticipated Insignia Concert Series is thrilled to announce that Sabrina Claudio will be gracing the stage as the headlining artist for its third installment on Thursday, October 5 at the Samsung Hall in SM Aura Premier. Following the successful performances of UMI and Mac Ayres last August, this event promises to be another unforgettable night of music and artistry.
Sabrina Claudio is an internationally acclaimed artist known for her captivating blend of R&B, soul, and electronic music. With a voice that transcends boundaries and lyrics that resonate deeply with fans around the world, Claudio has established herself as a true musical sensation.
Attendees can expect to be serenaded by Sabrina Claudio’s chart-topping hits, including “Confidently Lost,” “Unravel Me,” and “Rumors.” Her sultry vocals and magnetic stage presence are sure to create an electric atmosphere.
To add to the exciting night of music, rising Philippine R&B and soul artist, Jess Connelly, will be performing a special opening set.
The Insignia Concert Series, known for its commitment to showcasing exceptional talent and as a series of intimate concerts, provides fans with the unique opportunity to discover rising artists while enjoying an up-close and personal musical experience. The goal of the concert series is to add consistent concert and entertainment offerings to the vibrant city of Bonifacio Global City, Taguig, enriching the cultural tapestry of the community.
Tickets for Sabrina Claudio’s performance are available for purchase starting at www.InsigniaPresents.com or at any SM Tickets outlets nationwide.
Get ready to celebrate in style as Nifty, the ultimate hub for all things productivity, tech, and lifestyle, gears up to mark its 4th Anniversary with an unforgettable 2-week-long anniversary sale – the Nifty Festival! From September 20 – October 4, 2023, tech enthusiasts, bargain hunters, and anyone looking to snag fantastic deals will gather for this grand celebration that promises exciting giveaways and promotions.
Nifty has etched its name in curating game-changing products, and bringing innovation and sophistication to the tech and lifestyle market. The Nifty Festival is set to showcase Nifty’s commitment to delivering unparalleled value to its customers.
The festival is a testimony to Nifty’s four years of providing top-notch gadgets, smart home essentials, fashion-forward accessories, and more to its loyal clientele with brands such as Garmin, Anker, UGreen, Kool, Canvas Club, and other world-class tech brands.
Nifty Festival 2023
Nifty has gone all out with its exciting activities for its customers to celebrate its fourth anniversary. Among the things to watch out for are:
Crazy Good Promos: During the 2-week-long celebration, ALL items and products inside the Nifty store will be on sale! Color-coded tags will be attached where you can get up to 30 – 50% off on your desired Nifty products. For items with no colored tags, it will automatically be 10% off.
Unbeatable Offers:Nifty Festival is the destination for unique deals designed to make your jaw drop. Score all Garmin watches at 8% off for two whole weeks. With exciting DAILY FLASH DEALS, where you can score up to 40% off on Garmin’s latest products.
Anker is also offering exclusive deals where you can score a Buy 1 Take 1 promo on their Eufy RoboVacs, and huge discounts on Soundcore and their range of chargers and power banks.
Exciting Giveaways: At the Nifty Festival, you might get lucky and win giveaways worth a total of PHP 99,000!
Three lucky customers will have a chance to take home A Govee gift pack worth PHP 10,000.00, an Anker gift pack worth PHP 25,000.00, or the [1]grand giveaway of a Garmin Marq watch worth PHP 99,000.00! For every single purchase receipt of at least PHP 2,500.00, a customer earns one raffle entry for a chance to win one of these exciting prizes.
“At Nifty, we’ve always believed in celebrating innovation, quality, and the joy of discovery,” said Assistant Brand Manager Francesca Ocampo. “The Nifty Festival is our way of saying ‘thank you’ to our amazing customers who have supported us on this remarkable journey. We’re excited to bring them exclusive deals and giveaways that exemplify the Nifty spirit.”
[1]*Terms and conditions apply. Promos may vary per store. DTI Fair Trade Permit No. FTEB-172948 Series of 2023 DTI Fair Trade Permit No. FTEB-172981 Series of 2023
Nifty has been a frontrunner in the tech and lifestyle retail landscape since its inception in 2019. With a mission to make cutting-edge technology and lifestyle products accessible to everyone, Nifty has curated a diverse range of products that cater to different preferences and needs. From the latest gadgets that redefine convenience to elegant accessories that elevate style, Nifty’s offerings are a testament to its dedication to innovation and customer satisfaction.
“The Nifty Festival 2023 is set to captivate the public’s attention and introduce them to the unparalleled world of Nifty. We invite everyone to not miss out on this one-of-a-kind celebration that promises to redefine the way you shop for technology and lifestyle products.” shares Ms. Ocampo.
The Nifty Festival will be held in various store locations across Metro Manila, specifically in SM Megamall, Robinsons Place Manila, and SM Mall of Asia Arena.
For more information about Nifty Festival 2023 and to stay updated on the latest announcements, visit www.niftylife.com and follow them on Instagram at instagram.com/theniftylife.
Get to know more about the characters of Concrete Utopia and the actors and actresses that portrayed them, as described by director Um Tae-hwa.
YOUNG-TAK, Resident Delegate of Hwang Gung Apartments
Played by: Lee Byung-hun
Young-tak, a resident of Hwang Gung Apartments, caught everyone’s attention when he rushed inside a burning house without hesitation to put out a fire. His selfless act of risking his own life led him to be elected as the Resident Delegate. After that, when the situation calls for desperate measures, Young-tak puts himself on the line again, which leads to him gaining more trust and confidence among the residents.
Director Um Tae-hwa is all praises for Lee Byung-hun. “There was a scene when he expressed all his character has gone through through his facial expression alone,” says Um. “It was a moment when I witnessed the true definition of cinema.”
MIN-SUNG, a family man struggling for his family’s survival
Played by: Park Seo-jun
For Min-sung, surviving this chaos with his beloved wife Myung-hwa is his top priority. Having previously served as an auxiliary policeman, and currently working as a public servant, he unintentionally drew the attention of the other residents, which led him to be chosen as the leader of the anti-crime force by Young-tak. As he witnesses Young-tak’s unwavering devotion toward other people and his decisiveness in leading the survivors, Min-sung himself gradually changes and starts to resemble him in a way.
“I was certain he could portray a wide range of different aspects of Min-sung,” says director Um of Park Seo-jun. “I hoped I could bring it out of him. I’m confident that the audience will be captivated by his performance.”
MYUNG-HWA, the one who tries to hold on to her values
Played by: Park Bo-young
A resident of Hwang Gung Apartments, living in unit 602. After the unexpected catastrophe brought by a massive earthquake, she tries to keep calm and think of ways to live on with her husband, Min-sung. Myung-hwa has no hesitation in sharing her home with outsiders who have nowhere to go in the cold, and takes the initiative in caring for the injured residents as a nurse. She grows concerned as she notices changes in residents over time.
Director Um says of Park Bo-young, “I was always curious and wanted to see another aspect of PARK Bo-young different from the images of her that we are familiar with. She has satisfied all of that.”
GEUM-AE, the head of Hwang Gung Apartments women’s association
Played by: Kim Sun-young
A resident of room 207, who serves as the head of the women’s association at Hwang Gung Apartments. When it comes to the safety of residents and herself, Geum-ae does not hesitate to take action. She’s the one who recommended Young-tak as the Resident Delegate and she firmly believes in following Resident Regulations no matter what. She plays a central role in bringing residents together while remaining extremely vigilant against any potential threats.
Director Um says that Kim Sun-young perfectly embodies the ordinary yet profound nature of the character of Geum-ae, enabling audiences to be fully immersed in the movie.
HYE-WON, who has returned from the hellish outside
Played by: Park Ji-hu
A resident of room 903, who miraculously survives the earthquake and returns alone to Hwang Gung Apartments. Under a new set of regulations, living with residents is never the same as before. Observing residents being bizarrely optimistic as if they don’t care about the hellish outside, Hye-won experiences an inexplicable sense of unease.
“She embodied the character just right even in situations where she had to convey a wealth of emotions through facial expressions and gazes alone,” the director says of Park Ji-hu.
DO-KYUN, an uncooperative resident
Played by: Kim Do-yoon
A resident of room 809 in Hwang Gung Apartments. Dissatisfied with the approach of the residents’ committee led by Young-tak and Geum-ae, he starts making excuses for himself and is uncooperative. He complies with the basic rules so as not to go against the current, but he refuses to do any more. Amidst each of the residents’ various struggles to survive, he becomes more and more isolated.
Director Um says of Kim Do-yoon, “Kim Do-yoon excelled at portraying this character whose neat and smart appearance gradually begins to fray and collapse.”
Directed by Um Tae-hwa, Concrete Utopia is loosely based on Part 2 of the hit webtoon “Joyful Outcast” (“Pleasant Neighbors”) and stars an ensemble of A-list Korean actors including Lee Byung-hun, Park Seo-jun, Park Bo-young, Park Ji-hu, Kim Do-yoon and Kim Sun-young. It is a disaster thriller about the aftermath of a devastating earthquake. The film will follow the story that begins when the survivors gather at Hwang Gung Apartments, the only building left standing in an earthquake-ravaged Seoul.
The Bank of the Philippine Islands recently rolled out its first-in-the-industry feature on the new BPI app. Aptly called Track and Plan, this tool utilizes AI to track and analyze your financial activities on the BPI app, share insights on your spending habits, and even offer suggestions for smarter financial investments—so you can plan for your future.
You may have already seen it when you logged on to your BPI app. It’s the animated scrolling cards at the top of the screen. Based on your latest transactions, Track and Plan will generate insights around your cashflow and float up snippets to notify you of, say, similar withdrawals made back-to-back.
You can get the full insight with more details when you click on the notification and easily get in touch with BPI if you need to.
Another insight could be about unexpected changes in deposits from a familiar payor made to your account.
When your balance is consistently high that it sufficiently covers your average monthly expenses, Track and Plan will suggest ways you can invest and grow your extra funds.
Track and Plan can also monitor trends in your spending and alert you in case your bill was higher than your average—so you can be more mindful of your budget.
This AI-powered tool generates unique insights that only you can view, and you can rest assured about the privacy of your financial transactions. It is the first of its kind in the industry. By design, Track and Plan will continue to give you new insights based on your app usage.
“I have been covering the financial industry for decades and I have never seen a banking app that acts like a financial advisor with powerful access to tools that allow anyone to move from knowledge to action,” says veteran journalist and ‘Financial Beshie ng Bayan’ Salve Duplito. “Let’s face it, most of us get offended when someone tells us we are spending too much, but with Track and Plan, it’s like you telling you! So our emotional human experience gets a big jolt of logic — and that could be transformational in bringing our country’s savings rate higher.”
“We at BPI are excited to unveil Track and Plan, our AI-powered personal finance management tool on the new BPI app,” says Mariana Zobel de Ayala, Consumer Marketing and Platforms Head at BPI. “We are leveraging technology to simplify money management to empower Filipinos to do more and make their lives better every day. This feature essentially scales BPI’s seasoned and personalized financial advice to millions of Filipinos and is the next step forward in BPI’s evolution. Our customers can look forward to more in-depth insights and actionable advice as we continue to develop this feature.”
As AI learns from patterns or features in data, insights from Track and Plan gets better the more you use it. BPI will also be expanding its capabilities in the coming months so users will eventually have the option to turn on automatic monthly investments, schedule their most frequent transactions, and best of all, stay on top of their spending and earnings with a built-in budget tracker. All these will be available exclusively on the new BPI app.
Time to “move app,” don’t you think?
To start getting AI-powered insights, download the new BPI app if you haven’t yet—or update to the latest version. Download it here or scan the QR code below.
Sunsetting of the old BPI app is targeted for September 30, 2023. Download the new app and activate your devices by then!
This year’s most successful independent film, “Sound of Freedom” is a powerful story of heroism based on incredible events in the life of Tim Ballard played by Caviezel. The movie became number one at the box-office when it opened (July 4 US) that has already reached a domestic gross of over than $182 million to-date, and continues to ring at the box-office following its worldwide release.
Shot on location in Colombia, the movie takes the audience into the life of Ballard, a former government agent turned freedom fighter who embarked on a dangerous mission to rescue dozens of children from human trafficking. This emotionally riveting narrative is a powerful story that stands as a testament to the tenacious spirit of those who refuse to let evil triumph, protecting God’s children from slavery. It also introduces us to two wonderful child actors who play siblings Rocio (Cristal Aparicio) and Miguel (Lucás Ávila), lured by a previous Colombian beauty queen named Katy, who poses as a talent scout for children. Along with the other unsuspecting children who were promised a life of comfort and luxury, the siblings go through a closed-door audition and soon realize that they have been separated forcibly from their father. “Sound of Freedom” also stars Academy Award Winner Mira Sorvino (Mighty Aphrodite), Bill Camp (The Queen’s Gambit), José Zúñiga (Mission Impossible III), Eduardo Verástegui (Son of God), who is also a producer, and is written and directed by Alejandro Monteverde (Bella).
Produced by Angel Studios, the crowdfunded studio behind the extremely successful series “The Chosen,” ’Sound of Freedom’ has become the people’s movie,” said Jared Geesey, SVP of global distribution. We are empowering people to be part of choosing, funding, and sharing stories that amplify light and impact culture.”
The movie has earned a 99% audience score at Rottentomatoes.com that raves on the actors’ performances and the film’s strong message that God’s children are not for sale, further cementing it to be one of the most important movies meant to be seen in cinemas.
Stay through the credits as Caviezel imparts a powerful message on how the movie can mobilize the global audience to pay-if-forward by being a part of its storytelling process.
The One Piece Live Action continues to make waves, winning the hearts of fans all over the world! Since its release, ONE PIECE is the #1 title globally on Netflix with 37.8 Million views amassed in less than two weeks. The series reached the Top 10 in 93 countries, and debuted at #1 in 46. The live action adaptation earned a high audience score of 96% from 10,000+ ratings on Rotten Tomatoes, and is currently among Netflix’s highest audiences scores ever! The show also became a social media sensation with more than 4 billion search impressions for #onepiecenetflix on TikTok alone, and continues to generate buzz and trend globally across social platforms. The cast has also experienced a boom in their social media, adding millions to their followers over the last couple of months.
The One Piececultural phenomenon will continue to sail into the high seas of adventure in search of treasure as creator and illustrator Eiichiro Oda confirmed that the live-action adaptation will return with new adventures from the sprawling ONE PIECE universe. Episode count and story details will be shared at a later time. Read the transcript from Oda Sensei’s video message to fans below:
Eiichiro Oda, ONE PIECE Creator, Illustrator and Executive Producer: [transcript from Oda-Sensei’s video message to fans]
“To the Straw Hat Grand Fleet: What did you think of Season 1 of the live-action ONE PIECE? I spent a long time working on it with Netflix and Tomorrow Studios. It seems people around the world have been enjoying the show, which makes the hard work from the production team truly worth it.
To everyone who’s been a fan of ONE PIECEfor years, and to those who experienced ONE PIECE for the first time, thank you so much.
Two weeks after the launch, I just received some great news. Netflix has decided to renew the show! The adventures of Iñaki and the live-action Straw Hats will continue onward!
It’ll still take a while to get the scripts ready, so please be patient.
From here on, it seems to me the Straw Hats will need a great doctor… We will see!”
Based on Japan’s highest-selling manga series in history by Eiichiro Oda, ONE PIECE is a legendary high-seas adventure unlike any other. Monkey D. Luffy is a young adventurer who has longed for a life of freedom since he can remember. Luffy sets off from his small village on a perilous journey to find the legendary fabled treasure, ONE PIECE, to become King of the Pirates! But in order to find the ultimate prize, Luffy will need to assemble the crew he’s always wanted before finding a ship to sail, searching every inch of the vast blue seas, outpacing the Marines, and outwitting dangerous rivals at every turn.
Starring Iñaki Godoy as Monkey D. Luffy, Mackenyu as Roronoa Zoro, Emily Rudd as Nami, Jacob Romero as Usopp, and Taz Skylar as Sanji, ONE PIECE is a live action pirate adventure created in partnership with Shueisha and produced by Tomorrow Studios and Netflix. Matt Owens and Steven Maeda are writers, executive producers, and showrunners. Eiichiro Oda, Marty Adelstein, and Becky Clements also executive produce. Additional cast includes Vincent Regan (Vice Admiral Garp), Ilia Isorelýs Paulino (Alvida), Morgan Davies (Koby), Aidan Scott (Helmeppo), Langley Kirkwood (Captain Morgan), Jeff Ward (Buggy), Celeste Loots (Kaya), Alexander Maniatis (Klahadore), McKinley Belcher III (Arlong), Craig Fairbrass (Chef Zeff), Steven Ward (Mihawk), Chioma Umeala (Nojiko), and Michael Dorman (Gold Roger).
