Plain Posts

If fashion is a statement, then Barbie made hers in neon pink — but forgot the message underneath. After the 2023 Barbie movie theaters, it became the top-grossing film of the year, earning over US$1.44 billion worldwide, and instantly transformed from a movie into a movement. Greta Gerwig’s feminist blockbuster promised to critique patriarchy — but ended up selling it back… Read more: The Plastic Feminism of Barbie: Empowerment Wrapped in Pink Consumerism

Since YG Entertainment official account posted poster and announced that BLACKPINK would set their Third World Tour from July, the entire K-pop fan base was in a state of excitement. Because after the expiration of their 2023 contract, BLACKPINK began their solo careers. After a gap of two years and eight months, they reunited as a complete group and announcing… Read more: DEADLINE – BLACKPINK’s Third World Tour causes sensation among K-pop fans

Image source: miHOYO Since the release of the Sumeru update, Genshin Impact has shifted from a relaxing casual game to a demanding and exhausting experience. Many players now describe it as feeling like a second job rather than entertainment. The problem then is obvious – The Sumeru version makes everything harder without giving the player any benefit. In the early days… Read more: miHoYo’s Greed Is Killing Genshin Impact

Image: Crunchyroll – Demon Slayer: Kimetsu No Yaiba The Movie: Infinity Castle Key Visuals If you have watched the recent Demon Slayer movie, you might have felt its horrible pacing and you are not alone. Despite the movies positive reception for its breathtaking animation and action sequences, many also criticized that the arc that this movie covers, simply, does NOT… Read more: Demon Slayer: Infinity Castle might be the worst-paced action movie of the year

Loud music, fire, and powerful performances are typical of boy group shows. Each time, you’re met with pounding music and stomping choreography that feel masculine and strong escalating the vibes in the venue. But have you ever wondered if this is a standard set by the boy groups’ companies? What if you go to a concert and the member completely… Read more: Lego of LYKN Embraced Limitless Expression on Dusk & Dawn Concert, Rejecting Typical Boy Group Standards

At this point, I’m convinced the Vinsmoke family has infiltrated Toei Animation, you know, Sanji’s lovely relatives who also happen to hate his guts. ToeLate9767 (Source: Reddit) One Piece has been running for 28 years. Toei’s been animating it since 1999. With that kind of mileage, you’d expect them to know how to treat a legacy character. But apparently, muscle… Read more: Deleted, Demeaned, Derailed: What Toei Did to Sanji

By Liu Haonan   #movies# Spider-Man# Movie fan # Superhero # Marvel #youtube# Photo from :www.cosmopolitan.com If you grew up with Tobey Maguire’s Spider-Man, you already saw the peak. Everything after that is either trying to be sleeker, younger, or more “MCU (Marvel Cinematic Universe) connected,” but it’s building on a foundation Sam Raimi poured in 2002. That first film blew past USD$800m worldwide and literally reset expectations for… Read more: Director Raimi Already Won: Why Tobey’s Spider-Man Still Outswings the Marvel Universe

The role I seem to always play in games is the victim, with how much I have spent on in-game cosmetics. Even having wasted four years on that game, as the game’s loyal fan, their skins (a type of cosmetic) are way too overpriced. This especially applies to their rarer skins, the exclusive and ultra editions skins. Valorant’s general audience… Read more: Valorant Skins are Way Too Overpriced

I just finished my third playthrough of Silent Hill f, and I need to vent. I’m exhausted. Not in a good way, but in that “Oh my god, not this hallway again” kind of way. Actually, the story was really good. It reveals through its narrative the deep sense of self-destruction and powerlessness in resistance experienced by women in traditional… Read more: Silent Hill f: When Horror Gets Lost in the Loop

“God Tier 6 Star Books”, “Popular BookTok books I didn’t like”, and “Books with smut that will make you sweat” are, at the time of writing, three of the top trending book-related TikToks. Beautiful book covers, colour-coordinated annotations, emotional or hyperbolic language such as “[books] that have altered my brain chemistry”, aesthetic shelfies, and trending audio tracks are all vital… Read more: Plot Twist: BookTok is rewriting reading culture

Fitness applications provide promises of improved health and motivation but in reality foster an unhealthy platform for social comparison, promoting addictive behaviours and distorted self-worth overshadowing the intent of genuine well-being. Fitness applications have become tools used to track exercise, monitor nutritional intake, and provide personalised training programs. Their popularity aligns with a growing fascination with health optimisation and self-improvement.  Regular exercise is widely known to promote a healthy lifestyle and improve mental health. Through exercise we can see… Read more: Runners high or complex social comparison, the negative effects of fitness applications. 

In summer, Australia’s holiday hotspots spanning from Noosa, Byron Bay and right down to Victoria’s Phillip Island are full of life with tourists and their beach bags. But when the suitcases roll out, neighbourhoods go dark and homes are sitting empty. Airbnb has turned paradise into a seasonal postcode, and the after-effects on local residents are long-lasting. Australia is renowned… Read more: Airbnb Ate My Town: The Hidden Cost of Holiday Rentals on Australian Coastal Cities

I have been watching Love Island for a few years now, starting with Love Island UK’s seventh season in 2021, and have since watched every UK season and USA season to date. Not only does this prove I have no social life, but I think I’m qualified enough to know what’s gone wrong this time around. Love Island USA’s seventh… Read more: The stan culture and downfall of Love Island USA’s seventh season

Introduction In Kyoto’s historic Gion district, once echoed softly along narrow paths. Today, that gentle sound is drowned out by the clicking of cameras and the loud conversations of tourists looking for the ideal photo. Japan, long admired for its careful balance between history and innovation, is now experiencing an unprecedented tourism growth. Since reopening its borders following COVID-19, the country has… Read more: Losing the Quiet: How Tourism Is Taking Over Japan

From Disney remakes to Popmart blind boxes, we can’t seem to let go of the past, but is nostalgia fuelling connection or creative stagnation?

Earlier this year, my family and I went to see Superman (2025). I enjoyed the film, but it did leaves me wondering why there are so many Supermen.

It’s 2015, and I’m sitting on the top of my bunk bed with Hellblazer: Original Sins clutched in my hands. I had stolen it a few hours before from my older brother’s room, so excited to read my first ‘adult’ comic book. My parents had forbidden me to read it, saying I was only ten and would be better off… Read more: Heroes Reimagined: How Marvel and DC Changed their Definition of Modern Heroism

It’s safe to say I’ve been bitten by the Hollow Knight: Silksong bug. Not because I’m a die-hard fan of Hollow Knight, but because I got swept up in the hype surrounding the beloved 2017 indie game’s long-awaited sequel. I mean, who didn’t? With Hollow Knight selling 15 million copies and earning a cult following, it’s no surprise fans were… Read more: Hollow Knight: Silksong is a beautiful nightmare worth having

When was the last time you had trouble coming up with an idea without using ChatGPT, searching Google, or skimming the internet for ideas? The idea of doing something without assistance seems almost exhausting to many people. These days, artificial intelligence (AI) technologies are a seamless part of our lives. A culture of mental dependency has been brought about by… Read more: The Billionaire Brainwave: How the Wealthy Are Selling Us Artificial Thought

Graphic design has always been about human vision, creativity and originality. However, the rapid development of Artificial Intelligence (AI) is significantly impacting many creative industries including music, writing, visual arts, photography and graphic design. Since the public release of generative AI models such as Stable Diffusion, Dall-E, Midjourney, Leonardo AI and Adobe Firefly, graphic designers are being warned that “AI… Read more: Should Future Graphic Designers Fear AI? Graphic Design Students Answer

If AI can generate text that is indistinguishable from human writing, what does that reveal about the nature and purpose of writing, itself?

Photo: Pexels I have watched numerous films, dramas, documentaries and shows at my comfort, but the one film I really admire, and hands down is my personal favourite is, The Godfather. I have watched all the three parts of this film and I must say, I highly appreciate the cinematography, filmmaking concept, storytelling and acting by the Hollywood legends, Al… Read more: The streaming takeover: Why Hollywood’s biggest stars and blockbusters are trading the big screen for your couch – and is the theatre experience doomed? 

Have you ever surfed TikTok or Instagram “just for five minutes,” only to realise hours have passed? You think you’re the one choosing what to watch — but what if, in reality, something else is choosing for you?  In today’s digital media world, the gatekeepers are no longer just journalists or editors. Algorithms have quietly taken over that role. The… Read more: The Power of Web-Based Media: How Algorithms Shape Public Perception and Control Participation

With their 2009 track Gee dubbed “Best Korean Pop Songs Of All Time”. Girls’ Generation (SNSD – abbreviation of their Korean name) did not just set the tone for K-pop’s identity. They built a framework that would define the genre’s evolution for years to come. Brief History of K-pop Korean Pop, more widely known as K-pop is an umbrella term… Read more: Girls’ Generation and their irrefutable impact on Kpop

One week, “ballet-core” is all the rage on your “For You Page” (FYP). You’ve added ballet flats, wrap tops and leg warmers to your cart when all of a sudden everyone has moved on to tomato girl summer (and now you have to figure out what that even means). TikTok has become a cultural force, with 1.12 billion monthly users… Read more: TikTok Made Me Buy It, But at What Cost?

In an era where a single tweet can spark a revolution, social media has become the loudspeaker of a generation. From the streets of America to the steps of the Australian Parliament, digital hashtags have mobilised millions and reshaped public debate. Hashtags are words or phrases preceded by a hash symbol used on social media to categorise content, join conversations,… Read more: How Does Social Media Activism Drive or Fail to Drive Real-world Change?

When I was five years old, my family went to a big trip to Bali for Christmas and that’s when I first got my Nintendo Wii. It felt like a magical escape to different worlds that helped spark my imagination and bring together my friends and family like nothing else. A lot of my fondest childhood memories involve me and… Read more: Hollow Knight: Silksong Vs. the modern gaming industry

First of all, most people are likely familiar with LinkedIn, and for some who do not know, LinkedIn is a platform for user to express their achievements towards their career, displaying a digital resume, and an actual hiring platform. Although LinkedIn has not disabled its initial functionality, people are still there to recruit and be recruited by a company. The… Read more: Is LinkedIn transforming into a humblebragging agency?

You may have seen all those new apps popping up every few months with promises of helping women “take control” of their bodies. Examples such as Flo, Clue, and Natural Cycles all claim to offer freedom through data tracking. The usual marketing tactic is pastel icons, wellness slogans, and an aesthetic tracking dashboard with the same call for action: download,… Read more: The Illusion of Empowerment: How Femtech Fails the Women It Claims to Help.

Discover how racism, Woke ideologies and Cancel Culture are all playing a role in the way that diversity is shown on the big screen, and how the web has played a role in redefined the industry.

Teen drama Adolescence took the world by storm after its release on Netflix in early 2025, becoming one of the most talked about shows of the year – not only for its daring narrative choices but also for its unsettling exploration of Jamie’s online radicalisation into the manosphere. The series begins with the shocking arrest of 13-year-old Jamie Miller for… Read more: “Adolescence”: From Stream to Meme

Thanks to the internet’s promise of widespread information sharing, people now have greater access to knowledge than ever before. In reality, though, the digital revolution has also brought up a more dangerous phenomenon: disinformation. Misinformation, which is defined as inaccurate or deceptive data that is spread without purpose, grows online due to social media platforms’ benefits for quickness, interaction, and… Read more: The Manipulation of Belief in the Age of Online Misinformation.

Research Question: How does social media shape parasocial relationships (PR) between celebrities and audiences? It’s evening, and fans around the world are glued to their screens, watching a live stream from their favourite celebrity. Comments filled with love and support flood in, even when knowing the stars can’t possibly see every message. However, that doesn’t stop the audience from believing… Read more: The Illusion of Intimacy: Fans, Celebrities, and the Social Media Effect

Introduction AI-generated artworks have gone viral across online platforms. However, AI tools rely on massive datasets which are built by scraping human-made art without consent. Recent disputes such as Getty Images suing Stability AI and artist-led protests show that this is not only a technical issue but a cultural and ethical conflict. While it opens creative possibilities for millions, it also blurs the… Read more: Is AI Art Essentially Plagiarism? Rethinking the Boundaries and risks of AI Artistic Creation

Baby Botox. Buccal fat removal. Blepharoplasties. The list of trendy cosmetic enhancements promoted to women via social media is endless. For every viral procedure, there is a newly invented physical deficit to go along with it. Audiences are being encouraged to correct these perceived flaws, whether they realise or not.

One Piece has grown to become a mainstream anime and manga franchise, garnering global success with audiences from around the world, effectively establishing itself as a beloved name for many. Japan has produced various unique and entertaining forms of modern pop culture media over the years. Among the most notable of these are manga and anime. Manga can be considered… Read more: The Straw Hat Legacy: How One Piece Advocates for Japanese Cultural Heritage

Have you ever considered a question: Is technology truly equitable? As a female university student who frequently uses social media, I once believed I could freely express my opinions and enjoy fair treatment on social media platforms. However, when I tried searching for my future career possibilities, the results consistently presented content tied to gender stereotypes—like “lists of jobs better… Read more: Unmasking the Algorithm: How Does Social Media Exacerbate Gender Inequality?

If you look around a café on any morning, you’ll see faces lit up by screens, whether they are studying, working, or messaging; it is a scene that demonstrates just how entangled digital devices have become in everyday lives. At present, youth and young adults are immersed in a society where constant digital connectivity through the form of devices, remote… Read more: How does constant connectivity affect youth and young adults ability to disconnect?

For decades the music album represented the ultimate statement of artistic vision – a cohesive, narrative experience that defined artists’ identities and cultural eras alike. From Michael Jackson’s Thriller to Beyonce’s Lemonade, albums offered listeners not just songs, but stories, aesthetics and raw emotions woven into a complete unit. Yet, in the past decade, the rise of streaming platforms like… Read more: The Death of the Album: How Streaming Killed the Music Album as an Art Form

Self-worth was once defined by character and kindness, but the modern world of filler, filters, and follow-requests has created a whole new landscape for validation and self-identity. Reality Television has been a catalyst in this shift, teaching audiences to equate beauty, success, and popularity with personal worth (Egbert & Belcher, 2012). The Kardashians franchise – beginning with ‘Keeping Up with… Read more: The Kardashian Effect: The Importance of Media Literacy in Reality Television Viewing

Competitive gaming also known as esports has rapidly evolved from a niche pastime into a global phenomenon drawing millions of players and viewers worldwide. This rise has started an ongoing debate about its impact on mental health. On one side, supporters are saying that competitive gaming provides multiple cognitive benefits through engaging in complex digital environments that players can strengthen… Read more: How do competitive games affect mental wellbeing

In 2024, for the first time in history, the number of female protagonists matched the number of male protagonists in the year’s highest-grossing films. With society instigating conversations around women’s rights and equality, production companies seem to have jumped on board. Women are moving away from side characters and supporting roles and stepping in to play strong, leading parts. After… Read more: Hollywood Yet to Fill the Gap: How an Increase in Female Leads is Affecting Gender Equality

At what age did you first download social media? Was it during your first year of high school, directly from primary school, or even earlier? A study by the University of Sydney found that for the majority of young Australians, the answer is people aged between 12/13 (typically when they enter high school), the time when everyone suddenly has a… Read more: The New Social Media Age Restriction: Protecting or Isolating Australia’s Youth?

An Introduction If you spend any time scrolling through Instagram, TikTok, or YouTube you’ve probably noticed influencer marketing is everywhere through your feed. Influencers are now often seen as the modern-day brand ambassadors, connecting fashion, beauty, lifestyle, and wellness products with young audiences in ways traditional advertising never could. Unlike traditional celebrity endorsements, which can feel polished, distant, or overly… Read more: How Influencer Marketing is Shaping Young Consumers Understanding of Authenticity

IntroductionIt began with six words in a blank box. A minute later, I was looking at a moody, gallery-ready portrait—a face I never lit, a lens I didn’t own, a studio I had never booked. I could fine-tune the shadows, switch to a different ‘camera,’ and regenerate the image until one felt right, then claim the outcome as my own… Read more: When the Machine “Creates,” Who Owns the Result?

TikTok is much more than a platform to perform dance challenges and comedic skits, now it is at the centre of travel discovery and planning, particularly among younger generations. The Algorithm driven ‘For You Page’ has pushed out the slick travel brochures to a group of thirty-second videos of blue oceans, rooftop bars, and full-night markets, to millions of users.… Read more: Recorded, Not Lived: TikTok and Travel Aesthetics.

Do you ever wish that a quality canon story could just be laid to rest? Rather than being dug up over and over again, and then introducing the multiverse so that each of the undead main characters can interact and…okay, you get the point. But alas, this is the world we live in: the Remake Advent. Like it or not,… Read more: The Dawn of Wednesday

Scrolling through TikTok, users might stumble across a creator documenting their day, but instead of it being a simple coffee run or get ready with me, they are going to get a cosmetic surgery done. Some people praise these creators for being transparent and honest, which I do think is better than lying about it and hiding it. However, this… Read more: The Parasocial Pull: TikTok Influences Gen Z to Get Under the Knife

It looks like it has finally happened. Victoria’s Secret has pivoted toward inclusivity, diversity, and empowerment, seeking to de-center the male fantasy focus. The iconic Angels, once the epitome of “thin, tall, fair”, are now joined by women of varied bodies, backgrounds, gender identities and ages. After years of mounting criticism, tanking viewership and cultural backlash, the brand’s return in… Read more: The New Era of Victoria’s Secret Fashion Show : Femininity for Flashing Lights 

When I began planning my own trip to Japan, much of my research happened on TikTok. The app’s endless scroll of short clips, from hidden ramen spots in Kyoto to serene onsens tucked in the mountains, felt authentic and spontaneous. Yet, as I saved video after video, I found myself wondering: Am I seeing an authentic version of this destination,… Read more: From Brochures to For You Pages: How TikTok is Reshaping Travel

In the past twenty years, e-sports in China has grown fast. At first, it was just a small activity in internet cafes. For many Chinese parents, e-sports was seen as a waste of time. Now it has become a big industry with millions of fans and a lot of money. Video games, once dismissed as useless play, now stand alongside… Read more: How do economics, audiences, and the forces of globalization and localization shape the rise of e-sports in China?

In Hollywood, the franchise is king. With every other movie being released consisting of either a reboot, spin-off, sequel or prequel. This crowding of the market with franchised content is what helps make the success of the original movie Sinners noteworthy. Sinners, is a horror-drama directed by Ryan Coolger, best known for Black Panther (part of the multi-level franchised Marvel… Read more: Is Hollywood Ready for Something Original?

Flags are flooding our streets in Australia. There have been, and continue to be, many world conflicts. However, over the past two years, the Israel-Gaza conflict has dominated the news and social media platforms, especially TikTok, the current news site for young adults. TikTok has developed a platform for creativity and learning, while also fostering an environment where individuals can… Read more: The Control of TikTok Algorithms

Tyler Perry’s Straw (2025) is not an easy watch, nor is it meant to be.  The Netflix film delivers a punishing depiction of a woman crushed beneath the weight of everyday survival. Tyler Perry’s film delivers social realism, psychological tension and emotional angst to create a story that is both intimate and unsettling. Straw is messy, melodramatic and a whole lot maddening.  Lead actor Taraji P. Henson’s powerhouse… Read more: Straw (Netflix 2025) – When everyday life becomes the breaking point.

Indigiverse is the world’s first Aboriginal and all Indigenous Superhero Universe, created by Gooniyandi writer Scott Wilson. In the Indigiverse, superheroes draw their power from the Dreaming or spirit world. Since 2023, four comics have been released by Indigiverse. Dreamwalker is the fourth and latest release. Following the journey of Mungala, the matriarch of Indigiverse, who traverses time and space… Read more: Dreamwalker: Matriarch of the Indigiverse

Netflix series Adolescence was praised for its thought-provoking investigation of the effect that incel culture has on families. Adolescence is centered on a lonely British teenager, 13-year-old Jamie Miller, who is revealed to increasingly spend time in echo chambers for the misogynist and socially alienated. Without sensationalising this topic, it provides the how, and why behind such a path; from… Read more: “Adolescence”: A Nuanced Exploration of Incel Culture and Familial Strain

“Dating is a risk” and “love is a negotiation,” says Lucy (Dakota Johnson) in Celine Song’s new film Materialists. The film captures the ironic reality of how dating in the age of apps has evolved into a game not of what you can buy, but who you can be seen with. Song subtly asks the audience what happens when romance itself… Read more: Materialists (2025): Modern Dating: Luxury vs. Love

Kelly Somers new The Interview is part of a larger series where Somers sits down with some big names from sports and entertainment to ask some interesting questions. Last month, on the eve of the Manchester United Captain’s 100th goal for the club Somers sat down with Bruno Fernandes to chat. This interview with the Portuguese international is focused on… Read more: Kelly Somers – New Podcast – The Football Interview with Bruno Fernandes

When a movie is released by A24, I know I’m in for a wild ride. Over the years, the independent studio has become synonymous with bold, thought-provoking cinema that delves deep into the human psyche. Friendship (2024) directed by Benjamin Brewer and distributed by A24 is no exception. Exploring themes of loneliness, identity and the desperate human need to belong,… Read more: Midlife Mayhem Meets Dark Comedy in A24’s “Friendship” Movie Release

Over time, the film industry has undergone notable changes, not just in technological improvements, but also in significant shifts in storytelling, pacing, and editing. Going to the cinema used to be a luxury when films were released specifically only as a theatrical release, and in some cases, after their initial theatrical release, a DVD release would follow. Whereas, in recent… Read more: Our Declining Attention Span is Negatively Affecting the Film Industry

As a woman, have you ever compared yourself to somebody online? Their body, their face? Have you then found yourself asking ‘Am I too fat, too wrinkly, or too pimply? Or ‘Are my breasts too small and are my thighs too big?’. If you have, you are one of millions, but it is not your fault. Social media, as we… Read more: Is Social Media causing the Slow Murder of Women’s Self-Esteem?

When I think of social media, I think, Instagram, TikTok, sharing memes, looking at garbage posts, and brain-rotting memes, obviously. When I think about it more, I realise how bad it is, even in moderation, and how it affects me. When I was in high school, I averaged maybe 4 hours of screen time. Now out of school, in Uni,… Read more: 2 steps forward and 2 steps back, social media sucks.

Introduction: It is a mistake to ask, “Are video games good or bad for kids?” Games are a medium rather than a homogenous form, and their effects vary depending on a variety of complex and independent factors, including genre, mechanics, timing, location, and players. For instance, an intense online game played alone in a bedroom at midnight is not the… Read more: Playing It Smart: Content, Context & Community in Kids’ Gaming

What was originally meant to be a cheerful, celebratory performance quickly turned into a storm online. After attending the kick-off and halftime performance at the 2025 Coupang Play Series first match at Suwon World Cup Stadium, a prominent member of the K-pop group IVE, Jany Won-young, found herself in the centre of the storm of online criticism for the choice… Read more: Beyond the Outfit: Gender Inequality and Systemic Pressure in K-pop Exposed by Jang Won-young’s Controversy

In society today, social media has become the leading influence on current trends, societal norms and even the perception of self-worth. Social media platforms expose individuals to different portrayals of beauty standards. This is mostly through celebrity posts, beauty influencers, etc. Younger generations are being raised in a society where they are constantly exposed to these beauty standards and the… Read more: Reality of Beauty: How Social Media Beauty Standards have influenced the self-image of the younger generation

It is scientifically proven that resistance training is a necessity for better health, both physically and mentally, no matter the activity.

Intro Even if you’ve never watched a single episode of The Summer I Turned Pretty, you have probably seen it circulate online. Since the Season 3 premiere on Amazon Prime Video, fan edits, reaction videos, and debates have flooded social media platforms such as TikTok and Twitter/X. Fans split into two rival teams: #TeamConrad and #TeamJeremiah, which catapulted conversations that… Read more: From Page to Parasocial: How the Summer I Turned Pretty Built a Fandom Out of Teen Romance

I’ve never known a world without YouTube. The first YouTube video was uploaded in April 2005, titled “Me at the Zoo”, showing the captivating 19-second video of YouTube’s cofounder outside an elephant enclosure.  Seven months later, I was born. Seven years later, I announced to the whole class that I wanted to be a YouTuber when I grew up. As… Read more: Trust me, I’m a YouTuber!

Introduction Adidas has solidified its brand by maintaining cultural relevance, from its connection with hip-hop in the 1980s to its endorsement of global sports figures. Currently, TikTok serves as an innovative domain, with the platform’s algorithmic For You Page functioning as a potent channel for brand exposure. In contrast with traditional advertising, TikTok’s algorithm enhances material that seems genuine and in… Read more: Adidas’s branding strategy in TikTok’s algorithmic culture: “Short-Term Virality, Long-Term Legacy”

Introduction The waves of positive change brought by AI over the last few years have been nothing short of remarkable. From education to healthcare to sustainability efforts, it has transformed learning experiences, enabled medical breakthroughs, even protected biodiversity. And we’re merely witnessing the tip of the iceberg. BBC, on 17 September 2025, shed light on the Delphi-2M, the health industry’s… Read more: Velvet Sundown and the sunset of professional musicians.

It is no secret that Gen-Z has adopted a heightened interest in health compared to previous generations, but their ability to distinguish genuine advice from personal selling is lacking. With the emergence of run clubs, fitness challenges and health-tracking wearables, it seems young people cannot get enough of the ever-growing fitness pandemic. The shift from seeing exercise as a way… Read more: Gen-Z: Overactive or Overdoing It?

Millions of Filipinos peacefully ousted a dictatorship in 1986 by protesting in Epifanio de los Santos Avenue (EDSA). They reminded the world that common people could make history by banding together and carrying banners, rosaries, and unwavering resolve.  Almost forty years later, activism is still going strong, but the battlefield has changed significantly. The action takes place on glowing smartphone screens… Read more: TikTok as Gen Z’s Digital EDSA

Why do so many of us crave to view content that surrounds other people’s personal relationships? The sun-soaked villa of Love Island offers one answer, turning “normal” contestants into performers who provide the audience with intimacy, drama and desire.

IMAGE1 You may have indulged in watching a few good, juicy reality Tv shows, think; ‘Love Island’ ‘The Bachelor’ or ‘Married at First Sight’. We may think of these shows as just some silly entertainment to pass the time, but have you ever stopped to think about how truly damaging these shows may be to the everyday person? How what… Read more: How does reality television shape audience perceptions of romantic relationships?

Social media influencers have transformed advertising by creating authentic and relatable content that shapes consumers’ trust and encourages consumer purchases. Advertising used to be all about the advertisements you’d watch on television or the ads you watch that featured your favourite artist or celebrity. Traditional advertising is still present, but it’s no longer the primary way we are influenced anymore,… Read more: Social Media Influencers: The new strategy for brands

With 360,000 followers watching, lifestyle influencer Marlena Velez transformed a $500 theft into a meticulously curated haul video, presenting the stolen goods as a must-have that her audiences must “run, not walk” to get. This extreme example highlights the performative and continuous consumption inherent in influencer culture. Every scroll on social media exposes users to the latest “it” products, life-changing home gadgets, and aesthetic… Read more: Scroll, Swipe, Spend: How influencer culture drives overconsumption

Stardew Valley is a cozy farming game. Created by Eric Barone, also known as ConcernedApe, the game was released on Steam on February 27, 2016, and has sold over 41 million copies across various platforms in the eight years since its release. On the surface, the game may appear to be a wholesome, nostalgic pixel world of comforting music, friendly… Read more: Farming the Fantasy: How Stardew Valley Reimagines Capitalism

Photo by Stephen Mease on Unsplash.  Taylor Swift’s twelfth album, The Life of a Showgirl was announced on August 14th, 2025 on Jason and Travis Kelce’s podcast, New Heights. Many fans (me included) were extremely excited for this release. This is Swift’s first album post the era’s tour and her previous album, The Tortured Poets Department. Swift has been in… Read more: Why The Life of a Showgirl is not Taylor Swift’s Worst Album 

Dying Light: The Beast is the latest instalment in a series of zombie-survival video games. Rather than comparing it to its predecessors, this review aims to look at the game as a standalone title. Dying Light: The Beast is a charged dose of survival, horror and fast-paced action, blending traditional survival elements, such as crafting, item and resource management, with… Read more: Dying Light: The Beast – A Critical Review

For anyone hoping for a Red akin, ‘pensioners kicking ass’ type film prepare to be disappointed. For anyone looking for an entertaining murder mystery, a classic ‘whodunit?‘, prepare to be bored. But for anyone looking for a film to listen to as they nod off after Sunday lunch I have just the ticket. Based on the novel of the same… Read more: The Thursday Murder Club – Dull, dry and disenchanting.

What happens when the machines start dreaming? Sydney’s Museum of Contemporary Art is looking to find out. Opening this November, Data Dreams: Art & AI invites audiences into a world where code, data and imagination intertwine, blurring the line between artist and algorithm.  Opening right as the debates over the ethics of artificial intelligence intensify, Data Dreams arrives at a moment when concepts of… Read more: Data Dreams: When Artificial Intelligence Becomes Art

With risqué lyrics, revealing outfits, and signature bombshell blonde curls, American pop singer Sabrina Carpenter has quickly cemented her status as one of the most prominent – and controversial – celebrities in the contemporary music scene. In June this year, the former Disney star faced controversy over her 2025 Man’s Best Friend album cover, which features a faceless man gripping her… Read more: Pop, Power and Provocation: How Sabrina Carpenter’s Image is Redefining Modern Feminism

It is out of control. Recorded screen times of children yielded an average of over 2 hours and 45 minutes. Studies portray it as only going up from here. Parents beware, a clear correlation between growing screen time and the rise of short-form content is apparent. Youth’s newfound love of short-form content is no secret. Is it love, or addiction?… Read more: Parents Beware – Short Form Content is Short Form Attention Spans

How do social media platforms such as Instagram and TikTok shape travellers’ perceptions of authenticity and influence contemporary travel behaviour In today’s hyper-connected world, platforms like Instagram and TikTok have completely transformed how young travellers see, experience, and share the world. This shift reveals how social media now drives modern travel culture shaping where people go, how they represent those… Read more: The Digital Tourist: Social Media, Authenticity, and Contemporary Travel Behaviour

Introduction Games. Everyone loves video games. They come in a variety of styles, tones and genres, with differing senses of appeal for every type of player. Whether it be a beat ‘em up or hack and slash that focuses on thrilling, engaging combat, or games like The Last of Us which focuses on atmospheric environment and compelling story telling, there… Read more: Immersion – The Heart of Video Games

When I scroll through Instagram and watch others post their perfectly curated posts, I often feel an urge to prove that my life is just as exciting and that I am doing fine, too. You might turn to Instagram for a break, only to be met with an endless scroll of flawless selfies, curated travel posts, and captions that appear… Read more: The Performative Life of Young Instagrammers: A Stage of Endless Posts

Taiwan’s tourism has blossomed in recent years, gaining popularity and global recognition for its rich culture, traditions, and remarkable landscapes. This growth brings both opportunities and risks. While tourism helps sustain local economies and keep traditions alive it also risks the process of commodifying culture when it is adapted for mass consumption. Tourism in Taiwan plays a crucial role in… Read more: Beyond the Lanterns – Finding Balance between Beauty and Authenticity in Taiwan

From BTS’s speech at the United Nations to BLACKPINK’s appearance on the Coachella stage, the influence of K-pop has far exceeded the Korean mainland. K-pop has grown into a cultural power that crosses language and geography. The question is: why can a local pop music quickly sweep the world and profoundly influence the culture and consumption of young people? This… Read more: K-pop as Global Youth Culture: Music, Media, and Consumption

Over the last 10 years, social media has changed the way in which society accesses information and forms their own opinions. TikTok, released in 2016, was created by a Chinese Tech Giant “Byte Dance” (Big 3 Media 2025) and is a major force among social media, currently having 1.12 billion active users worldwide (Big 3 Media 2025). TikTok’s success lies… Read more: How do TikTok’s algorithms shape the spread of misinformation about the 2024 U.S Election and influence public opinion?    

For decades, local tourism boards and government-run visitor centres controlled the story of travel. They decided which beaches, cafés, and wineries made it onto glossy brochures, official websites, and television campaigns. These carefully curated narratives shaped how people imagined a destination long before they arrived. If you wanted to explore a region, these campaigns were your window into what the… Read more: TikTok Made Me Book It: How Algorithms Are Shaping Where We Travel

Married at First Sight, a rollercoaster of a series. It is full of romance, betrayal, guidance, and a huge amount of drama! The reality series is an experiment where a group of strangers are matched into ten couples by relationship experts, based on compatibility, and meet for the first time at their wedding ceremony to marry each other.  The show… Read more: How far can producers of reality TV go until they take things too far? An insight into the behind the scenes of MAFS 2025.

Table of Content At the time of writing, another tragedy has shaken Malaysia. A 16-year-old student was fatally stabbed multiple times by a schoolmate in a secondary school in Bandar Utama, Kuala Lumpur, on October 16. The incident reportedly took place in the girl’s restroom in the school (Lim, 2025). A stark reminder that school violence remains a pressing and… Read more: Malaysian media has proven the existence of a bullying culture from ‘toxic seniority’, but what is next?

The glitz and glamour of a day at the races seems enticing at first glance but lurking beyond the façade of fascinators and champagne hide the dark secrets of the Australian racing industry. As an avid horse rider myself I wanted to use this article as an opportunity to highlight the reality that the horse abuse and welfare issues that… Read more: Where Glamour Meets Inhumanity: The Dark Side of the Australian Horse Racing Industry

Isabel “Belly” Conklin captured the hearts of people everywhere in the summer of 2022 as viewers began following her story on screen. The Summer I Turned Pretty, novel series written by Jenny Han, was adapted as a TV series by Prime Video, following the story of Belly Conklin (Lola Tung) as she spends each summer with her family and her mothers best friend’s family. The Beck-Fisher family consists… Read more: The Summer I Turned Into a Huge Fan

At a time when the world feels a little dark at times – Jay Shetty the host of the popular health and wellness podcast On Purpose sat down recently for a rare and deeply personal conversation with pop icon Madonna that enabled the singer to share her spiritual journey that quite literally saved her life. Madonna provides both method and… Read more: Connecting with Jay and Madonna

The advertisement poster for Monster: The Ed Gein Story The recent release of Ryan Murphy and Ian Brennan’s third instalment of the Monsters anthology: the Ed Gein Story has been widely critiqued, yet we can’t stop watching. It is yet another example of the growing trend of romanticising and leveraging the pain and complicated emotions surrounding true crime for profit.… Read more: We are too obsessed with True Crime – and Ryan Murphy is feeding off it.

Behind every viral hashtag declaring someone as ‘cancelled’, there is a human being who is reading nasty and hateful comments about them, which are often written by keyboard warriors who thrive off of sharing their strong opinions on the internet. Cancel culture has become a powerful force on the internet, and it can be highly damaging to anyone affected by… Read more: Cancel Culture: The Silent Struggles Of The Cancelled

INikachu. (2022, October 27). Gamefreak changes gender in Pokemon forever! [Video]. YouTube. https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=fTV0qHMSlEA It is often said that playing games allows people to “switch identities” and experience the world in a different way. This results in differences between biological sex and identified gender. Over the past few decades, video games have undergone tremendous changes. From the earliest simple arcade games… Read more: From Sword to Skirt: The Rise of Gender Freedom in Online Games-The Gender-Bending and Identity Play in Final Fantasy XIV and VRChat

Dance has always come second best against the sporting world of Australia, but has a cultural shift already begun? Once seen as a niche art form, it’s now capturing mainstream attention, reshaping how Australians express identity, community, and culture.

I was visiting my local Dymocks when I first discovered that BookTok had broken free from my phone screen and had transcended into the real world. There, in the middle of the store, with a sign painted in bright, vibrate colours, was a stall that declared: “#BookTok Favs – Read what’s trending!” I remember looking at the books from authors… Read more: From Pages to Performance: The Rise (And Risks) of BookTok