Tag Archives: Korea

Did RM Reject Offer To Disband BTS + Go Solo?!

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Did RM reject an offer by HYBE to disband BTS and go solo, because the group was losing money?!

Take a look at the viral claim, and find out what the facts really are!

 

Claim : RM Rejected Offer To Disband BTS + Go Solo!

People are sharing a Music Mundial article which claims that RM (Kim Nam-joon) once rejected an offer by HYBE to disband BTS and go solo, because the group was losing money!

Here is the viral Music Mundial article. Please feel free to skip to the next section for the facts!

The decision that BTS’ RM made about a possible disbandment of the group

RM, the leading member of South Korean Kpop group BTS, had a tense moment when one of HYBE‘s executives made him a proposal that would suppose to the separation from the group. However, the idol acted with companionship and above all, with deep intelligence.

The impact that BTS has left on the South Korean Kpop industry is truly incalculable. However, their beginnings in 2013 were not easy at all, as HYBE, the company in charge of the septet that was previously called Big Hit, was not big enough to afford all the expenses.

Expenses such as production, wardrobe, makeup, among others, meant a great expense for the company. And for that reason, HYBE’s CEO Bang Sihyuk offered RM to make a solo career for the group to disband.

What decision did RM make regarding that proposal?

Without a second thought, the talented rapper did not accept that great proposal as he decided to continue alongside his bandmates. To everyone’s amazement, they managed to overcome that crisis, and today HYBE is one of the most millionaire companies in KPop, specifically thanks to BTS.

There is no doubt that RM’s decision to protect the future of BTS is an anecdote that he will remember all his life, because thanks to that, he is who he is today.

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Recommended : Did Park Jimin Admit Some BTS Members Are Married?!

 

Truth : RM Rejected Prank Offer To Disband BTS + Go Solo!

This is yet another example of celebrity FAKE NEWS created to generate page views, and here are the reasons why…

Fact #1 : This Is A Very Old Story

Music Mundial suggested that HYBE (formerly Big Hit Entertainment) offered RM the opportunity to disband BTS and go solo in 2013. The truth is – this actually happened in 2014.

Whether it’s 2013 or 2014, it’s a very old story from 9-10 years ago! Why did Music Mundial bring this up today? After all, there was no recent news on BTS disbanding, or RM considering a solo career.

Was it a very slow day at Music Mundial, and they all had BS writer’s block? Or maybe they used generative AI to invent something viral about BTS, and this came up?

Fact #2 : HYBE Only Existed In March 2021

It is funny that Music Mundial should claim that HYBE Corporation offered RM to disband BTS, so he can go solo in 2013, when HYBE only existed some 7-8 years later!

Back in 2013, HYBE did not even exist. It was known from its founding on February 1, 2005 as Big Hit Entertainment Co., Ltd. Only in March 2021, did Big Hit Entertainment rebrand itself as the HYBE Corporation.

If RM was offered to disband BTS, it would have been made by Big Hit Entertainment, not HYBE. If Music Mundial cannot even get this basic fact right…

Fact #3 : It Was Just A Prank By Bang PD

This HYBE offer to disband BTS and have RM go solo was actually a prank that Bang Si-hyuk (also known as Bang PD) – the founder of HYBE / Big Hit Entertainment, played on RM.

During a special on Mnet’s 4 Things Show in 2014, Bang PD called RM into his office to criticise his leadership of BTS. Suga and J-Hope were in the room to help Bang PD with his prank, while the other BTS members were in another room, watching through hidden cameras.

As Bang PD criticising his leadership, RM is seen gritting his teeth in frustration. In the end, Bang PD asked him, “If you’re going to be like this, why don’t you just go solo?”

RM just kept quiet, so after some time, Bang PD asked again, “Will you be okay with going solo?” RM then replied, “Yes“.

Bang PD prodded him further, “You’re not wanting to go solo, are you?” to which RM said, “No“.

This is where the climax came – Bang PD asked, “Let me ask you again, solo or Bangtan Boys?” and RM instantly responded, “Bangtan Boys“.

That was when Bang PD asked RM to “look at me, kid“, before smiling and telling him that he was on a hidden camera show!

Recommended : Is Selena Gomez Having An Affair With Zayn Malik?!

Fact #4 : Bang PD Had Confidence In BTS

The suggestion that Bang PD and HYBE (Big Hit Entertainment at that time) was so disappointed in BTS in 2013 that it offered to disband the band is nonsensical.

HYBE not only invested a lot of time and money in training all seven BTS members, Bang PD himself had confidence in them. He revealed that in his May 2016 letter to BTS:

To Jin, Suga, Rap Monster, J-Hope, Jimin, V and Jungkook…

When I first met you, all of you were so young. I met you all at different times, but all of you seemed to be scared about something. Like you didn’t know how to look at me, you couldn’t look at me in the eye well at all. I feel that I really pushed you boys a lot. I had a lot of greed and put you under my standard. I gave you a hard time asking why you couldn’t believe yourself and why you weren’t trying to look far into the future. I’m sure all of you remember losing sleep over this because the place I pointed was far and dark. Even so, you always somehow found that path. You always shot up higher and further up than the place that I pointed to.

As I was walking with you, I finally realized it. Your anxiety was another face of desperation. That’s what pushed you to practice until late at night, to go against everything, going over the limits on your own. But now I step back, I can see you getting better and better. Because there’s no reason for me to raise my finger and point towards a place. With your own strengths you are finding your own paths. And you are passing the places that I didn’t dare looking towards.

But still thank you. I won’t say that I’m proud of you just yet, because I am a very greedy person. Let’s hold onto that until the day you become the best group in the world…

On June 12, a year, no, 3 years later. On that day, I’ll look each of you in the eye and tell you personally from my lips…that I’m thankful that you stayed by me and for bringing me here and allowing me to dream.

I write this on May, 2016, a month before your 3rd Anniversary.

Bang Si Hyuk

Fact #5 : This Is Just Music Mundial Fake News

As usual, Music Mundial offered ZERO evidence to back up its claim that Big Hit Entertainment / HYBE once seriously offered to disband BTS so RM can have a solo career.

This appears to be nothing more than yet another example of celebrity fake news posted by Music Mundial. Here are examples of Music Mundial fake news that I looked into:

Everything Music Mundial posts should be considered as FAKE NEWS, until proven otherwise.

Please help us fight fake news – SHARE this article, and SUPPORT our work!

 

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Name : Adrian Wong
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Dr. Adrian Wong has been writing about tech and science since 1997, even publishing a book with Prentice Hall called Breaking Through The BIOS Barrier (ISBN 978-0131455368) while in medical school.

He continues to devote countless hours every day writing about tech, medicine and science, in his pursuit of facts in a post-truth world.

 

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Did Park Jimin Admit Some BTS Members Are Married?!

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Did Park Jimin just admit that several BTS members are already married?!

Take a look at the viral claim, and find out what the facts really are!

 

Claim : Park Jimin Admits Several BTS Members Are Already Married!

People are sharing a Music Mundial article which claims that Park Jimin just admitted that several of his BTS bandmates are already married!

Here is an except from that article. Please feel free to skip to the next section for the facts!

Park Jimin admits that several BTS members are already married

Through his latest live broadcast, Jimin, member of South Korean Kpop group BTS, gave a big confession to all his fans after revealing some secrets of his fellow members that many ARMYs wouldn’t have even imagined.

Yesterday, Jimin made a live transmission through Weverse platform, where he connected with his fans to thank them for all the great support he has received after the release of his solo EP ‘FACE‘.

There, the BTS star dancer was joined by millions of fans, who did not hesitate to ask him all kinds of questions. However, the Idol realized the great interest of many female fans to know about the love life of his group mates.

Jimin did not hesitate to make a blunt and funny response to the wave of comments on the subject. “How many got married and didn’t even say it… There are a lot of J-Hope’s wives here?”

Was what Jimin jokingly replied when RM, Taehyung, Jungkook, Suga and J-Hope’s fans started calling him brother-in-law. Therefore, the artist claimed that several of his groupmates then are already married, thanks to his thousands of love suitors.

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Truth : Park Jimin Did Not Admit Some BTS Members Are Married!

This is yet another example of celebrity FAKE NEWS created to generate page views, and here are the reasons why…

Fact #1 : No BTS Members Are Known To Be Married

First, let me just point out that no BTS members are known to be married. Could any of them have gotten secretly married? Quite impossible.

When BTS (Bangtan Sonyeonda / 방탄소년단) was formed in 2010, its members were between 15 and 18 years old. Not only were they too young to get married, they lived together and practiced up to 15 hours a day to prepare for their debut.

Since their debut, they have been under intense media scrutiny. Any marriage would have been discovered, because it would have to be registered with the South Korean government and become a matter of public record, even if the ceremony was held privately.

Fact #2 : No Evidence Of Any BTS Members Being Married

While it is rumoured that RM (Kim Nam-joon) was married in June 2022, it was based on an anonymous claim:

I recently received word from a good friend and hoobae of mine, who is 7-years younger than me, that she is marrying RM. She graduated from a prestigious school and her family is also well off. I believe she met RM at a fan meeting between 2014~2015.

His agency, Big Hit Music, came out to refute it with a short and terse statement:

The rumours are not true.

Rumours have also claimed that other BTS members are married with kids, but none of those claims have ever been substantiated.

Recommended : Did BTS RM Beat Henry Cavill As World’s Most Handsome Man?!

Fact #3 : RM Said He Is Scared About Getting Married

On the tvN variety show in December 2022, RM even shared that he is scared about getting married!

First of all, it’s pretty scary for me… I’m not sure about it. To promise eternity to someone, officiate it, and bring your friends together… Before, the thought of, ‘Will that ever happen in my life?’ seemed natural to me. I figured that when the time came, I would get a job, work hard [in life], and get married.

[But now], there is the fact that I chose to live an unusual life… A few years ago, I suddenly began to think for the first time, ‘Maybe I won’t be able to get [married].’ And once that thought began, it got out of hand.

Fact #4 : Music Mundial Offered No Evidence

For its part, Music Mundial offered ZERO evidence to back up its claims that any BTS members are actually married.

The only thing it offered was a Wlive video in which Jimin joked about how many BTS fans referred to themselves as their “wives”. Anyone can see that he was joking.

Recommended : Did Pope Francis Suddenly Become A Fashion Icon?!

Please help us fight fake news – SHARE this article, and SUPPORT our work!

 

Please Support My Work!

Support my work through a bank transfer /  PayPal / credit card!

Name : Adrian Wong
Bank Transfer : CIMB 7064555917 (Swift Code : CIBBMYKL)
Credit Card / Paypal : https://paypal.me/techarp

Dr. Adrian Wong has been writing about tech and science since 1997, even publishing a book with Prentice Hall called Breaking Through The BIOS Barrier (ISBN 978-0131455368) while in medical school.

He continues to devote countless hours every day writing about tech, medicine and science, in his pursuit of facts in a post-truth world.

 

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Did Xi Jinping Divorce His Wife To Serve China?!

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Did Chinese President Xi Jinping divorce his wife, Zheng Xiaoling who wanted to migrate to the US, so he can serve China instead?!

Take a look at the viral claim, and find out what the facts really are!

 

Claim : Xi Jinping Divorced His Wife, Zheng Xiaoling, To Serve China!

The Chinese 50 Cent Army (wumao, 五毛) and pro-CCP netizens are promoting a photo of a beautiful woman called Zheng Xiaoling (鄭曉玲), claiming that she wanted to migrate to the United States.

Instead of following her to the United States, the future Chinese President Xi Jinping chose to divorce her so he can serve China. Here is the viral message in Chinese, as well as our rough translation (thanks Yuh Hui and Chai!):

她叫鄭曉玲。當年因為一心要

出國，執意與選擇留在國內，身為鄉鎮幹部的丈夫離了婚。

現在美國的她，唉！說多了都

是淚….她的前夫叫習近平。

Her name is Zheng Xiaoling.

Years ago, due to her preference to live in the West, she divorced her husband who chose to stay back in China to serve the country.

She is currently now in US and her ex-husband is Xi Jin Ping.

Here is the English version that is also circulating.

Her name is Cheng Siow Ling.

Years ago, due to her preference to live in the West, she divorced her husband who chose to stay back in China to serve the country. His name is Xi Jin Ping.

 

Xi Jinping Did Not Divorce His Wife, Zheng Xiaoling, To Serve China!

This is yet another example of FAKE NEWS created and propagated by the Chinese 50 Cent Army (wumao, 五毛), and pro-CCP netizens, and here are the reasons why…

Fact #1 : That Is South Korean Actress Choi Jin-sil

The photo that has gone viral in Chinese and pro-CCP groups is not a photo of a woman called Zheng Xiaoling (鄭曉玲), or as some call her, Cheng Siow Ling.

That is a photo of a famous South Korean actress called Choi Jin-sil, who sadly committed suicide on October 2, 2008.

Nicknamed “The Nation’s Actress”, Choi Jin-sil has never migrated to the United States. Instead, she became a TV actress in South Korea in 1998, and moved on to play leading roles in movies like My Love, My Bride (1990) and Jealousy (1982).

Fact #2 : Choi Jin-sil Is Much Younger Than Xi Jinping

Choi Jin-sil was born on December 24, 1968, while Xi Jinping was born on June 15, 1953 – a 15 year gap.

I mention this because Choi Jin-sil was still in primary / elementary school when Xi Jinping married his first wife in 1979!

In fact, Choi Jin-sil would have been only 11 years old when Xi Jinping married her in 1979! Can you see how ludicrous this viral claim is?

Fact #3 : Choi Jin-sil Married Cho Sung-min

Not only was it impossible for Xi Jinping to have married a preteen Choi Jin-sil, there is no evidence he ever met the Korean actress!

In the year 2000, Choi Jin-sil married Cho Sung-min – a professional baseball player with the Yomiuri Giants in Japan. She gave birth to their two children – a son, Hwan-Hee in 2001, and a daughter, Joon-Hee in 2003.

She would divorce Cho in September 2004, and she eventually won sole custody of their two children.

Fact #4 : Xi Jinping’s Ex-Wife Is Ke Lingling

Xi Jinping’s ex-wife is not Zheng Xiaoling, but Ke Lingling (柯玲玲) – the younger daughter of former diplomat Ke Hua. Born in 1951, she is also known as Ke Xiaoming (柯小明).

Their 1979 marriage ended in a divorce in 1982. Xi Jinping would later marry his second wife, Peng Liyuan – a famous singer, five years later in Xiamen, Fujian in 1987.

Fact #5 : Xi Jinping’s Ex-Wife Migrated To The UK

The claim that Xi Jinping refused to migrate to the United States with his former wife is also false.

After marrying Xi Jinping in 1979, Ke Lingling found that their life philosophies differed. She favoured Western values, and wanted to move to the United Kingdom, where her father was serving as the Chinese ambassador.

However, Xi Jinping refused to accompany his wife, as he wanted to pursue a career as a senior Chinese Communist Party (CCP) official.

They divorced in 1982, after just three years of marriage, and Ke Lingling finally migrated to the UK. She would later claim that the divorce was partly caused by her former husband’s ambition.

Fact #5 : This Is Just Chinese Propaganda

This appears to be yet another example of Chinese propaganda created by the infamous Chinese 50 Cent Army (wumao, 五毛), or pro-CCP netizens.

Here are the other wumao articles and videos that I looked at so far:

Please help us fight fake news – SHARE this article, and SUPPORT our work!

 

Please Support My Work!

Support my work through a bank transfer /  PayPal / credit card!

Name : Adrian Wong
Bank Transfer : CIMB 7064555917 (Swift Code : CIBBMYKL)
Credit Card / Paypal : https://paypal.me/techarp

Dr. Adrian Wong has been writing about tech and science since 1997, even publishing a book with Prentice Hall called Breaking Through The BIOS Barrier (ISBN 978-0131455368) while in medical school.

He continues to devote countless hours every day writing about tech, medicine and science, in his pursuit of facts in a post-truth world.

 

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Did Korean Livestreamer Die Suddenly On Air?!

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Did Korean livestreamer BJ케이 die suddenly on a live video stream?!

Take a look at the viral claims, and find out what the facts really are!

 

Claim : Korean Livestreamer BJ케이 Died Suddenly On Air!

People keep sharing a video of Korean livestreamer BJ케이 spinning and collapsing on live video, with many anti-vaccination activists calling it evidence of yet another vaccine sudden death.

Here is a selection of social media posts accompanying links or articles on the viral video :

No Jumper : Korean streamer suddenly dies while live streaming at a restaurant

The American Journal : Shocking: Korean Livestreamer DIES On-Air After Creepy #vaccine -Turn

#korean dies on liveStream does the #DeathSpin 😳☠️🤔 #NewNormal #Latest

Korean live streamer “dies suddenly” on camera. 💉👀 (November 2022)

Recommended : Died Suddenly : More Lies In Antivax Video Exposed!

 

Claim : Korean Livestreamer BJ케이 Did Not Die Suddenly!

It’s now a tradition for anti-vaccination activists to immediately blame all celebrity deaths or illnesses on the COVID-19 vaccine.

This is yet another example of FAKE NEWS created and propagated by anti-vaccination activists, and here are the reasons why, and what we know so far…

Fact #1 : Korean Livestreamer Is Called BJ케이

You may notice that all those posts conspicuously do not mention the name of the Korean influencer. That’s likely intentional, to prevent you from looking him up.

The man in the viral video is called BJ케이, also known as 박중규 / 朴重奎 / Park Jung-kyu – a 33 year-old Korean livestreamer.

The incident was captured during a livestream on afreecatv, which is short for Any FREE broadCAsting – a Korean video streaming service based on peer-to-peer technology. In addition to streaming on afreecatv, BJ케이 also has a YouTube channel.

Fact #2 : Video Does Not Show BJ케이 Dying

In the viral afreecatv video, BJ케이 is seen speaking with three other people, before he inexplicably looks backwards and does a spin before falling backwards onto the table.

His fall causes the livestream camera to fall, and point upwards at the ceiling and chandelier. The video itself does not show BJ케이 dying. You can literally hear him groaning in the background.

Recommended : Katy Perry Explains Eye Glitch + Mocks Vaccine, Robot Claims!

Fact #3 : BJ케이 Is Still Alive

Claims that the Korean livestreamer BJ케이 died on that live video is false. BJ케이 is very much still alive, just like many people featured in the Died Suddenly movie.

For one thing, BJ케이 continued posting videos on his YouTube channel – on December 1 and December 3, 2022.

Fact #4 : BJ케이 Had An Epileptic Fit

On December 4, 2022, BJ케이 posted a notice on his afreecatv blog, stating that his doctor told him his collapse was likely due to epilepsy, and he would undergo EEG and MRI tests on Monday, December 5.

He also said that he had a bad flu that day, but tested twice for COVID-19, and both PCR tests were negative.

Here is his post in Korean, machine translated into English:

I didn’t post earlier, so I wrote this post because I thought my viewers will be curious.

I went to the university hospital a few days ago and was treated. The doctor said it seems to be epilepsy.

Tomorrow, on Monday, I will get hospitalized and undergo EEG and MRI tests for a day or two. Since I must be accompanied by someone, I will go with Lauren.

Yesterday both PCR tests were negative! I had a really bad flu, so if it was positive for the coronavirus, I can’t be hospitalized and my tests would be delayed.

Fortunately, it’s just the flu!!! I’ll have to go tomorrow and ask the doctor when the results will come out, but I will definitely return within the next week.

Thank you for waiting. This time, I was nominated for the talk cam room grand prize… Thank you….

I’ll come back when I’m healthy

너무 공지 사항을 올리지 않아서 시청자분들이 궁금해 하실 것 같아서 공지를 쓰게 되었습니다.

저는 일단 며칠전 대학병원에 가서 진료를 받았고

의사 선생님이 뇌전증 인 것 같다라고 말씀 하셨고

내일 월요일날 입원을 해서 하루 이틀동안 뇌파검사 ,mri 검사를 진행합니다.

보호자 1명 동반이라서 로렌이랑 같이갑니당

어제 둘다 pcr 검사 하고 음성 떴어요!

독감이 완전 심하게 걸려서 코로나면 입원도 안되고 더 복귀 늦춰질것같았는데

다행히도 그냥 독감!!!죽겠음…

내일 가서 선생님에게 여쭤봐야 언제 결과가 나오는지 알겠지만

다음주 안에는 무조건 복귀 하도록하겠습니다.

기다려주셔서 감사하구

이번에 또 제가 토크캠방 대상후보에 올라갔던데…땡큐요….

건강해져서 돌아오도록 하겠습니당

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To be clear – his collapse on live TV had nothing to do with COVID-19 vaccines.

Recommended : Died Suddenly Caught Using Old Blood Clot Video!

Fact #4 : Unknown If BJ케이 Was Vacciunated

It is currently unknown if BJ케이 was vaccinated against COVID-19, so it would be wrong for anyone to claim that he died from COVID-19 vaccine side effects.

For all we know – he may not even be vaccinated! The COVID-19 vaccine is not mandatory in the South Korea, despite what anti-vaccination activists may claim.

Before anyone can claim that he was “injured” by the COVID-19 vaccine, they should first confirm that he was vaccinated in the first place.

Fact #5 : Claims Of Celebrities Injured By COVID-19 Vaccine Proven False

This is yet another example of anti-vaccination activists abusing celebrity deaths / injuries to create and propagate FAKE NEWS about the safety and efficacy of COVID-19 vaccines.

So far, claims of celebrity deaths / injuries due to the COVID-19 vaccine have been proven false at every instance. Here is the latest dozen of other false celebrity claims!

Will these anti-vaccination activists apologise for lying to you? Nope! They will just move on to the next celebrity tragedy…

Please help us FIGHT FAKE NEWS by sharing this fact check article out, and please SUPPORT our work!

Don’t forget to protect yourself, and your family, by vaccinating against COVID-19!

 

Please Support My Work!

Support my work through a bank transfer /  PayPal / credit card!

Name : Adrian Wong
Bank Transfer : CIMB 7064555917 (Swift Code : CIBBMYKL)
Credit Card / Paypal : https://paypal.me/techarp

Dr. Adrian Wong has been writing about tech and science since 1997, even publishing a book with Prentice Hall called Breaking Through The BIOS Barrier (ISBN 978-0131455368) while in medical school.

He continues to devote countless hours every day writing about tech, medicine and science, in his pursuit of facts in a post-truth world.

 

Recommended Reading

Go Back To > Fact Check | Celebrity | Tech ARP

 

Support Tech ARP!

Please support us by visiting our sponsors, participating in the Tech ARP Forums, or donating to our fund. Thank you!

Kim Jung Gi Died Of Heart Attack, Not SADS!

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Acclaimed South Korean visual artist Kim Jung Gi just died of a heart attack, not vaccine-induced sudden adult death syndrome!

 

Claim : Kim Jung Gi Died From COVID-19 Vaccine SADS!

Right after news broke that Kim Jung Gi died suddenly in Paris, anti-vaccination activists quickly claimed that the acclaimed visual artist and Guinness World Record holder died from vaccine-induced Sudden Adult Death Syndrome!

Here is a selection of social media posts accompanying links or articles on his death:

The covid jab killed Kim Jung Gi. Should not have had to spell it out for you. Use your brain.

Ima say it now. Not disrespectful at all. But the vaccine might have killed Kim jung gi. This vaccine making people have sudden deaths for no underlying health conditions

The prospect of Kim Jung Gi’s life being cut short by pulmonary issues as a result of being injected with the covid mRNA injection should infuriate you. But it doesn’t.

Recommended : Ashton Kutcher : Did Vaccine Cause His Vasculitis?!

 

Truth : Kim Jung Gi Died Of Heart Attack, Not SADS!

It’s becoming a tradition for anti-vaccination activists to immediately blame all celebrity deaths or illnesses on the COVID-19 vaccine.

This is yet another example of FAKE NEWS created and propagated by anti-vaccination activists, and here are the reasons why… and the current facts that we know so far.

Fact #1 : Kim Jung Gi Died Of Heart Attack

47 year-old Kim Jung Gi was at the airport in Paris on 3 October 2022, when he complained of chest pains.

The Guinness World Record holder (for longest drawing by an individual) had just concluded an exhibition of his work, and was waiting to to board a flight to New York for Comic Con.

He was transported to a nearby hospital for surgery, but passed away. His death was announced by his collaborator Hyun Jin Kim on his official social media account:

It is with great sadness and a heavy heart that we inform you of the sudden passing of Kim Jung Gi. After finishing his last schedule in Europe, Jung Gi went to the airport to fly to New York, where he experienced chest pains and was taken to a nearby hospital for surgery, but sadly passed away.

October 3, 2022

After having done so much for us, you can now put down your brushes.
Thank you Jung Gi.

October 5, 2022
Hyun Jin Kim

The Daniel Maghen Gallery, where Kim Jung Gi was exhibiting in Paris, also confirmed in an Instagram post that his cause of death was a heart attack.

It is with a great sadness that we inform you of the death of Kim Jung Gi on Monday evening in Paris. The South Korean artist died after a heart attack at the age of 47.

His sudden disappearance contrasts with the immense happiness he brought us. We are speechless.

Daniel Maghen, the entire gallery team, and particularly Olivier Souillé, who had accompanied him for ten years, are terribly affected by his loss.

All our thoughts are turned to his family, his wife and his two children, his friends, his collaborators Kim Hyun Jin, Boin Lee, Jean-Christophe Caurette… and his fans, for whom his disappearance will leave a great void.

Neither his family, his friends nor people working with Kim Jung Gi ever claimed that the renowned artist died from the COVID-19 vaccine, or the sudden adult death syndrome (also known as the sudden arrhythmic death syndrome).

Recommended : Did Netflix Star David Arnold Die From Vaccine SADS?!

Fact #2 : Kim Jung Gi Was Likely Fully Vaccinated

Some Indian / Pakistani blogs like NewsWizal and PassengerNews24 claimed that Kim Jung Gi was not vaccinated against COVID-19, “according to South Korea’s intelligence service”.

Never mind the fact that South Korean intelligence services are not keeping track of their citizens’ vaccination status, or the fact that they somehow have access to foreign intelligence reports, they appear to be confusing the South Korean artist with a female South Korean actress.

It is currently unknown if Kim Jung Gi was vaccinated against COVID-19, because it is not mandatory in South Korea, despite what anti-vaccination activists may c laim.

However, Kim Jung Gi is likely fully-vaccinated against COVID-19, as he was about to fly to New York when he died.

The United States currently require non-residents to be fully-vaccinated to travel to the US. While it is possible to travel to the United States with a vaccine exemption, it is more than likely that Kim Jung Gi was fully-vaccinated.

Fact #3 : Kim Jung Gi Was Well Before Complaining Of Chest Pains

Kim Jung Gi appeared to be in good health, during his exhibition at the Daniel Maghen Gallery, and on the way to the airpot.

That tells us that he isn’t suffering from vaccine-induced myocarditis, which would have left him breathless and fatigued, with cardiac symptoms like chest pain, irregular heart beat, etc.

His complaint of sudden and severe chest pain is a classic symptom of a heart attack. If he suffered a cardiac arrest, he would have just collapsed, which was what happened to Coolio just days earlier.

He also did not suffer from pulmonary issues as claimed by some anti-vaccination activists, which would have resulted in breathing difficulties.

Read more : Coolio : Vaccine SADS Not Likely Cause Of Death!

Fact #4 : Vaccine Side Effects Appear Within Hours / Days

Kim Jung Gi likely received his COVID-19 vaccinations months ago.

He cannot possibly have died from a vaccine side effect, because they appear within hours or days, not months later.

Mild side effects like injection site pain, fever, muscle ache, headache, lethargy develop within minutes to hours of the vaccination.

Anaphylaxis develops within minutes, while other severe adverse reactions like myocarditis and VITT develop within days.

The spike proteins produced by the COVID-19 vaccines also do not stick around for months. If these spike proteins are permanent (as antivaxxers claim), we would have lifelong immunity.

Your own immune system will identify the spike proteins as foreign, and destroy them within a matter of days, although some may last for up to a few weeks. This is part of how vaccines teach your immune system to identify the enemy and destroy it.

Fact #5 : COVID-19 Vaccines Do NOT Cause SADS

It is ludicrous to claim that COVID-19 vaccines cause sudden arrhythmic death syndrome (SADS), because SADS was first documented in 1977 – long before COVID-19 vaccines were invented!

Despite what anti-vaccination activists may tell you – SADS is not a new vaccine-related syndrome.

SADS is an inherited problem with your heart’s electrical system, which produces an abnormal heart rhythm that leads to a cardiac arrest. That’s why it can be prevented by implanting a cardioverter-defribillator.

SADS also occurs at a rate of 0.12 to 0.21 per 100,000 people every single year. In other words, approximately 9,000 to 16,000 people die from SADS every single year, before the COVID-19 vaccines were invented.

The UK Office for National Statistics data on Sudden Adult Deaths from 2016 to 2020 also showed NO INCREASE in SADS cases, demonstrating that COVID-19 vaccines did not increase the prevalence of SADS.

Note : There is no 2021 data until sometime in December 2022. The 2020 data was only released on 22 December 2021.

Vaccination in the United Kingdom started on 8 December 2020, with over a million doses administered by end of the month. Despite (false) claims that the vaccines cause SADS, that did not result in an increase in SADS cases.

Years Sudden Adult Death
Syndrome Cases
2016 116
2017 63
2018 53
2019 87
2020 115

Fact #6 : Deaths / Injuries From COVID-19 Vaccines Can Be Proven

Despite anti-vaccination activists chalking up celebrity deaths to the vaccine; death or injury from rare vaccine adverse effects like anaphylaxis, myocarditis and VITT can be proven.

Anaphylaxis (severe allergic reaction) from Pfizer or Moderna mRNA vaccines happens within minutes. That’s why people are asked to wait for 15-30 minutes after getting the vaccine. People who get an anaphylactic shock will require an epinephrine shot to quickly relieve it.

Vaccine-induced myocarditis has distinct histopathology findings that are different from typical myocarditis, so a pathologist will be able to determine if the myocarditis was caused by the vaccines or otherwise.

Vaccine-induced Thrombotic Thrombocytopenia (VITT) is very specific to the AstraZeneca and Johnson & Johnson vaccines. It is also easily differentiated by its unique combination of blood clots in large veins of the brains, abdomen and lungs, together with low platelet counts leading to bleeding tendencies.

Read more : Did MIT Study Prove Pfizer Vaccine Raised Heart Problems?!

Fact #7 : COVID-19 Vaccines Proven Safe + Effective

COVID-19 vaccines underwent massive clinical trials, and were only approved after they were proven to be safe and effective.

In addition, they were constantly monitored after they received their approvals, which picked up rare side effects after they were administered to billions of people.

Anti-vaccination activists have often claimed that those who received the vaccine would die. Yet, the opposite was true – the vaccines are not only safe, they are effective in protecting people from getting hospitalised or dying from COVID-19.

Even prominent antivaxxer Steve Kirsch is healthy and well, despite being fully-vaccinated against COVID-19!

Fact #8 : Claims Of Celebrities Injured By COVID-19 Vaccine Proven False

This is yet another example of anti-vaccination activists abusing celebrity deaths / injuries to create and propagate FAKE NEWS about the safety and efficacy of COVID-19 vaccines.

So far, claims of celebrity deaths / injuries due to the COVID-19 vaccine have been proven false at every instance.

Will these anti-vaccination activists apologise for lying to you? Nope! They will just move on to the next celebrity tragedy…

Please help us FIGHT FAKE NEWS by sharing this fact check article out, and please SUPPORT our work!

Don’t forget to protect yourself, and your family, by vaccinating against COVID-19!

 

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Support my work through a bank transfer /  PayPal / credit card!

Name : Adrian Wong
Bank Transfer : CIMB 7064555917 (Swift Code : CIBBMYKL)
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Dr. Adrian Wong has been writing about tech and science since 1997, even publishing a book with Prentice Hall called Breaking Through The BIOS Barrier (ISBN 978-0131455368) while in medical school.

He continues to devote countless hours every day writing about tech, medicine and science, in his pursuit of facts in a post-truth world.

 

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Did BTS RM Beat Henry Cavill As World’s Most Handsome Man?!

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Did RM (Kim Nam-joon) of the Korean boy band BTS beat Henry Cavill as the World’s Most Handsome Man?!

Take a look at the viral claim, and find out what the facts really are!

 

Claim : BTS RM Beat Henry Cavill As Most Handsome Man!

The Internet just went berserk with the news that Kim Nam-joon beat Henry Cavill as the World’s Most Handsome Man in the TC Candler survey.

Many websites went viral with articles claiming that the BTS band leader (also known as RM) dethroned Henry Cavill for the title. Here is just two examples :

BTS Member Kim Namjoon is now the most handsome man in the world by defeating Henry Cavill, says a survey by TC Candler.

Henry Cavill, was considered the most handsome man in the world. However, BTS leader has taken away the title from him.

The British actor Henry Cavill is undoubtedly the most popular actor presently. He is the number 1 Superman, ran with Tom Cruise in Mission Impossible, is Geralt in The Witcher, and is a contender for the next James Bond.

However, he is still one place behind in the list of the most handsome men in the world. Although he dominated the list for quite a long time, according to netizens Superman doesn’t hold a candle to BTS leader, RM!

According to a recent survey that TC Candler conducted for the most handsome man alive, Kim Namjoon also known as RM raced ahead of him to take the number one spot. Although this is the first time for the Korean pop star, Cavill has been a permanent feature on the list.

Recommended : Did Henry Cavill Help Nephew Prove Superman Is His Uncle?

 

BTS RM Did Not Beat Henry Cavill As Most Handsome Man… Yet

The truth is – this is yet another example of FAKE NEWS created to generate hype for the page views and ad money, and here are the reasons why…

Fact #1 : Henry Cavill Was Never Voted World’s Most Handsome Man

As handsome as Witcher star Henry Cavill is, he was never voted World’s Most Handsome Man in any TC Candler annual lists.

In fact, both Henry Cavill and RM (Kim Nam-joon) from BTS were never even in the Top 5 of any TC Candler annual list ever!

So the claim that RM from BTS beat Henry Cavill for the top spot is already wrong.

Fact #2 : Voting Only Takes Place In December

TC Candler only opens voting for the 100 Most Beautiful Faces and 100 Most Handsome Faces in December of every year.

In other words, voting has not even occurred for the 2022 edition of either list, so any claim that RM (Kim Nam-joon) from BTS or Henry Cavill winning the 2022 list is false.

Fact #3 : TC Candler Refuted The Claim

TC Candler issued a statement on August 23, 2022, refuting the claim that Kim Nam-joon beat Henry Cavill as the World’s Most Handsome Man in their survey.

Statement:

For those who haver been asking and spreading the meme… No, we have not released the 2022 Lists yet. We only ever release the Top 100 lists in late December.

As much as we like both RM (Kim Nam-joon) and Henry Cavill, neither of them has ever been crowned the winner or even been in the Top 5.

Nothing has been decided in 2022 and nothing will be until we hold a vote in December.

If you see the meme or the news story floating around social media, please ignore and don’t share.

Thank you — TC Candler

Fact #4 : This Is Just Another Example Of Celebrity Fake News

This is yet another example of fake news created by celebrity blogs to drive traffic and increase page views for ad money.

Here are examples of other celebrity fake news that we debunked earlier:

Please be wary when you read viral celebrity news like this. Be sure to check if they are real before sharing!

 

Please Support My Work!

Support my work through a bank transfer /  PayPal / credit card!

Name : Adrian Wong
Bank Transfer : CIMB 7064555917 (Swift Code : CIBBMYKL)
Credit Card / Paypal : https://paypal.me/techarp

Dr. Adrian Wong has been writing about tech and science since 1997, even publishing a book with Prentice Hall called Breaking Through The BIOS Barrier (ISBN 978-0131455368) while in medical school.

He continues to devote countless hours every day writing about tech, medicine and science, in his pursuit of facts in a post-truth world.

 

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Why You Should Only Buy Genuine Dr Clo Disinfectant Sticks!

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Find out why you should only use genuine Dr Clo disinfectant sticks, and how to identify the real deal!

And don’t forget to WARN your family and friends about counterfeit disinfectant sticks!

 

Why You Should Only Buy Genuine Dr Clo Disinfectant Sticks!

There are many chlorine dioxide products in the market, but Dr Clo disinfectant sticks have superseded them to become the market leader.

Unfortunately, that has led to a proliferation of counterfeit disinfectant sticks that could put your life at risk, so Dr Clo Malaysia reached out to us for help to warn you all.

Here are some reasons why you should only buy genuine Dr Clo disinfectant sticks :

Reason #1 : Guaranteed Safe ClO2 Concentration

Dr Clo disinfectant sticks have been designed to emit chlorine dioxide at just 0.01-0.02 ppm, which is 10X below the ClO2 exposure limits set by NIOSH and OSHA in the United States.

They are able to do this by emitting chlorine dioxide through their special porous body, instead of a single hole like counterfeit products.

Dr Clo even shared with us a document on their internal measurement of chlorine dioxide, showing ClO2 readings of 0.01 ppm and 0.02 ppm.

Counterfeit disinfectant sticks cannot deliver this safe rate of chlorine dioxide emission, because they have a regular plastic body with a large hole to emit the chlorine dioxide.

Not only do they not provide even emission of ClO2, they have to emit much larger concentration from their single exit hole to achieve the same coverage.

Reason #2 : Long Lifespan

Dr Clo disinfectant sticks are filled with enough chlorine dioxide to deliver up to 50 days of non-stop coverage (without exposure to direct sunlight or high temperature).

Even in direct sunlight or in high temperature conditions, they will last at least 30-40 days.

In a perfect environment – like a fridge where it is enclosed and cool with no exposure to sunlight – they can even last up to 3 months!

Counterfeit disinfectant sticks certainly do not last as long. In fact, there’s no way to know how long they actually last!

Reason #3 : Built-In Indicator

Dr Clo disinfectant sticks have a built-in indicator that tells you when they empty.

Once activated, the indicator will gradually turn yellowish to show that it’s actively emitting ClO2. Once it becomes transparent again, this indicates that it is starting to run low.

You can replace it immediately, but the stick will still emit ClO2 for another 7-10 days, giving you time to purchase replacements.

Counterfeit disinfectant sticks lack this indicator, so it is virtually impossible to know when they run out!

Reason #4 : Korean Quality

Dr Clo disinfectant sticks are all manufactured in South Korea, and subject to stringent quality controls by the NON Corporation.

Counterfeit disinfectant sticks may look like the real deal, but do you really know what they contain?

Reason #5 : Product Liability Insurance

Dr Clo disinfectant sticks are all covered by a Samsung Fire & Marine Insurance product liability insurance (82013139323) worth KRW 500,000,000 – about US$432 thousand or RM 1.8 million!

Counterfeits and copies are, of course, not covered by such liability insurance – yet another reason to stay far away from them!

Now that you know WHY you must only buy genuine Dr Clo disinfectant sticks, find out HOW to identify the real deal!

 

How To Identify Genuine Dr Clo Disinfectant Sticks!

If you purchase Dr Clo disinfectant sticks online, make sure you check the box. Every genuine Dr Clo disinfectant stick sold online will have a unique QR code sticker.

If you don’t see this QR code sticker, then this is a counterfeit disinfectant stick.

But please note that Dr Clo disinfectant sticks sold at big chain retailers and pharmacies like Watson’s may lack these QR codes, but are all genuine.

Make sure you check the QR code using any QR code scanner. If it is a genuine Dr Clo disinfectant stick, you will be directed to a page that confirms it’s a genuine product :

Dr Clo disinfectant sticks are also ALL made in Korea by NON, and will usually have its US FDA registration and international patent number printed on the box.

If you come across a disinfectant stick that’s made by a different manufacturer, or a different country – that’s a sure sign that it’s a counterfeit or a copy.

Finally, only genuine Dr Clo disinfectant sticks will come with a built-in indicator. This is not only important to let you know when it runs out, it is a sure sign you have a genuine disinfectant stick.

Counterfeit or copies of the Dr Clo disinfectant sticks do NOT have this indicator. Make sure you steer clear of them!

Now that you know HOW to identify genuine Dr Clo disinfectant sticks, find out WHERE to buy the real deal!

 

Where To Buy Genuine Dr Clo Disinfectant Sticks!

Here in Malaysia, you can buy genuine Dr Clo disinfectant sticks from these authorised retailers :

 

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Malaysia Gets First Batch Of AstraZeneca COVID-19 Vaccine!

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Malaysia just received the first batch of the AstraZeneca COVID-19 vaccine!

Find out this means for the COVID-19 vaccination program in Malaysia!

 

Malaysia Gets First Batch Of AstraZeneca COVID-19 Vaccine!

On 25 April 2021, the Malaysia Health Minister announced that the first batch of AstraZeneca COVID-19 vaccines arrived at the Kuala Lumpur International Airport at 8:20 PM on Friday, 23 April 2021.

The 268,800 doses was purchased through the COVAX vaccine sharing scheme, and are enough to vaccinate 134,400 people.

These AstraZeneca vaccine doses were manufactured in South Korea by SK Bioscience, and approved for use in Malaysia on 2 April 2021.

This is a small fraction of the 6.4 million vaccine doses that Malaysia agreed to purchase from AstraZeneca in December 2020.

 

AstraZeneca Vaccine : A Quick Primer!

The AstraZeneca COVID-19 vaccine, codenamed AZD1222, is a viral vector vaccine.

It uses a chimpanzee adenovirus – ChAdOx1 – which has been modified to prevent replication, to introduce a DNA sequence of the SARS-CoV-2 spike protein.

Once injected, the vaccine enters the cell and “teaches” it to produce the SARS-CoV-2 spike proteins and express them on its surface.

These spike proteins triggers the immune response to create antibodies that will protect you against the real SARS-CoV-2 virus.

 

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AirAsia Unlimited Pass : Extended To June 2021!

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Due to the persisting COVID-19 pandemic, AirAsia just announced that their Unlimited Pass will be extended to June 2021. Here are the details!

 

AirAsia Unlimited Pass : What Is It?

Stung by the Airbus bribery scandal and the COVID-19 coronavirus crisis, the AirAsia Unlimited Pass promotion is their effort to stem the bleed.

Earlier this year, AirAsia offered the Unlimited Pass which would give you the right to obtain free flight tickets to seven sectors, as many times as you wish – for a year :

  • Australia
  • Japan
  • Korea
  • China
  • Taiwan (only Taipei)
  • India
  • United States (only Honolulu)

Recommended : AirAsia Unlimited Pass : Destinations + Embargo Periods!

 

AirAsia Unlimited Pass : Extended To June 2021

The AirAsia Unlimited Pass was on sale until 7 March 2020, which meant the latest anyone could fly was up to the first week of March, 2021.

But with the COVID-19 pandemic locking down most of the world for the next few months, those who purchased the Unlimited Pass have been grumbling.

At this point, we have to say – we told you so…

However, your dissatisfaction has paid off. AirAsia just extended the Unlimited Pass flight availability till 30 June 2020 – an extension of about 3 months for most people.

Do note that this is not an extension of the sale period. That ended on 7 March 2020. The extension is for flight purchases for existing AirAsia Unlimited Pass holders.

For more details, we recommend these articles :

 

AirAsia Unlimited Pass Destinations

When AirAsia announced the Unlimited Pass promotion, they only highlighted five countries – Australia, Japan, Korea, China and India. Well, that’s not all.

Here is the full, confirmed list of destinations, which we compiled in this table based on where you plan to fly from :

Origin Sector Available Destinations
Kuala Lumpur (Return) Australia Gold Coast
Melbourne
Perth
Sydney
China Beijing
Changsha
Chengdu
Chongqing
Hangzhou
Shanghai
Wuhan
Xi’an
India Ahmedabad
Amritsar
New Delhi
Japan Fukuoka
Osaka
Sapporo (Chin Chitose)
Tokyo (Haneda)
Tokyo (Narita)
Korea Busan
Jeju
Seoul
Taiwan Taipei
Bangkok (Return) Australia Brisbane
China Shanghai
Japan Osaka
Sapporo (Chin Chitose)
Tokyo (Narita)
Nagoya
Korea Seoul
Taipei (Return) Japan Osaka
Okinawa
Osaka (Return) US Honolulu

 

AirAsia Unlimited Pass Embargo Periods

AirAsia defines the Embargo Period as a travel blackout period, during which you cannot use the Unlimited Pass.

It includes, but is not limited to, these upcoming holidays in Malaysia. In other words, AirAsia can add new embargo periods, as they wish.

Unlimited Pass Embargo Dates Occasion
1 May 2020 Labour Day
7 May 2020 Wesak Day
23 May to 7 June 2020 School Holidays
24 May to 25 May 2020 Hari Raya Aidilfitri
25 July to 2 August 2020 School Holidays
31 July 2020 Hari Raya Haji
20 August 2020 Awal Muharram
31 August 2020 Merdeka Day
16 September 2020 Malaysia Day
29 October 2020 Prophet Muhammad’s Birthday
14 November 2020 Deepavali
21 November to 31 December 2020 School Holidays
25 December 2020 Christmas Day
1 January 2021 New Year’s Day
28 January 2021 Thaipusam
12 February to 13 February 2021 Chinese New Year

 

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Fact Check : Kim Yo Jong Confirms Kim Jong Un Is Dead

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Did Kim Yo Jong just confirm that her brother and North Korean Supreme Leader Kim Jong Un is dead, with LIVE videos of his funeral?

Find out what’s going on, and if it’s true that Kim Jong Un is dead.

 

Claim : Kim Yo Jong Confirms Kim Jong Un Is Dead

Just hours ago, a Kim Yo Jong Facebook page started sharing videos of what it claimed were scenes from Kim Jong Un’s funeral.

Here are the comments that accompanied those videos :

Live My Brother North Korea Kim Jong Un Is Dead. RIP Kim Jong UN

Live North Korea State TV announces the death of leader Kim Jong UN

EXCLUSIVE: Kim Jong Un funeral scenes

Kim Jong Funeral 

 

Our Verdict : Utter Bullshit

Now, we do not know if Kim Jong Un is dead or alive … but Kim Yo Jong definitely did not confirm that her brother is dead.

  • that Facebook page does not belong to Kim Yo Jong
  • the videos are NOT live streams from North Korea
  • the Kaheva video was recorded 5 days ago
  • the funeral videos were from Kim Jong Il’s funeral in December 2011

This Facebook page was likely created to farm Facebook Likes and Follows. Last we checked, it had 22K Likes and 50K Follows.

The admins can later sell the Page to someone else to rename and reuse for other purposes.

To maximise their efforts, they created at least two other Pages with similar content – Hantavirus and Trending Today USA – both new pages.

Please DO NOT LIKE / FOLLOW such pages! And please DO NOT SHARE their posts!

 

Kim Yo Jong Confirms Kim Jong Un Is Dead : Hoax Debunked!

For those who are thinking to themselves, “How do you know it’s fake? You were NOT there!“, here are the reasons why we know for sure…

Fact #1 : Facebook Is Blocked In North Korea

Let’s start with this – North Korea has blocked access to Facebook since April 2016, exactly four years ago.

Okay, you may be thinking – surely, Kim Yo Jong would have access to Facebook, right? Please continue…

Fact #2 : No North Korean Leader Has A Facebook Page

No North Korean leader has ever created a Facebook page, not even Kim Yo Jong. North Korea has no official presence on Facebook.

Fact #3 : That Page Was Created Just Hours Ago!

At the time of writing, the Kim Yo Jong page was created a mere 10 hours ago, and use old, existing photos as the profile and cover photos.

Fact #4 : None Of The Videos Were Live Streamed

Despite mentioning that the videos were live, the page admins posted the first two videos directly.

They later re-released this video of Kaheva (actually recorded 5 days ago) saying that Kim Jong Un is likely dead, from her analysis.

Is it possible for the North Koreans to go back in time to post a live recording that was recorded 4 hours later?

The admins then looped the other video clips, and streamed them to Facebook Live, so they would have the red Live icon, making them look more authentic.

However, if you watch the Live videos, you will realise that it’s the same clip on a loop. A real live video would not do that.

Fact #5 : The Videos Are Of Kim Jong Il’s Funeral!

The four video clips posted or shared on the page were of Kim Jong Il’s state funeral from December 2011.

Here is a screenshot of the original video, showing Kim Jong Un at his father’s funeral.

And when people posted links to the original videos to dispute the claim, the Kim Yo Jong page admins quickly banned them. I literally saw it happen LIVE…

Fact #6 : Impossible For So Many Live Streams From North Korea

At the time we posted this article, three new Facebook Pages – Kim Jo Yong, Hantavirus and Trending Today USA – have posted Live videos of Kim Jong Un’s alleged funeral.

Do you actually believe that it is possible for THREE different persons in North Korea to record the funeral live and stream it on Facebook Live, which is banned and blocked in North Korea?

Fact #7 : His Name Is Kim Jong-un

It is odd for his own sister, or any North Korean citizen or official, to repeatedly mistype his name.

His name is Kim Jong-un, not Kim Jong Un, not Kim Jong UN, not Kim Jong.

 

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AirAsia Unlimited Pass : Destinations + Embargo Periods!

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People have been arguing over what destinations and embargo periods are applicable for the AirAsia Unlimited Pass promotion.

Well, consider that settled – here are all available destinations, and current embargo dates, for the AirAsia Unlimited Pass!

 

AirAsia Unlimited Pass Destinations

When AirAsia announced the Unlimited Pass promotion, they only highlighted five countries – Australia, Japan, Korea, China and India. Well, that’s not all.

Here is the full, confirmed list of destinations, which we compiled in this table based on where you plan to fly from :

Origin Sector Available Destinations
Kuala Lumpur (Return) Australia Gold Coast
Melbourne
Perth
Sydney
China Beijing
Changsha
Chengdu
Chongqing
Hangzhou
Shanghai
Wuhan
Xi’an
India Ahmedabad
Amritsar
New Delhi
Japan Fukuoka
Osaka
Sapporo (Chin Chitose)
Tokyo (Haneda)
Tokyo (Narita)
Korea Busan
Jeju
Seoul
Taiwan Taipei
Bangkok (Return) Australia Brisbane
China Shanghai
Japan Osaka
Sapporo (Chin Chitose)
Tokyo (Narita)
Nagoya
Korea Seoul
Taipei (Return) Japan Osaka
Okinawa
Osaka (Return) US Honolulu

 

AirAsia Unlimited Pass Embargo Periods

AirAsia defines the Embargo Period as a travel blackout period, during which you cannot use the Unlimited Pass.

It includes, but is not limited to, these upcoming holidays in Malaysia. In other words, AirAsia can add new embargo periods, as they wish.

Recommended : AirAsia Unlimited Pass Guide : Planning Your Travel!

Unlimited Pass Embargo Dates Occasion
1 May 2020 Labour Day
7 May 2020 Wesak Day
23 May to 7 June 2020 School Holidays
24 May to 25 May 2020 Hari Raya Aidilfitri
25 July to 2 August 2020 School Holidays
31 July 2020 Hari Raya Haji
20 August 2020 Awal Muharram
31 August 2020 Merdeka Day
16 September 2020 Malaysia Day
29 October 2020 Prophet Muhammad’s Birthday
14 November 2020 Deepavali
21 November to 31 December 2020 School Holidays
25 December 2020 Christmas Day
1 January 2021 New Year’s Day
28 January 2021 Thaipusam
12 February to 13 February 2021 Chinese New Year

 

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AirAsia Unlimited Pass Guide : Planning Your Travel!

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If you have already purchased the AirAsia Unlimited Pass, here is a step-by-step guide on how to plan your travel and book your tickets using the AirAsia Unlimited Pass!

 

AirAsia Unlimited Pass Guide : Planning Your Travel!

As we pointed out earlier, the AirAsia Unlimited Pass is not for everyone. But if you are able to benefit from it, here is our guide on how to plan your travel and book your tickets.

Step 1 : Log into your BIG Member account.

Step 2 : Make sure your BIG Member profile name is exactly the same as the name in your passport.

Step 3 : If necessary, please change your profile name to match your passport.

You only have one (1) chance to change your name and you cannot change it once your first flight redemption is confirmed, so make sure you do it before redeeming your first flight!

Step 4 : Go to Deals and look at the My Purchases tab for your AirAsia Unlimited Pass.

If you cannot locate your Unlimited Pass after purchasing, check back after a few hours. If the problem persists, email AirAsia at support_deals@airasia.com.

Step 5 : Generate your Unique Code.

Step 6 : Click Apply Now, and the page will refresh to show a flight search page.

Step 7 : Select your destination and travel date.

The AirAsia Unlimited Pass allows you to redeem these flights :

  • From Kuala Lumpur (return) : Melbourne, Gold Coast, Perth, Sydney, Changsha, Chongqing, Chengdu, Hangzhou, Beijing, Shanghai, Wuhan, Xi’an, Amritsar, New Delhi, Ahmedabad, Sapporo (Chin Chitose), Osaka, Fukuoka, Tokyo (Haneda), Tokyo (Narita), Jeju, Seoul, Busan, Taipei

  • From Bangkok (return) : Brisbane, Shanghai, Sapporo (Chin Chitose), Osaka, Tokyo (Narita), Nogoya, Fukuoka, Seoul

  • Others (return) : Taipei – Osaka, Taipei – Okinawa, Osaka – Honolulu

Recommended : AirAsia Unlimited Pass : A Waste Of Money, Unless…

Flights with seats listed as 100% OFF are available to be booked by AirAsia Unlimited Pass holders.

If your selected flight has no 100% OFF sign, that means the AirAsia Unlimited Pass is NOT available for the selected date, or the selected date falls on the Embargo Period.

AirAsia defines the Embargo Period as a travel blackout period, during which you cannot use the Unlimited Pass. It includes these upcoming holidays in Malaysia :

Step 8 : Insert your Unique Code into the “Promo Code” field.

You will see the airport taxes and fees payable for that sector, with the total payable taxes and fees at the black box at the bottom for the return trip.

Here is a list of mandatory government taxes and fees for a 2-way return trip for available destinations :

Step 9 : Add your baggage, meals and seat allocations!

Step 10 : Complete your booking by paying the necessary taxes, fees and add-on fees.

 

AirAsia Unlimited Pass Guide : Warning!

AirAsia would like us to remind everyone that your Unlimited Pass cannot be returned, refunded or transferred.

They will also void your Unlimited Pass if you are no-show for 3 consecutive times for your confirmed flights.

So make sure you REALLY want to fly to those destinations on those dates before booking!

 

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AirAsia Unlimited Pass : A Waste Of Money, Unless…

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The AirAsia Unlimited Pass promises UNLIMITED AIR TRAVEL to five countries, for a whole year!

But frankly speaking – the AirAsia Unlimited Pass is A WASTE OF MONEY, unless you fit a certain set of criteria.

Find out if you fit that small set of criteria, because if you don’t – do NOT sign up for the AirAsia Unlimited Pass!

 

AirAsia Unlimited Pass : What Is It?

Stung by the Airbus bribery scandal and the COVID-19 coronavirus crisis, the AirAsia Unlimited Pass promotion is their effort to stem the bleed.

From 29 February to 7 March 2020, AirAsia BIG Members can purchase the Unlimited Pass which would give them the right to purchase tickets to seven sectors, as many times as they wish – for a year :

  • Australia
  • Japan
  • Korea
  • China
  • Taiwan (only Taipei) *thanks for the heads-up, Goldfries!
  • India
  • United States (only Honolulu)

Recommended : AirAsia Unlimited Pass : Destinations + Embargo Periods!

That sounds like an AWESOME deal, doesn’t it? Who doesn’t want unlimited air flights to all five countries for a whole year?

However, AirAsia threw in so many caveats, the Unlimited Pass is almost useless… unless you are willing to put up with the hassle.

 

AirAsia Unlimited Pass : TLDR Advice

For those who don’t have the time to read, here is our quick summary of what you need to know :

  1. COVID-19 will prevent / discourage you from using the Unlimited Pass for many months.
  2. You are limited to flights over 4 hours, and only with the D7 or XJ carrier codes.
  3. You are NOT guaranteed tickets, because there are limited promo seats on each flight.
  4. The Unlimited Pass also may not apply during peak periods like weekends, public holidays and school holidays.
  5. Families should NOT bother with the Unlimited Pass. Holidays should be fun, not torture.
  6. You must be willing to book your ticket, and be seated, separately from anyone you are travelling with.
  7. It is best purchased and used by retirees, or singles / couples who have flexible working arrangements and can travel on working days.

 

AirAsia Unlimited Pass : Why It’s A Waste Of Money

Reason #1 : Remember COVID-19?

Four of those five countries are in the throes of fighting COVID-19, and it is unlikely that India won’t be affected soon. And the COVID-19 coronavirus is spreading, not receding.

So how likely do you think you will be travelling to those countries over the next 12 months, even if there is no travel ban?

IMHO, many people will not be travelling (voluntarily) to China, Korea, Japan and Australia in the next 6 months… at the very least.

Reason #2 : You’re NOT Guaranteed A Flight

With tourism falling off the cliff over the next few months, not only will people cancel their flights, so will airlines.

Even if you are fearless, it doesn’t mean AirAsia will be fearless as well, or stupid enough to fly an almost empty plane just because you insist on flying.

As stated in their rules (see below), buying the Unlimited Pass does NOT guarantee you to a flight. It is up to them to decide whether you qualify for a flight to your destination.

Reason #3 : Severe Limitations On Tickets

It’s stated in their Q&A (conveniently located in a separate page) that :

  • tickets are limited, and not available for all flights or destinations, or time periods, especially public holidays, school breaks and weekends.
  • only long haul flights of over 4 hours with the carrier code D7 or XJ are allowed.
  • you can only buy it for direct flights, no connecting flights allowed.
  • every passenger must book the flight individually – you cannot book as a group, even if everyone has the Unlimited Pass.
  • you must be 12 years or older, and have your own BIG Member account.

These limitations are designed to reduce your ability to fly as often as you would like using the AirAsia Unlimited Pass. Families, for example, must be willing to be seated separately.

Unless you are single or a couple, and able to travel during work days, you may not even have the opportunity to use the AirAsia Unlimited Pass at all!

Recommended : AirAsia Unlimited Pass Guide : Planning Your Travel!

Reason #4 : Forced To Pay Full Price

Flying as a group will be problematic, because there are limited seats available for the Unlimited Pass.

What will likely happen is that a few members of your group will be able to use their Unlimited Pass, while the others will have to pay full price for their tickets.

The way out would be to split the group up, and fly on separate flights. But obviously, this makes travel much more of a hassle.

And remember – even if you get to fly out with the Unlimited Pass, you may not get to do so on the way back. You may have to pay full price, unless you are able and willing to adjust your return date according to what’s available for the Unlimited Pass.

Reason #5 : Fuel, Baggage + Other Fees

Even if you manage to several flights using the Unlimited Pass, they aren’t free. You will still need to cough up extra money for ancillary fees.

Budget airlines like AirAsia make a large percentage of their profits not from flight tickets, but from ancillary revenue – administrative fees, baggage fees, assigned seat fees, flight insurance, cancellations, documentation, meals, merchandise, fuel surcharges, etc.

In Q3 2019, almost a quarter of AirAsia’s revenue came from such ancillary sources – a whopping RM 686 million. And unlike revenue from flight tickets – they have relatively low costs – and so they contribute substantially to the airline’s PROFITS.

Frequent AirAsia travellers will also tell you that these ancillary fees often cost as much as, or even more, than the flight tickets!

 

AirAsia Unlimited Pass : Who Should Buy It?

Based on the severe restrictions AirAsia places on the Unlimited Pass, the best people to buy it should meet these requirements :

  • retired, single or a couple
  • able to travel on normal working days
  • would like to travel to those 5 countries
  • willing to put up with booking / travel hassles

Everyone else should not bother. Really. Travel should be fun, not a torture.

And we should point out that the target group above can often get free or heavily discounted flights on AirAsia without the Unlimited Pass. Thanks for the screenshots, Nigel!

So all the Unlimited Pass does is “force” you to travel more on AirAsia – they won’t make money from your flights, but they will make their money from your ancillary fees.

 

AirAsia Unlimited Pass : The Caveats

AirAsia conveniently lists the caveats of the Unlimited Pass in two sections in a separate Q&A page, which we have combined and summarised here (with our emphasis) :

  • It is only applicable on direct long haul flights of over 4 hours with carrier code D7 & XJ.
  • It excludes flights to Bali, Singapore, Jeddah and all Fly-thru routes. Embargo period applies.
  • Flight redemption is limited and may not be available for all flights, all destinations including public holidays, school breaks and weekends.
  • Promotions which are applicable for bookings made via airasia.com and AirAsia Mobile App are limited to regular base fare only and shall not include Premium Flex or Value Pack bundled category.
  • All applicable taxes, fees or charges imposed by the regulatory bodies must be paid at the time of purchase unless otherwise stated.
  • It is available for BIG Members within Malaysia who are at least 12 years of age on the date of departure and the passenger must be the BIG Member who made the booking. Each AirAsia Unlimited Pass is assigned to one (1) passenger only with one (1) BIG Member account.
  • You can only book for yourself, and cannot select multiple passengers using the AirAsia Unlimited Pass.
  • In the event any travel agency or party other than an individual BIG Member purchased the AirAsia Unlimited Pass and subsequently made flight bookings using the AirAsia Unlimited Pass, AirAsia shall have the right to cancel/forfeit such AirAsia Unlimited Pass and the flight bookings, without any liability on the part of AirAsia to such agency, third party or any passenger.
  • AirAsia reserves the right to cancel or forfeit your Unlimited Pass, if you miss more than three (3) flights.
  • The AirAsia Unlimited Pass cannot be sold, bartered, assigned or transferred to another person. Any attempt to transfer the AirAsia Unlimited Pass or book travel using the AirAsia Unlimited Pass for someone other than the holder of the AirAsia Unlimited Pass will result in immediate forfeiture of the AirAsia Unlimited Pass.
  • Upon purchasing the AirAsia Unlimited Pass, the passenger shall have the right to book and fly on AirAsia X and Thai AirAsia X flights to Australia, India, China, Korea and Japan for an unlimited number of times, subject to full and final payment of any applicable airport charges, taxes and regulatory fees, or other charges.
  • Use of the AirAsia Unlimited Pass will not earn any BIG Points, and flights flown using the AirAsia Unlimited Pass will not count towards any offers or bonuses. Redemption of BIG Points is also not allowed for the purchase of the AirAsia Unlimited Pass.
  • When purchasing the AirAsia Unlimited Pass, passengers must ensure their details in the BIG Member account (i.e. name and date of birth) are as per passport or identity card. These details will be used for booking during the redemption process.
  • The AirAsia Unlimited Pass is non-refundable.

 

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