lifestyle and culture

January 7, 2025

LG unveils a day in a life with "Affectionate Intelligence" at LG World Premiere

Company Showcases Future of AI-Powered Customer Experiences Through CEO Keynote and Immersive Storytelling
LG Electronics (LG) unveiled its vision for AI-powered customer experiences themed “Life’s Good 24/7 with Affectionate Intelligence” at the LG World Premiere event in Las Vegas on January 6, the eve of CES 2025, widely regarded as the world’s most influential tech event.

Over 1,000 attendees, including global media and partners, were present at the press conference, which was also livestreamed online. To showcase the full scope of LG’s Affectionate Intelligence-powered customer experience, the event stage was divided into three areas representing the various spaces in people’s lives, from the home to mobility and commercial spaces. The company, through engaging demonstrations highlighting real-life scenarios, made clear how its advanced AI will transform daily life for the better.

LG “Affectionate Intelligence” is redefining the conventional, technical understanding of AI by focusing on its potential to revolutionize the customer experience paradigm. This concept leverages AI technology to better understand and empathize with customers, delivering more personalized and differentiated experiences.
The LG World Premiere kicked off with a video titled “Less Artificial, More Human,” followed by a keynote speech delivered by LG CEO William Cho.

“At LG, we’re seamlessly integrating AI into physical living spaces around us. We see space not merely as a physical location but as an environment where holistic experiences come to life – across the Home, Mobility, Commercial and even Virtual spaces,” said CEO Cho. “In these spaces, devices and services will harmonize to create entirely new customer value. This is where our Affectionate Intelligence truly shines, clearly standing out from the others.”

Cho then highlighted three fundamental elements to realize this vision: connected devices, capable AI agents and integrated services.

Connected devices, which serve as the customer touchpoint for AI, are one of LG’s greatest assets. Not only are there hundreds of millions of LG smart products already in use worldwide, but with last year’s acquisition of smart home solutions provider Athom, LG now offers seamless connectivity with IoT devices from over 170 global brands.

As for AI agents, LG is set to advance its AI agent, LG FURON, which combines the power of generative AI built on large language models with real-time spatial sensing and insights into customer lifestyle patterns. This innovative AI agent can understand customer situations and contexts in real-time, effortlessly coordinating devices and services to provide a more tailored and responsive user experience, all while protecting personal data.

Empowering AI-Based Integrated Services with Microsoft
To support his vision of providing compelling integrated services, CEO Cho announced a strategic partnership with Microsoft. The plan is to lead innovation by combining LG’s products and customer insights from various spaces, such as the home, mobility and commercial areas, with Microsoft’s AI technology to implement empathetic AI integrated services.

Judson Althoff, executive vice president and chief commercial officer at Microsoft, shared, “At Microsoft, we believe AI will fundamentally change the way we live and work, and we could not be more excited to partner with LG Electronics – the pioneers of smart, connected spaces – to integrate AI into life’s everyday experiences.”

The two companies are working on enhancing AI agents for various spaces, including homes, vehicles, hotels and offices. LG has been applying Microsoft’s voice recognition and speech synthesis technologies to its Self-Driving AI Home Hub, enabling it to understand diverse accents, pronunciations and colloquial expressions. Plans also include developing AI agents that not only understand and interact with customers but also predict their needs and preferences.

Althoff also announced further Microsoft collaboration with LG in the rapidly growing field of AI data centers. With LG’s thermal management systems and advanced chiller technologies optimized for AI data centers, the partnership aims to enhance energy efficiency in these critical backbones of AI infrastructure. Together, the companies plan to create next-generation data centers that are more efficient and sustainable.

Bringing AI Vision to Life
Illustrating Cho’s Affectionate Intelligence vision, LG captivated the audience with a short play about a family’s day from morning to night. Departing from the traditional product presentation speech format, this vivid portrayal demonstrated how LG’s AI innovations unveiled at CES 2025 and driven by the vision of “Better Life for All,” seamlessly enhance everyday life across various spaces.
In the morning scene, LG’s AI agent, FURON, highlights its personalized capabilities: “I noticed some coughing last night, so I adjusted the room temperature for your comfort.” Beyond environmental adjustments, FURON demonstrates thoughtful assistance, suggesting, “You don’t have any plans this afternoon – why not accompany your mother to her scheduled health check-up?”

The morning commute further highlights the convenience of AI integration. In the car, LG’s AI-powered in-cabin sensing solution detects when the driver forgets their coffee tumbler, asking, “Would you like to stop by a café two minutes away for coffee?” It also monitors biometric signals, responding to an elevated heart rate before an afternoon meeting by playing soothing music to help the driver relax. The system also proactively suggests rerouting to avoid accidents and recommends holding a video conference inside the vehicle if traffic delays risk causing the driver to miss an important meeting. Upon arriving at the office, the AI adds a personal touch, such as displaying previously recorded family vacation footage on the car’s internal and external cameras.

After work, the living room TV equipped with AI technology enhances the home entertainment experience. It analyzes the viewing environment, patterns and history to recommend tailored content. If the customer mentions difficulty hearing dialogue in a video, the AI adjusts the audio, enhancing voice clarity by isolating it from background noise and making it sound as though it’s coming naturally from the center of the TV screen.

Seamless and Holistic Customer Experiences Anytime, Anywhere, Seen or Unseen
Concluding his keynote address, CEO Cho emphasized AI’s role in driving transformative change across both B2C (business-to-consumer) and B2B (business-to-business) sectors.

He highlighted innovative initiatives like the LG Smart Cottage, a compact modular home that integrates AI-powered appliances, HVAC systems and other advanced technologies to redefine residential living. Similarly, LG envisions the automobile as a “personalized digital cave,” featuring software-defined vehicle solutions and AI technologies that understand and adapt to both the internal and external vehicle environment, delivering groundbreaking mobility experiences.

In smart factory solutions, LG leverages over 60 years of world-class manufacturing expertise, offering next-generation manufacturing systems powered by AI and robotics. Additionally, LG’s AI-based thermal management systems and advanced chiller technologies are optimizing energy efficiency in AI data centers worldwide.



“Our ultimate goal is simple yet profound: to leverage AI as a means to create holistic customer value, no matter where you are,” said CEO Cho. “Irrespective of how AI transforms our lives, one thing will never change: our promise of Life’s Good. With this unwavering commitment, we will strive to deliver differentiated customer experiences – seen or unseen – to everyone, everywhere, every time.”
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January 6, 2025

2025 LG QNED evo transforms with Core OLED TV Innovations: True Wireless, AI and Hyper-personalization

Based on Company’s Dual-Track Strategy, the 2025 QNED evo Lineup Boasts Unprecedented Technological Advancements
LG Electronics (LG) unveiled its renewed 2025 QNED evo lineup, featuring new proprietary wide color gamut technology, a true wireless viewing experience that transmits 4K 144Hz images without loss of picture quality or delay, AI-enhanced picture and sound processing, and an ultra-personalized AI-based customer experience via webOS 25.

LG continues to strengthen its competitiveness in the global premium TV market through a dual-track strategy. This strategy emphasizes LG’s market-leading, self-emissive OLED lineup and the QNED evo series – a premium LCD TV lineup that incorporates key OLED innovations, such as advanced AI capabilities and wireless convenience.

The 2025 QNED evo lineup boasts an improved color gamut compared to previous models by applying LG’s new proprietary wide color gamut technology, Dynamic QNED Color Solution, which replaces quantum dots. This unique technology enables light from the backlight to be expressed in pure colors that are as realistic as they appear to the eye in general life.

With the application of Dynamic QNED Color Solution, the entire 2025 QNED evo lineup is 100 percent certified by global testing and certification organization Intertek for Color Volume, measuring a screen’s ability to display the rich colors of original images without distortion.

In 2025, LG will also unveil the QNED evo (QNED9M) featuring its True Wireless 4K technology. This innovation, previously exclusive to the top-tier OLED evo model (M Series) last year, will now be available in the QNED evo lineup. This expansion allows viewers to enjoy high-definition 4K content wirelessly, without compromising on picture quality or experiencing delays, moving beyond the limitations of traditional wired connections. The wireless solution utilizes a separate Zero Connect Box to transmit high-definition video at up to 4K resolution and a refresh rate of 144Hz. The QNED evo is designed to minimize screen disconnection and deliver natural images even in a wireless setup. Additionally, it has earned AMD FreeSync Premium certification. The TV itself requires only a power cord, allowing for more convenient storage of gaming consoles and set-top boxes.

The company additionally continues to raise the picture and sound quality of its QNED evo lineup by offering more powerful editions of its proprietary AI processors. 2025 LG QNED evo models are equipped with the α8 AI Processor, offering close to 70 percent improvement in AI performance compared to the previous year. This processor delivers picture and sound at a level worthy of ultra-large TVs.

These AI capabilities include more advanced upscaling, analyzing the filmmaker’s intent to adjust picture noise and presenting faces, objects, text and backgrounds more naturally. Dynamic Tone Mapping Pro breaks down each scene to fine-tune HDR effects and brightness for each zone. Moreover, AI converts 2-channel sound sources to virtual 9.1.2 channel sound for a richer audio experience. It also distinguishes voices from background sounds and makes them clearer, while audio sounds natural as if it were coming from the center of the TV screen.

The new AI Magic Remote, included with the 2025 QNED evo, features a new AI button for easy analysis of viewing preferences and recommendations on what to watch and which apps to use. Personalization is further enhanced by Voice ID, Generative AI Gallery and customized TV picture and sound quality modes. A short press on the AI button guides users to relevant keywords and TV features, while a long press enables personalized searches based on a large language model (LLM4). For example, if a user is planning a trip to France, they can ask their remote, “Recommend movies to watch on my trip to Paris.” The AI will understand the context and suggest movies set in the French capital, including specific genre recommendations based on the user’s viewing preferences.

LG’s proprietary smart TV platform, webOS25, elevates the customer experience by offering hyper-personalized service advancements and content through its best-of-all-time AI features and the ongoing webOS Re: New Program, which includes webOS upgrades for five years.

The 2025 QNED lineup will also now range from 40 to 100 inches as LG is expanding its QNED lineup by introducing a 100-inch option in response to customer demand for ultra-large, premium LCD TVs.

“Our renewed 2025 LG QNED evo lineup inherits OLED’s differentiated picture quality along with a true wireless viewing experience and ultra-personalized solutions to deliver an outstanding super-large viewing experience that no other LCD TV can offer,” said Hyoung-sei Park, president of the LG Media Entertainment Solution Company.
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“Her Locket” -- a family drama film set to open on January 22 in cinemas nationwide

As a pre-Chinese New Year offering, Rebecca Chuaunsu Film Production, in cooperation with Rebelde Films, proudly announces the commercial release of HER LOCKET in cinemas nationwide come January 22, 2025 (Wed).

HER LOCKET is a family drama film about a Chinese woman suffering from dementia is able to gradually recall memories from her past With the aid of a locket necklace. It garnered a total of EIGHT awards - - Best Film, Best Director and Best Screenplay, Best Actress, Best Supporting Actress, Best Production Design, Best Cinematography, and Best Ensemble Acting -- at Sinag Maynila Film Festival held last Sept. 8, 2024. 

Noted Filipino-Chinese actress Rebecca Chuaunsu also won two (2) international Best Actress awards -- from Festival International du Film Transsaharien de Zagora in Morocco (held in 2023) and Wu Wei Taipei International Filipino Film Festival in Taiwan (held Sept 1, 2024).

Locally in the Philippines, Chuaunsu got rave reviews from film critics for her outstanding performance as lead actress Jewel Ouyang. 

The film also boasts of Elora Españo (as Teresa, the caregiver); Boo Gabunada (as Kyle, lawyer-son of Jewel); Sophie Ng (young Jewel); and Benedict Cua (young Magnus, brother of Jewel).

Completing the roster of cast are Francis Mata, Jian Repolles, Tommy Alejandrino, Zoey Villamangca, Norman Ong, Nellie Ang See, Angela Villarin, Ashlee Factor, Matthew Seaver Choy, Roberto Uy Kieng, George See, Rolando Inocencio, Atty. Kesterson Kua, Atty. Allan Jao, and Dr. Philip Tan Gatue. 
"I'm so happy that HER LOCKET will be screened nationwide this coming January 2025, so many more kababayans will experience a film that is inspired by a true story," quips actress-producer Rebecca Chuaunsu.

HER LOCKET is in competition at the Jagran Film Festival in India. It is covering 18 cities, which started from Delhi and traveling through Meerut, Kanpur, Lucknow, Prayagraj, Varanasi, Bareilly, Dehradun, Hisar, Ludhiana, Patna, Ranchi, Siliguri, Gorakhpur, Raipur, Indore, and Darbhanga, culminating in Mumbai (Dec. 2024 - March 2025).

HER LOCKET has also participated in Marche Du Film - Festival De Cannes (2023) in France; London East Asia International Film Festival (2023) in UK; 22nd Dhaka International Film Festival (2024) in Bangladesh; and San Diego Film Festival USA (2024).

Don't miss to experience this rare cinematic treat starting January 22 in cinemas nationwide, distributed by Solar Pictures.
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January 3, 2025

Sonic the Hedgehog 3 gets 96% Rotten Tomatoes Rating

Plus, two Robotniks are better than one! Watch Jim Carrey play two roles in the “Two Robotniks” featurette
Jim Carrey and Jim Carrey in Sonic the Hedgehog 3
Moviegoers have spoken, and they love Sonic the Hedgehog 3!

The latest big-screen adventure of Team Sonic has earned a 96% audience rating on Rotten Tomatoes. The film, which opened in the US December 20, has so far earned upwards of $230 million at the global box office. It opens in Philippine cinemas January 15.

Reviews from critics have also been mostly positive. “Sonic the Hedgehog 3” currently holds a Fresh 86% rating on Rotten Tomatoes, higher than its two predecessors.

“Sonic the Hedgehog 3 is way better than it has a right to be: as a video game adaptation, as a threequel, as a family-friendly movie coming out [on Christmas season],” wrote RogerEbert.com, which also praised Jim Carrey for “giving not one but two gleefully deranged performances that harken to his rubber-faced comedic greatness of three decades ago.”

Find out more about Jim Carrey’s evil genius performance of the two Robotniks in this “Double Your Villain” featurette:
Forbes magazine also enjoyed the film, saying “it’s fun, it’s silly, it’s visually different enough and interesting enough to look good on a big screen, and most important of all it has Jim Carrey providing not one but two performances inspired enough and funny enough to make it worth watching the whole movie.”
“Clever jokes, a noticeable reverence for the source material, and some fantastic antagonists make the Blue Blur’s latest race an entertaining ride from start to finish,” raved Collider.com.

Variety was also impressed. “Sonic the Hedgehog 3 is wired-up synthetic fun,” they wrote. “It’s a trivial kiddie flick that moves at the speed of your mind playing video games. Video-game films seldom have that quality – they tend to be overproduced and lugubrious. But Sonic 3 gives hyperactivity a good name. Jeff Fowler, who directed all three of these movies, is a quicker and wittier flimflam magician of energy than he was when he made the first Sonic in 2020.”
Jim Carrey with director Jeff Powler on the set of Sonic the Hedgehog 3
Sonic the Hedgehog returns to the big screen in his most thrilling adventure yet in Sonic the Hedgehog 3. Sonic (voiced by Ben Schwartz), Knuckles (Idris Elba) and Tails (Colleen O’Shaughnessey) reunite against a powerful new adversary, Shadow (Keanu Reeves), a mysterious villain with powers unlike anything they have faced before. With their abilities outmatched in every way, Team Sonic must seek out an unlikely alliance in hopes of stopping Shadow and protecting the planet.

Sonic the Hedgehog 3 opens in Philippine cinemas January 15, 2025.
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December 23, 2024

Our 5 favorite things at Fantasy World in SM City Masinag

When you have a toddler, it’s important to give them opportunities to play and socialize with other kids. This is why interactive and educational playrooms are a blessing—they provide children with a space to move, explore, and satisfy their curiosity about the world around them.

We were recently invited to check out the newly opened Fantasy World Playground at SM City Masinag. I brought my niece along to experience it firsthand and enjoy an afternoon filled with fun and activities. Located on the 3rd floor near SM Cinemas, this playground is designed for kids and even adults to create memorable bonding moments. Let me share the top five areas where my niece spent most of her time:

1. Ball Pit
Who doesn’t love a pool filled with colorful balls? This area is covered in soft plastic balls, creating a fun and safe space for kids to dive into, roll around, and swim through. It’s a classic favorite that never fails to bring joy.

2. Slides
Fantasy World offers a variety of slides to suit different preferences. There’s a swirling slide, a wide slide, and the tallest one—a wavy slide that ends with a splash into the ball pit. I even tried the wavy slide myself, and the speed makes it an exhilarating experience.

3. Inside Out Core Memory Machine
This area reminds me of the "core memory" machine from the movie Inside Out. Kids can grab balls from the ball pit, drop them into the machine, and watch as they are pushed through different pipes by air, only to emerge at another point. It’s mesmerizing and endlessly entertaining—I found myself spending a lot of time here too!


4. Market
The market setup is a mini world of fruits, vegetables, and desserts where kids can pretend to shop and prepare food. It’s a clever way to introduce concepts of food hygiene and basic cooking skills in a playful and engaging manner.

5. Sandcastles and Lego
This area encourages kids to unleash their creativity by building mini worlds with colorful bricks and synthetic sand. It’s a great activity to foster their imagination and fine motor skills.

Other Features
Fantasy World also offers a trampoline, a robot arena, a zombie attack VR game, obstacle courses, and more. If you get hungry or thirsty after all the exploring, there’s an on-site Momoyo stand that sells refreshments such as coffee and fruit-based beverages.

The staff and guides are always attentive, ensuring the safety of the children. For instance, in the pebble area, they place cotton in kids’ ears to prevent any small objects from getting in. Anti-slip socks are also provided to minimize the risk of slipping or injuries.

Entrance Fees
Here are the entrance fees for Fantasy World Playground:

  • Php 300 per kid with a guardian - 1.5 hours on weekdays (Php 350 on weekends and holidays)
  • Php 400 per kid with a guardian - 3 hours on weekdays (Php 450 on weekends and holidays)
  • Php 100 for each additional guardian
  • Php 100 per hour for extensions
  • Php 50 for socks
  • Php 35 for water

Fantasy World Playground is an excellent place for kids to have fun, learn, and socialize in a safe and stimulating environment. It’s also a great spot for families to spend quality time together. If you’re in the area, it’s definitely worth a visit!

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December 20, 2024

This Holiday Season, GO NATURAL With PascualLab’s PELARGO!

One of the pioneers in herbal medicine unveils its newest natural health product this colds season.
Say goodbye to sniffles and hello to wellness! Pascual Laboratories, one of the Philippines’ top pharmaceutical companies, introduces PELARGO—a natural solution to help ease common cold symptoms and keep you feeling your best this holiday season.

PascualLab, one of the pioneers in phyto or plant-based medicines in the Philippines​ and home of the no. 1 natural cough remedy Ascof Lagundi,¹ C-Lium Fibre and other natural-based offerings now comes PELARGO, derived from the Pelargonium sidoides DC. Root.

For centuries, the root of Pelargonium sidoides DC. or South African geranium has been used for the treatment of common colds in South Africa and in Europe.²

It helps relieve cold symptoms such as: Nasal Congestion Runny Nose Sneezing Headache

Pelargonium sidoides DC. Root (PELARGO) works as a natural decongestant that loosens mucus and hastens its flow.²

Research results from 5 clinical trials involving 833 adults show that Pelargonium sidoides DC. Root extract consistently demonstrated efficacy, lessening the severity and shortening the duration of cold symptoms.²

So for relief from common cold symptoms especially this holiday season, #GoNaturalWithPelarGo! #BTS #BreakTheSipon

PelarGo is available in Mercury Drug, Watsons, and Rose Pharmacy outlets nationwide and at PascualLab’s official Lazada, Shopee, and TikTok stores. 

Shopee: https://tinyurl.com/shopeepelargo
Lazada: https://tinyurl.com/pelargo-lazada
TiktokShop:https://tinyurl.com/tiktokpelargo

IF SYMPTOMS PERSIST, CONSULT YOUR DOCTOR.

Sources:
1 IQVIA data as of 2024
2. Moyo, Mack and Van Staden, Johannes. Medicinal properties and conservation of Pelargonium sidoides DC. In https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC7127097/ Accessed October 2024.
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December 19, 2024

James Gunn's "Superman," starring David Corenswet, teaser trailer is up! Opens in cinemas July 9, 2025

On July 9, it begins. “Superman,” from director James Gunn and starring David Corenswet, only in cinemas 2025.

“Superman,” DC Studios’ first feature film to hit the big screen, is set to soar into theaters worldwide this summer from Warner Bros. Pictures. In his signature style, James Gunn takes on the original superhero in the newly imagined DC universe with a singular blend of epic action, humor and heart, delivering a Superman who’s driven by compassion and an inherent belief in the goodness of humankind.
DC Studios heads Peter Safran and Gunn are producing the film, which Gunn directs from his own screenplay, based on characters from DC, Superman created by Jerry Siegel and Joe Shuster.

The film stars David Corenswet (“Twisters,” “Hollywood”) in the dual role of Superman/Clark Kent, Rachel Brosnahan (“The Marvelous Mrs. Maisel”) as Lois Lane and Nicholas Hoult (the “X-Men” movies, “Juror #2”) as Lex Luthor. The film also stars Edi Gathegi (“For All Mankind”), Anthony Carrigan (“Barry,” “Gotham”), Nathan Fillion (the “Guardians of the Galaxy” films, “The Suicide Squad”), Isabela Merced (“Alien Romulus”), Skyler Gisondo (“Licorice Pizza,” “Booksmart”), Sara Sampaio (“At Midnight”), María Gabriela de Faría (“The Moodys”), Wendell Pierce (“Selma,” “Tom Clancy’s Jack Ryan”), Alan Tudyk (“Andor”), Pruitt Taylor Vince (“Bird Box”) and Neva Howell (“Greedy People”).
David Corenswet as Superman/Clark Kent
Rachel Brosnahan as Lois Lane
Nicholas Hoult as Lex Luthor
Nathan Fillion as Guy Gardner
Isabela Merced as Hawkgirl
Edi Gathegi as Mister Terrific
“Superman” is executive produced by Nikolas Korda, Chantal Nong Vo and Lars Winther. Behind the camera, Gunn is joined by frequent collaborators, including director of photography Henry Braham, production designer Beth Mickle, costume designer Judianna Makovsky and composer John Murphy, along with editors Craig Alpert (“Deadpool 2,” “Blue Beetle”), Jason Ballantine (the “IT” films, “The Flash”) and William Hoy (“The Batman”).

“Superman” will be in theaters and IMAX nationwide on July 9, 2025, distributed by Warner Bros. Pictures.
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