Monthly Archives

November 2026

Entertainment

A Kingdom’s Fall, A Hero’s Rise: Ahn Bo-hyun, Lee Sung-min, and Claudia Kim Lead Prime Video’s Epic Korean Historical Series Sacred Jewel

Set against the turbulent Goryeo Dynasty, the 14-episode series brings together action, romance and a perilous quest for hope, premiering December 5

With a kingdom facing imminent defeat, its survival depends on one extraordinary mission. Prime Video has officially announced Sacred Jewel, an upcoming Korean historical drama featuring Ahn Bo-hyun, Lee Sung-min, and Claudia Kim.

The story takes place in 1258, during the Goryeo Dynasty, following nearly 30 years of continuous conflict with the Mongols. As the kingdom approaches its downfall, a dangerous expedition becomes its final chance at survival. Spearheading the mission is Baek Gyul, a determined young warrior tasked with leading an elite group across enemy territory to retrieve a sacred jewel believed to hold miraculous powers capable of saving Goryeo. Their journey takes them through hostile lands, over mountains, and toward the eastern sea, with threats waiting at every turn. At the same time, Princess Wang Hee sets out to help the group, adding urgency to an already perilous mission. With the kingdom’s future at stake, their journey becomes a fight for survival, courage, and the lives of everyone depending on them.

Ahn Bo-hyun (Spring Fever, Flex X Cop, My Name) takes on the role of Baek Gyul, a fiercely determined and intelligent young warrior whose stubborn nature is matched only by his unwavering convictions. The only son of the Vice Minister of War, Baek Gyul serves in the Gyeonryonggun, the emperor’s elite bodyguard. But when his forbidden love for Princess Wang Hee provokes the emperor’s wrath, he finds himself appointed Commander of a special convoy and sent on a dangerous mission alongside the Elite Military Task Force. Tasked with recovering sacred treasures that could turn the tide of war, Baek Gyul must navigate the perils of the battlefield while confronting the personal sacrifices demanded by duty and love.

Joining him is Lee Sung-min (Teach You a Lesson, Reborn Rich, No Other Choice) as Choi Gu, a legendary warrior whose reputation was forged through hundreds of battles. Once the most formidable fighter in the Elite Military Task Force, Choi Gu was a commander whom young soldiers dreamed of following, believing that serving under him offered their best chance of survival. Yet beneath his battle-hardened exterior lies a man grappling with the fading glory of his past and the growing awareness of his own mortality. When he is appointed Captain of Baek Gyul’s special convoy, the veteran warrior faces another perilous journey that will test his strength, resolve and legacy.

Claudia Kim (Gyeongseong Creature, The Atypical Family, Chimera) portrays Princess Wang Hee, the emperor’s youngest daughter, whose striking beauty and icy demeanour conceal a life marked by heartbreak. Scarred by a political marriage and devastating personal loss, she has long shut herself off from the world, choosing emotional distance over vulnerability. But her connection with Baek Gyul begins to break through the walls she has built around herself, awakening feelings she thought were lost forever. As war threatens everything around her, Wang Hee must confront her past and find the courage to reclaim her future.

Bringing this sweeping historical adventure to life is director Jung Dae-yoon (Reborn Rich, She Was Pretty), alongside writer Jung Hyun-min (The Nokdu Flower, Jeong DoJeon). Produced by SLL and Celltrion Entertainment, the 14-episode series also features Ha Yoon-kyoung (Undercover Miss Hong, The Apartment Job, See You in My 19th Life) and Yoon Kyun-sang (The Rebel, House of Lies, Six Flying Dragons), rounding out an ensemble cast in a story that explores the resilience of the human spirit amid the chaos of war.

Sacred Jewel premieres exclusively on Prime Video on December 5 in the Philippines and more than 240 countries and territories worldwide.

Sacred Jewel will be available alongside thousands of other movies and series on Prime Video. Its extensive library includes titles such as Love in Disguise, A Love Other Than Yours, See You at Work Tomorrow!, Spring Fever, Surely Tomorrow, Head Over Heels, and GOOD BOY. Anime fans can also enjoy popular releases like Nippon Sangoku: The Three Nations of the Crimson Sun and Mobile Suit Gundam GQuuuuuuX. The platform also offers a selection of award-winning and critically acclaimed Amazon Originals, including Elle, Off Campus, Project Hail Mary, Masters of the Universe, Fallout, The Summer I Turned Pretty, Heads of State, The Lord of the Rings: The Rings of Power, Reacher, and The Boys. Prime Video members can stream their favorite movies and shows anytime, anywhere, across thousands of compatible devices. Through the Prime Video app, they can also download episodes directly to their mobile phones and tablets for offline viewing at no extra cost.

 

 

 

November 3, 2026 by
Entertainment

Dominic Fike’s new album HOW TO QUIT SMOKING out today

Listen to focus track “CASTING CALL”

HOW TO QUIT SMOKING Album Artwork

HOW TO QUIT SMOKING TRACKLIST

“WALLFLOWER”

“SMALL TOWN (feat. Emma Ogier & Gabriel Jacoby)”

“PANGEA”

“CASTING CALL”

“DOOMSDAY (feat. reggie)”

“HONEYLOVE (feat. Grace Ives)”

“WHITE KEYS”

“SQUEEZE”

“RENO (feat. Hether)”

“LILY WAS A CAVALIER”

“CABBY (feat. Emma Ogier & Love Spells)”

“CITY OF STEEL (feat. Jorjiana)”

“NOT THE SPIRIT (feat. Danny Brown)”

“WAR MACHINE”

“SPOTLIGHT / INNER CHILD (feat. Tay-K)”

Dominic Fike released his third studio album, HOW TO QUIT SMOKING. Listen to HOW TO QUIT SMOKING HERE and order on vinyl HERE.

In August, Fike put up a 15-track album on DSP’s with a release date in just two months. He announced he would be making his third album on the road in real time. In an age where technology is moving closer and closer to showing us what “perfection” could look or sound like, Fike decided to head in the opposite direction. Dubbing the project “HOW TO QUIT SMOKING”, he challenged himself to leave behind the parts of himself that would interfere with this process.

For eight weeks, Dominic made the album while traveling across North America on his Comedy Tragedy Parody tour. He wrote and recorded these songs on the road, working wherever he could. The album and accompanying visuals took place in a hotel room in Virginia Beach, a tour bus driving from Albuquerque to Las Vegas, a seaplane flying over Vancouver, and the diner from Twin Peaks outside Seattle. These places, and countless others around the country, served as postcards for songs like “Wallflower,” “Small Town,” and “Pangea,” all encapsulating the journey of finding art in the moments along the way.

Perhaps more important than where the music was made were the people who joined Fike along the way to make it. From jumping on last-minute flights to leave their mark as the hours counted down, to spending hours, days, and for some weeks on the road to help create the album’s sound. The sprawling list of artists includes Love Spells, Emma Ogier, Grace Ives, Gabriel Jacoby, Kevin Abstract, Reggie, Jorjiana, Danny Brown, Hether and a phone call with Tay-K.

Originally set to be released in early October, Fike pushed the release by 3 weeks, telling the audience at his LA show that the album had become “bigger than I had ever imagined.” He then bunkered down at Sonic Ranch in Tornillo, Texas, to narrow down the songs. The ranch served as a creative hub for the final days of the project before heading to New York City to complete the recording, mixing and mastering process. The record was completed at Electric Lady Studios earlier this week and now, only a few days later, is being released into the world.

Watch “CASTING CALL” here – https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=C5L5k_n44jY

Coming full circle, John Cunningham who unknowingly brought the first song of this album, “WHITE KEYS”, to life five years ago, joined Fike in the Sonic Ranch studio during the final hours of recording in Texas. He helped round out the album’s overall sound and brought collaborators from his world, including artists Jorjiana and Tay-K.

The album concludes with a phone call to John Cunningham from Prison, that came in during the camp’s last days in Texas. On this call, Fike met the rapper Tay-K and explained the complications of the reality he has designed for himself. “Stay connected to your inner child,” Tay-K reminds him. “Everything is a learning experience. Everything is wonderful.”

Last week, Fike launched the Separate Street Network, a 24/7 streaming channel from his website. Through his time on the road, he has captured the disorienting and fast-paced journey of touring and found fun in the multitude of stories happening all at once. Through this experience, Fike and company have found and developed TV shows, concert films, and organic versions of their favorite junk, introducing viewers to new characters and all the places and the spaces in between.

There’s only more to come from Fike, as he’s set to hit the road once again with Comedy Tragedy Parody – Dominic Fike in Europe, a series of intentionally intimate headline shows taking place in February and March of next year. Kicking off on February 9th in Düsseldorf,  the tour will take Fike across Europe & the UK, performing to his fans at packed venues in Belgium, France, Switzerland, Italy, Denmark, the Netherlands and more before wrapping up in Manchester, UK at  CO-Op Live on March 6th. Buy tickets HERE.

Watch “WALLFLOWER” – https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=b1jjURWPLy4 

Watch “SMALL TOWN” – https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=3CHgKR1OzlU 

Tour Artwork

DOMINIC FIKE EU/UK TOUR DATES:

09/02 – Mitsubishi Electric Halle – Düsseldorf,DE

10/02 – Forest National – Brussels, BE

12/02 – L’Olympia – Paris, FR

13/02 – Halle 622 – Zurich, CH

15/02 – Alcatraz – Milan, IT

16/02 – Tonhalle – Munich, DE

18/02 – Raiffeisenhalle im Gasometer – Vienna, AT

20/02 – Columbiahalle – Berlin, DE

23/02 – Royal Arena – Copenhagen, DK

25/02 – Sporthalle – Hamburg, DE

27/02 – Stadthalle – Offenbach, DE

28/02 – AFAS Live – Amsterdam, NL

02/03 – 02 Academy – Birmingham, UK

03/03 – Alexandra Palace – London, UK

06/03 – Co-Op Live – Manchester, UK

Watch “WHITE KEYS”- https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Cz200209hOs

Watch “PANGEA” – https://youtu.be/q6bZfFQH-OI?si=zvdk_ss3V1AIRo_3

Dominic Fike Press Photo, credit: Nathan Nguyen

Connect with Dominic Fike:

Instagram | Facebook | YouTube | Website

November 3, 2026 by
Tech

TECNO and Angélica Dass Highlight Stories of Solo Motherhood Through the Philippine Portrait Gallery for “100 Portraits of Becoming”

The gallery brings together 20 Filipinos whose lives intersect with solo motherhood, revealing the diverse roles, relationships and ambitions that extend far beyond a single label.

Philippines Portrait Gallery of “Seeing Beyond Labels”

TECNO, in collaboration with internationally recognized artist Angélica Dass, has officially introduced the Philippine edition of 100 Portraits of Becoming. The gallery features 20 individuals, each sharing their own inspiring stories and portraits, now accessible through TECNO’s global story archive. The two-year documentary project spans five countries and uses TECNO’s Universal Tone imaging technology to capture diverse human experiences. The Philippines serves as the initiative’s second stop, following its successful debut in Kenya.

Under the theme “See Beyond Labels,” Angélica Dass captured the stories of 20 individuals in Manila whose experiences are connected to solo motherhood in different ways. The gallery highlights the people behind societal labels, recognizing that each person has multiple roles, meaningful relationships, and personal aspirations. It reinforces the message that no one should be judged or defined by a single label or title, including being a “solo mom.”

This creative direction is rooted in the realities of Filipino family life. According to publicly available data, the country has an estimated 14 to 15 million solo parents, with women accounting for about 95% of them. An estimated 2.19 million Filipinos worked overseas in 2024, with women making up 57.2% of Overseas Filipino Workers (OFW). Behind these figures are individual lives that are far more layered. This is the space the Philippines chapter sets out to explore.

Captured on the CAMON Slim 5G with TECNO Universal Tone, the Philippines chapter of 100 Portraits of Becoming naturally connects with CAMON Slim 5G’s “Make It Lighter” philosophy, using technology to make expressive photography feel more accessible, intuitive and open to more people.

The Stories Behind the Portraits of 20 People

Through their portraits, that broader context becomes personal, revealing very different experiences of work, family, care and becoming.

Angélica Dass taking portrait photos in Manila

Some stories come from working solo mothers themselves. Others are told through the perspectives of adults raised by solo mothers, multi-generation families, Overseas Filipino Worker (OFW) caregivers, and media or community advocates who work closely with women and families. These diverse narratives highlight a pervasive challenge: the social tendency to let a single label define an individual’s entire life and capability.

To challenge these stereotypes, their discussions addressed core questions surrounding work, family, and identity – How does motherhood intersect with professional ambition? How do grown children raised in solo-parent families reflect on their upbringing? And what structural support, choices and personal wisdom help families navigate everyday life?

Ultimately, these stories reveal a richer, more nuanced picture of modern family life of solo mothers and women in general: women building fulfilling careers while raising children, multi-generational networks sharing caregiving responsibilities, adults drawing strength from the mothers who raised them, and individuals continuously pursuing their own ambitions.

Portraits of 20 people connected to solo motherhood

Portraits of 20 people connected to solo motherhood from the Philippines chapter now are joining the global 100 Portraits of Becoming on TECNO’s official website, where their images and stories can be explored together.

Her Many Ways of Becoming

Among the 20 participants is Ely Haig, a solo working mother, breadwinner, advertising professional and competitive amateur padel player.

Ely became a mother just as her career was taking off. For a time, she stepped back from opportunities and focused on taking care of everyone around her. Later, she found a different kind of diskarte: knowing what matters to her, then finding ways to make room for her career, her daughter, side projects and padel.

“Being a good mother shouldn’t mean leaving yourself behind,” said Ely. “I want people to see more than a solo mom. A mother, yes, but also a creative, a career woman, an athlete, still becoming.”

The Portrait of Ely Haig

Twinkle Dimayuga Zamora raised two children as a solo mother before turning her own experience into community support. She later founded MAMA, Mothers Advocating through Ministry and Action, an initiative supporting solo mothers and their children. Her diskarte is simple: ask for help, communicate openly and build a village. “Sometimes the strongest thing a mother can do is say, ‘I need help,’” she said.

The Portrait of Twinkle Dimayuga Zamora

Eunice N. Angeles, a fourth-year nursing student, was raised by a solo mother who later became an OFW in Qatar. Growing up, she watched her mother keep finding opportunities and making difficult choices to create a better future for them both. That confidence became something Eunice feels she inherited. “I want people to see what I grew up with: confidence, determination and the courage to find my own way.”

The Portrait of Eunice N. Angeles

These stories reflect different expressions of their own diskarte: the wisdom, resourcefulness and choices women draw on to navigate life in their own way. More stories from the 20 portraits can be explored in the Philippines gallery of 100 Portraits of Becoming, part of TECNO’s global story archive.

An Opportunity to See Behind the Portraits

For Angélica Dass, the Philippines chapter is an opportunity to move from a shared social context to the individual lives within it. Across the 20 portraits, she encountered different ambitions, relationships, personalities and ways of navigating everyday life.

Renowned photographer Angélica Dass captures portraits using the TECNO CAMON Slim 5G in Manila, Philippines.

“What stayed with me was the realization that ‘solo motherhood’ is only one part of a person’s identity. Through the stories shared with me and the moments we created during the portrait sessions, I was reminded that behind every label there is a person with their own ambitions, relationships, choices, and dreams. No single label can tell us everything about who someone is.”

To ground these stories in authenticity, the portraits were photographed on location across Manila in environments directly tied to each participant’s daily life—whether a workplace, a family home, or a familiar community space.

The creative approach echoes the campaign’s core philosophy: leaving space to portray work, ambition, relationships, humour and daily routines — the rich parts of everyday life that extend far beyond a single role or a single label.

From Kenya to the Philippines, and Beyond

All portraits in the Philippines were photographed by Angélica Dass using the TECNO CAMON Slim 5G, supported by TECNO Universal Tone technology.

TECNO Universal Tone was developed to more accurately represent a broad spectrum of human skin tones in mobile photography. Within 100 Portraits of Becoming, that capability supports a wider idea at the heart of the project: seeing people as they are, with greater accuracy and attention to individuality.

“What moved us about the Philippines chapter was seeing how naturally motherhood, work, ambition and personal identity can coexist in the same life,” said Jack Guo, General Manager of TECNO. “We hope technology can play a small part in helping people be seen more fully, and their stories better understood.”

The Philippines serves as the second destination of 100 Portraits of Becoming, following the project’s debut in Kenya in July 2026. Over its two-year run, the initiative aims to feature 100 portraits from different countries, creating a growing collection of personal stories, experiences, and possibilities.

While the Kenyan chapter highlighted how individuals move beyond expectations shaped by their backgrounds and perceptions of the future, the Philippine edition focuses on family, identity, and the different roles people take on. It seeks to look past initial impressions and labels to recognize each person’s individuality, relationships, and ongoing journey of self-discovery.

With the Philippines now part of the growing collection, the project will continue to introduce more portraits, stories, and perspectives on what it means to become, with additional countries set to be featured in the coming months.

For media inquiries, interested parties may reach out to [email protected]. For more information, please visit TECNO’s official site: www.tecno-mobile.com. And to learn more, please visit: https://www.tecno-mobile.com/100portraitsofbecoming/.

 

 

 

November 3, 2026 by