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Coronavirus round-up: from K-pop concert cancellations and Korean celebrity handouts, to immunity-boosting health foods and WeChat shopping

The coronavirus pandemic show no sign of slowing down soon – catch up on the latest news here. Photo: AP

The Covid-19 outbreak has pushed many cities across the world into lockdown, and led to the enforcement of quarantines – resulting in reduced social events, gatherings and disrupted daily routines. The novel coronavirus continues to have a serious impact on numerous industries worldwide, from luxury to hospitality to entertainment. Here, we review essential news you need to know about Covid-19, from topics on how to strengthen your immunity system, to where to visit after the epidemic is over.

How Parasite ram-don is helping to ease the coronavirus quarantine blues

Celebrities and luxury brands join forces to help fight the pandemic

Son Ye-jin of Crash Landing on You is one of the South Korean celebrities to donate to the Coronavirus victims. Photo: @yejinhand/Instagram
Fan Bingbing is one of the Chinese celebrities to donate to the Coronavirus victims. Photo: @bingbing_fan/Instagram
South Korean celebrities including Suga from BTS, Son Ye-jin of Crash Landing on You , Parasite director Bong Joon-ho and Red Velvet’s Irene; as well as Chinese stars, Fan Bingbing, Louis Koo, Barbie Hsu, Angelababy and others stepped up by donating to the victims of the pandemic.

Which K-pop and K-drama stars donated to fight the coronavirus?

LVMH, parent group of French luxury house Louis Vuitton, is one of the conglomerates that donated to coronavirus victims. Photo: Bloomberg
The global market, especially the luxury retail industry, has been drastically affected. In mid-January, luxury conglomerates such as French luxury goods groups LVMH, Kering and Hermès, Swiss luxury enterprise Richemont, Chinese groups Wanda and Alibaba and beauty groups and Estée Lauder also dug deep to show their support.

South Korean stars postponed and cancelled events

K-pop band Super Junior cancelled two concerts amid the coronavirus distress. Photo: @bts.bighitofficial/Instagram

K-pop boy group Super Junior called off two concerts scheduled for February 4, which were supposed to mark the launch of their ninth album. BTS has also cancelled four concerts scheduled for April 11-12 and 18-19 in Seoul, as part of its world Map of the Soul tour. Meanwhile, boy groups SF9 cancelled a fan meeting in Qingdo, China on March 14 and NCT Dream has postponed concerts that were scheduled for February 7 and 8 in Macau.

Coronavirus and K-pop: RM of BTS ‘raged’ when gigs in Seoul were cancelled

Chinese luxury brands embrace technology

To win over Chinese consumers, brands need to engage with them via mobile apps, especially WeChat. Photo: EPA-EFE

With the help of technology, we can virtually connect with others, without interacting in real-life, thus reducing the chance of getting infected. To continue reaching Chinese consumers, luxury brands embraced several digital methods: live streaming and AI technology in WeChat, which is the ultimate packaged application that amalgamates communication, entertainment and payment all in one, to engage with their followers and consumers from a virtual space.

How luxury brands are adapting to post-coronavirus China

Healthy foods that boost the immune system

 

With so many options to choose from, what types of food are best to keep you healthy during flu and virus season? Go for food sources that include selenium, a mineral and an antioxidant that helps maintain a healthy immune system, which can be found in seafood, beef and plant-based sources. For vegetables and fruits, treat yourself to some Vitamin C, found in broccoli, kale, kiwis and strawberries. For the full list of nourishment, click on the link below:

9 foods to help you defy flu in cold weather

Post-coronavirus top travel locations in Philippines

 
Nobody knows when the nightmare will end, but for when it does, we’ve summed up five locations in the Philippines that are dream-worthy for solo travellers. For nature, island hopping and blazing parties, head to the islands of Palawan, Bohol, Borocay and Sagada, for an all-island experience. If you prefer pulsating city life, visit Manilla, where historical colonial establishments and modern districts are present.

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As the Covid-19 virus intensifies across the globe, check STYLE’s wrap of the best-read stories and most important prevention advice from the past few weeks