Stronger after touch-up criticism, Jessica Gomes tackles ‘Dancing with the Stars’ Sports Illustrated Swimsuit model Jessica Gomes is out to prove she can dance. “I know that I have rhythm,” the 26-year-old told The Korea Herald. Having racked up experience as a gymnast for five years, Gomes says she mastered her groove as a teen doing hip hop routines in fashion parades but up until now has be...

Natalie Portman poses backstage with the Oscar for best performance by an actress in a leading role for "Black Swan" at the 83rd Academy Awards. (AP-Yonhap News) LOS ANGELES, June 15, 2011 (AFP) - Actress Natalie Portman, who in February won an Oscar for her lead performance in the ballet-themed thriller "Black Swan," has capped off her banner year with the birth of a son, US media reported Wedn...

Donga TV held a charity classical music concert for multicultural families at the Center for Gangnam-gu Residents in southern Seoul on Monday. The second “Classical Music Night with Love and Sharing” concert aimed at promoting the School of Global Sarang, a new international elementary school established in March in Oryu-dong for multilingual and multicultural education. It is open to children f...

Construction starts at ex-military spy agency near Cheong Wa Dae National Museum of Contemporary Art held the groundbreaking ceremony on Wednesday for its Seoul branch which will be built at Sogyeok-dong, central Seoul. About 600 cultural figures including Culture Minister Choung Byoung-gug, MOCA Director Bae Soon-hoon, and Cultural Heritage Administration Administrator Choi Kwang-shik attended...

Indie pop duo to play Olympic Hall on July 16 While idol group-centered K-pop has been heavily covered by the media, the Korean indie music scene has received relatively little attention. Seeking diversity of Korean music, The Korea Herald is starting a series of interview articles shedding light on the Korean indie music scene. ― Ed. The 1990s is often called “golden age of Korean pop” because...

Hugh Hefner, left, and Crystal Harris at the premiere of "Iron Man 2" at the El Capitan Theatre in Los Angeles. (AP-Yonhap News) CHICAGO (AP) _ Playboy magazine founder Hugh Hefner says his fiancee has called off their wedding. The 85-year-old Hefner says in a Tuesday message on Chicago-based Playboy's official Twitter feed that 24-year-old Crystal Harris has ``had a change of heart.'' Hefner ...

LONDON (AP) _ Arnold Schwarzenegger's former housekeeper has spoken out about having a child with the ex-governor, saying her son Joseph only learned about a year ago who his father was. Mildred Baena has kept a low profile since the revelations of her affair with the former California governor sparked a tabloid frenzy. The scandal exploded into public view after Schwarzenegger and wife Maria S...

The National Theater of Korea will stage “Kim Hong-do,” an original musical including Korean traditional music, songs and dance, as the new “Nation Brand” performance next month. The musical will be staged from July 8-16 at NTOK’s Haeoreum Theater in Jangchung-dong, central Seoul. It is a fantasy story about two young men’s journey into the paintings by the legendary Joseon-period painter Kim Ho...

‘Madame Butterfly’ and ‘Gianni Schicchi’ to be staged at Sejong Center Two Puccini operas, quite different in scale and target audience, are expected to amuse both opera lovers and newcomers this summer. For the first time in 21 years, the Korea Opera Group will present “Madame Butterfly,” one of the three best-known Puccini operas, from June 24-26 at the Grand Theater of the Sejong Center for ...

World-famous actor Al Pacino, 71, appeared on the red carpet with a woman on his arm Sunday night at Tony Awards. His new girlfriend, Argentinean actress Lucila Sola, is 40 years younger than Pacino. Al Pacino and his girlfriend on the red carpet at Tony Award. (AP) After relationships with celebrities including Diane Keaton and Tuesday Weld, fans are envious and curious about the secret of Al...

English speakers favor Super Junior, French and Spanish are Big Bang fans Korean pop, or K-pop, is driving the Korean Wave abroad and Asian women in their 20s make up the majority of overseas hallyu fans, a survey found on Monday. The Korea Tourism Organization conducted the online hallyu survey on 12,085 non-Korean visitors from 102 countries to its website (www.visitkorea.or.kr) from May 11 t...

American director’s documentary film shows brutal suffering of N. Korean civilians and refugees These 12 stories are hard to believe, heartbreaking and horrifying. American director N.C. Heikin’s documentary, “Kimjongilia” is a piece of cinematic work devoted to telling the stories of survivors of North Korea and its regime. The movie’s title, “Kimjongilia,” refers to a hybrid red begonia that ...

South Korean animator Choi Jong-il knew he had a hit on his hands when Pororo the penguin hopped onto TV screens back in 2003. Choi’s previous creations had failed to grab the undivided attention of his 6-year-old son and his son’s friends. That all changed when the mischievous but affectionate blue and white penguin, sporting aviator glasses and a flying helmet, made his debut. “The kids’ eye...