LOS ANGELES (AP) ― Big-voiced rocker Caleb Johnson is the season 13 “American Idol,” winning the title over teenage pop singer Jena Irene. “This is crazy,” Johnson said after host Ryan Seacrest announced the TV audience’s decision on Wednesday’s season finale of the Fox contest. Johnson, 23, of Asheville, North Carolina, and Irene, 17, of Farmington Hills, Michigan, told each other “you da bomb” before the result was revealed. Runner-up Irene is getting a consolation prize: The two competitors a

PerformanceMay 22, 2014

EXO. (SM Entertainment)SM Entertainment announced through its website on Thursday that EXO-M leader Kris will not be joining the rest of the EXO members on stage during the popular K-pop idol group’s first solo concert this weekend. The announcement came after Kris surprised the K-pop world with his lawsuit against his talent agency SM Entertainment last week.“The upcoming concert at Seoul Olympic Gymnastics Stadium on May 23-25 will be given by 11 members,” said the statement, implying that Kri

May 22, 2014

Tracey Davis always knew growing up that her father, Sammy Davis Jr., loved her and her two adopted brothers, Mark and Jeff.But the legendary performer and member of the Rat Pack “was married to his work. He wanted a family. But he didn’t know how to prioritize family because work was his passion. I am not saying that he didn’t love us, but work was his driving force.”She admitted that he often didn’t know her phone number. And he didn’t even attend her college graduation. But their relationship

CultureMay 22, 2014

One does not casually read “Beowulf.” It takes commitment. It also takes a good translation, and few were better at that than Oxford don J.R.R. Tolkien, better known now as the author of “The Lord of the Rings” trilogy.His son, Christopher, has finally, and reluctantly, published Tolkien’s version of “Beowulf.” As he says in his prologue, his father wrote the translation in 1926 before he went to Oxford as professor of Anglo-Saxon. He would continue to study the poem for decades and lecture on i

CultureMay 22, 2014

Enduring CourageBy Tish Wells(St. Martin’s Press)In “Enduring Courage” John F. Ross aims to revive the memory of World War I flying ace Eddie Rickenbacker, who was also an early racecar driver of renown, and the creator of now-defunct Eastern Air Lines.“I spent a lot of time reading about Eddie Rickenbacker, his buddies, the kids, the flyboys,” said Ross at a book gathering, “and the early American air service over northern France flying against the real pros, the Germans, the Flying Circus. You

CultureMay 22, 2014

(SM Enetertainment)K-pop boy group EXO’s Chanyeol disclosed a selfie that he took with fellow member Suho on Thursday to celebrate Suho’s 24th birthday. “My love, brother, happy birthday,” Chanyeol wrote on Instagram.Tao also wished him a happy birthday by posting the team leader’s photo on his Instagram, saying “Happy birthday to our mom. I love you, our leader and mommy.” Meanwhile, the rookie idol group’s exclusive concert “EXO from EXO planet” is to be held from Friday to Sunday at the Olymp

May 22, 2014

(Kellogg)Korean singer Son Dam-bi takes part in a photo shoot for Kellogg’s Special K promotion. The new advertisement will be available next month.(khnews@heraldcorp.com)

May 22, 2014

Actress Ha Ji-won is in talks with Twentieth Century Fox about her debut in a Hollywood film, Ha’s agency Sun and Moon Entertainment confirmed on Thursday. “(Ha) did have a meeting with Twentieth Century Fox, but we cannot disclose the details,” the agency told Yonhap. Actress Ha Ji-won in historical romance "Hwang Jini (2006)." (MBC)Ha, 36, met with Jeffrey Godsick, the president of the big-name Hollywood studio, on May 14 in Los Angeles. Ha’s agency and Godsick had a rough discussion over Ha’s

May 22, 2014

Korean actor Jang Geun-suk is to release an album in Japan under a project named “Team-H” in June.According to the agency, Team-H will release his first single album “Take Me” on June 25. He will release his third full album, “Driving to the Highway,” on July 9.Local reports said that the two albums would be sold throughout Asia, except Korea. Jang Geun-suk is to start his Asia tour starting this month, visiting about eight countries.Jang Geun-suk had released several records including the singl

May 22, 2014

Korean actress Jeon Do-yeon’s detailed fashion style is alluring fans during the Cannes Film Festival in France. (AP-Yonhap)Jeon, the first-ever Korean jury member of the world‘s prestigious film event, showed off a heart-shaped bracelet Tuesday.The simply designed accessory with a red line is said to be a Cartier product that costs about 700,000 won ($680). (Newsen capture)Its sophisticated design added to the urban style of her short yellow dress and matching red manicure. The bracelet is one

May 22, 2014

Korean girl group After School’s Yui showed off her healthy summer look in CeCi magazine. In the pictures, the K-pop singer and actress shows her feminine and playful side under the bright sun. By Cho Han-na, Intern reporter (hnncho@heraldcorp.com)(Photo credit: CeCi)

May 22, 2014

K-pop girl group After School’s Nana poses in stylish suits and medium long dresses for a fashion magazine. The photo shoot was done at Seoul landmarks including Deoksugung Palace, Cheonggyecheon and the National Museum of Contemporary Art.By Cho Han-na, Intern reporter (hnncho@heraldcorp.com)(Photo Credit: Allure)

May 22, 2014

The Seoul High Court ruled Wednesday that DSP Media, K-pop girl group Kara’s agency, must compensate the Seoul-based apparel company Real Company, which claimed it suffered a serious toll due to the cancellation of the contract between Kara and the agency. According to the court decision, DSP Media must pay Real Company 50 million won ($48,800) as Kara failed to maintain the dignity needed to carry out the TV commercial shooting agreed to between the clothing company and Kara’s agency in 2011. T

May 22, 2014

Billboard, the renowned American music magazine, has made a list of the five must-watch videos of K-pop girl group 2NE1 in celebration of the quartet’s fifth anniversary.2NE1’s signature song “I Am the Best,” released in 2011 and viewed more than 90 million times on YouTube, was crowned the best music video of the group. “Missing You” was ranked No. 2, followed by “Can’t Nobody,” “Do You Love Me” and “Fire.”The U.S. magazine lauded 2NE1’s high-quality tunes and videos featuring incredible visual

May 22, 2014

At 91 years of age, legendary Israeli violinist Ivry Gitlis shows no signs of retiring his bow as he has returned to Korea after two decades to perform a special solo concert in Seoul and to conduct two master violin classes. “I don’t remember exactly when it was (when I was last in Korea), but it was anyways the last century,” said Gitlis during a press conference held in Jung-gu on Wednesday. In his nearly nine-decade-long affair with the violin, Gitlis has become one of the most highly decora

PerformanceMay 21, 2014

Violinist Chung Kyung-wha has never felt so good in recent years. With her fingers fully recovered from what was once thought a career-killing injury, she practices for hours a day again, plans concerts around the world and, most importantly, is dreaming again. “It feels so good. My fingers have never been in such good condition before,” Chung said at her home at the foot of Mount Bukhansan, northern Seoul, on Wednesday. A world-acclaimed violinist and sister of conductor Chung Myung-whun and ce

PerformanceMay 21, 2014

The long, turquoise blue dress of Queen Elsa from the movie “Frozen” seems to be the hottest fashion item among kindergarteners in Korea, months after the film finished its wildly successful run here.But few know that the shimmer and glitter of the famous gown is the work of a young Korean artist, who, many years back, was just a typical Korean teenager playing the computer game StarCraft for hours on end. “It took one and a half years just to complete (the effects on) the dress,” Yoo Jae-hyun,

FilmMay 21, 2014

Berlin (AFP) ― David Bowie’s richly creative years in gritty 1970s Berlin, where he made his iconic “Heroes” album, are explored in a new exhibition expanding on last year’s hit London show. Handwritten lyrics with words crossed out for the title track about a couple meeting at the Berlin Wall, a letter he wrote to Marlene Dietrich, and the painting he did that helped him kick a drug habit ― are among some 60 additional items in the Berlin show that reveal the seminal period Bowie spent in the d

PerformanceMay 21, 2014