Rain

RainRain (Real name: Jeong Ji-hoon [???], born 25 June 1982) is a male Korean pop singer, dancer, model, and actor. As the word for “rain” is different in many languages, he is known by a variety of names. In Europe and the US, he is known by the English word Rain. He is known in Korea as ?, romanized as Bi (pronounced /bi?/).

Rain was born in Seoul. He became interested in R&B and Hiphop dancing in the 6th grade. As an adolescent, he was a member of a boy band called Fanclub. The group was short-lived, and soon disbanded. Rain then began auditioning for various talent agencies. In a CNN interview, however, he recalled being repeatedly rejected because of his looks: “In fact, I was told after one audition that my singing and dancing was great but I didn’t make it because I didn’t have double eyelids.” Finally, Rain entered an audition for Korean talent agency JYP Entertainment. Park Jin Young, the CEO of the agency, took a personal interest in Rain and accepted him as a trainee. During the early years of training, Rain was a backup dancer.

In 2002 he debuted with the album Bad Guy where he was introduced to the media through his stage name, Rain. The album’s title single Bad Guy was a hit. After his first album, he took time off from his career as a singer to star in the drama series, Sang Doo! Let’s Go To School. Following the success of his debut as singer and actor, Rain released his second album How to Avoid The Sun, and had another hit with the title song “Ways to Avoid the Sun.”

His third album It’s Raining sold over 1 million copies in Asia. According to a report by Rain’s previous agency JYP Ent. to the Korea Culture & Content Agency, It’s Raining topped the charts in all of the following countries as of December 29th, 2005: Japan (100,000 copies), China (500,000 copies), Taiwan (70,000 copies), Thailand (150,000 copies), Indonesia (50,000 copies), and South Korea (154,000 copies), for a combined total of 1,074,000 units sold, making it Rain’s most successful album to date both domestically and internationally. His first concert, Rainy Day, held in Korea and Japan, was sold out the first day tickets became available.

Rain’s fourth album, Rain’s World was released in Korea on October 14, 2006.

His Rain’s Coming Tour began on December 15, 2006 at Jamsil Stadium in Seoul, and was scheduled to continue through 2007 to the following countries: Hong Kong, Singapore, Malaysia, Thailand, Vietnam, China, Japan, Taiwan, Australia, United States and Canada. His tour incorporated the talents of producers and stage designers (such as Jamie King and Roy Bennett) who have been involved with the concert tours of famous artists such as U2, Michael Jackson, Ricky Martin, Madonna, Britney Spears, and The Rolling Stones. Ticket sales were expected to be over US$100 million, but that never happened.

His latest concert was at the Tokyo Dome on 25 May 2007 which attracted nearly 40,000 people. The Tokyo Dome is the largest auditorium in Japan. Rain was the first Korean artist to perform at the Tokyo Dome.

Discography

N001

  • Released:
    May 13, 2002
  • Format: Cassette, CD
  • Label: Daeyoung AV
  • Producer: JYPE
  • Chart position: #9 KOR Monthly, #45 KOR Year-End (2002)
  • Sales: KOR: 143,414
  • Singles: ?? ??, ???? ???

Rain2

  • Released:
    October 16, 2003
  • Format: Cassette, CD
  • Label: Daeyoung AV
  • Producer: JYPE
  • Chart position: #6 KOR Monthly, #19 KOR Year-End (2003)
  • Sales: KOR: 166,731
  • Singles: ??? ??? ??, ?? ????? ???

It’s RAINing

  • Released:
    October 8, 2004
  • Format: Cassette, Enhanced CD
  • Label: Seoul Records
  • Producer: JYPE
  • Chart position: #3 KOR Monthly, #17 KOR Year-End (2004); #15 JPN, #489
    JPN Year-End (2005)[30]
  • Sales: KOR: 202,764,
    JPN: 26,246
  • Certification: KOR: n/a, JPN: none
  • Singles: It’s Raining, I Do

Eternal Rain

  • Released:
    September 13, 2006
  • Format: CD, CD+DVD, CD+DVD+T-shirt
  • Label: King Records
  • Chart position: #14 JPN, #573 JPN Year-End (2006)
  • Sales: JPN: 18,569
  • Certification: JPN: none
  • Singles: “Sad Tango”, “Free Way”, “Move On”

Rain’s World

  • Released:

    October
    13    , 2006
  • Format: Cassette, CD, CD+DVD, CD+DVD+Diary
  • Label: Seoul Records
  • Chart position: #1 KOR Monthly,
    #17 KOR Year-End (2006);
    #57 JPN
  • Sales: KOR: 108,179
  • Certification: KOR: n/a, JPN: none
  • Singles: I’m Coming, ?? ??? ??, With U

Rainism

  • Released:
    October 16, 2008
  • Format: CD
  • Label: J. Tune Entertainment
  • Tracks: 13
  1. “My Way (Intro)”
  2. “Rainism”
  3. “Only You”
  4. ” Love Story”
  5. “????? ?”
  6. “? ??”
  7. “You”
  8. “Fresh Woman”
  9. “? ?? (Feat. ?? A.K.A C-Luv) “
  10. “?? ??”
  11. “9? 12? (September 12)”
  12. “My Way”
  13. “Rainism Remix”
  • Singles: “Love Story”, “Rainism”, “Only You”

Rainism – Special Asian Edition

  • Released:
    December 29, 2008
  • Format: CD
  • Label: J. Tune Entertainment
  • Tracks: 17
  1. “My Way (Intro)”
  2. “Rainism”
  3. “Only You”
  4. “Love Story [0912......After]“
  5. “Love Is”
  6. “My Girl”
  7. “You”
  8. “Fresh Woman”
  9. “Better Girl (Feat. ?? A.K.A C-Luv) “
  10. “Turn Your Head”
  11. “9? 12? (September 12)”
  12. “My Way”
  13. “Rainism Remix”
  14. “Rainism (Chinese Version)”
  15. “Love Story [0912......After] (Chinese Version)”
  16. “Rainism (English Version)”
  17. “Love Story (English Version)”
  • Singles: “Love Story”, “Rainism”, “Only You”

Filmography

Television Series

  • 2002 Orange
  • 2003 Sang Doo! Let’s Go To School
  • 2004 Full House
  • 2005 A Love To Kill

Films

  • 2006: I’m a Cyborg, But That’s OK Korean title: Saibogujiman
    kwenchana     as Park Il-sun
  • 2008: Speed Racer as Taejo Togokahn
  • 2009: Ninja Assassin as Raizo