Let me just take a second to appreciate this pic. OOF. Ok, we’re good. Today’s let’s jump back to 2010, and let Rain wash over you (see what I did there?).
The man
Rain is one of K-pop’s most beloved sunbaes, and my own personal absolute bias. Proud Clouds raise your hands! In case you didn’t know, ‘clouds’ is the official fandom name.
I first saw him in a movie called ‘I’m a cyborg but that’s OK’ – sidenote, go watch that movie, it’s excellent– before I even knew who he was.
Rain’s real name is Jung Ji Hoon. He first debuted in 1998, when he was 16, as a member of the group Fanclub. He became successful after he went solo in 2002 under the stage name Rain. In 2004 he starred in the extremely successful drama ‘Full house’, which really established him as a true Hallyu star.
Before he was recruited by JYP as a trainee, he was turned down in auditions because despite his phenomenal dancing skills and excellent singing voice, they told him he would not become popular unless he got double-eyelid surgery. He never did, and everyone still thinks he’s one of the most handsome guys in K-pop anyway, so you know, HA.
The legend
He’s considered a ‘world star’, because he’s extremely popular in many countries outside of South Korea, and his Hollywood ventures helped get him known around the world. His starring role in the blockbuster ‘Ninja Assassin’, earned him the ‘Biggest Badass Award’ at the 2010 MTV Movie Awards.
It’s easy to dismiss these successes today, when Korean artists can very easily get a foothold in other Asian countries almost immediately after their debut, or even represent in worldwide music events. However if it hadn’t been for artists like Rain paving the way and establishing a solid, quality image for South Korean entertainers overseas, it wouldn’t have been quite as easy.
Today I bring you a song that you better believe I will always sing when I’m doing karaoke, and yes, that includes a poorly executed version of the choreo. This song was included in his 2010 EP ‘Back to the Basic’, and it’s called ‘Love Song’. The pained expressions! The body rolls! The shiny outfits! Seriously don’t just listen, but watch the video till the end, and thank me later 😉
