Rain (entertainer) facts for kids

Quick facts for kids Rain
비
Rain in September 2024
Born	Jung Ji-hoon (1982-06-25) June 25, 1982 (age 43) Seosan, South Korea
Other names	Bi Rain B.Ryong
Occupation	Singer songwriter dancer record producer actor
Years active	1998–2000 2002–present
Agent	Sublime
Spouse(s)	Kim Tae-hee ​ (m. 2017)​
Children	2
Musical career
Also known as	Bi
Genres	K-pop R&B
Instruments	Vocals piano guitar
Labels	JYP J. Tune WME Cube R.A.I.N. Company
Associated acts	FanClub MBLAQ JYP JYP Nation SSAK3 Ciipher
Korean name
Hangul	정지훈
Hanja	鄭智薰
Revised Romanization	Jeong Jihun
McCune–Reischauer	Chŏng Chihun
Stage name
Hangul	비
Revised Romanization	Bi
McCune–Reischauer	Pi
Signature

Jung Ji-hoon (Hangul: 정지훈), famous as Rain or Bi Rain, is a South Korean singer, songwriter, dancer, actor, and producer. He was born on June 25, 1982. Rain has released seven music albums and many singles. He has also performed in concerts all over the world.

Rain became very popular with his third Korean album, It's Raining (2004). The album sold over 200,000 copies in South Korea. It also sold one million copies across Asia. This made Rain an international star.

He started acting in 2003 in the drama Sang Doo! Let's Go To School. His role in the hit drama Full House (2004) made him a huge star in Asia. In 2008, Rain acted in his first Hollywood movie, Speed Racer. He then starred in Ninja Assassin (2009). For this role, he became the first Korean to win an MTV Movie Award. Rain has also started his own entertainment companies.

Rain has won many awards for his music and acting. These include six Mnet Asian Music Awards. He was also named one of Time magazine's 100 most influential people in the world in 2006 and 2011.

Early Life and First Steps

Rain was born Jung Ji-hoon on June 25, 1982, in Seosan, South Korea. His mother passed away in December 2000. Around the same time, Rain became a trainee at JYP Entertainment. This company was led by the famous artist and producer Park Jin-young.

Rain shared in interviews that he was often turned down because of his looks. He was told his singing and dancing were great, but he didn't have "double eyelids." This is a common beauty standard in some parts of Asia. However, Park Jin-young saw Rain's strong will and determination. So, he was finally accepted into JYP Entertainment. In his early training days, Rain worked as a backup dancer for other artists.

Rain's Music Journey

Early Music Career: 1998–2006

Rain performing in 2005.

When he was 16, Rain joined a boy band called Fanclub. The group released two albums, but they were not very successful. On May 13, 2002, Jung started his solo career. He released his first album, Bad Guy. This is when he began using his stage name, Rain. Two songs from the album, "Bad Guy" and "Handshake," became popular.

After his first album's success, Rain released his second album, How to Avoid the Sun, in October 2003. The main song, "Ways to Avoid the Sun", was also a big hit. From 2002 to 2003, he also hosted KBS's music show Music Bank.

Rain's third album, It's Raining, came out in October 2004. This album made him even more popular across Asia. To support the album, Rain went on his first tour, the Rainy Day Tour. He performed 14 concerts in 8 countries. The album sold over a million copies in Asia. This made Rain one of the top music stars in the region.

Becoming a World Star: 2006–2012

Rain in Bangkok, 2007

In February 2006, Rain held a two-day concert in New York City. This was part of his Rainy Day Tour. It was the biggest concert by a Korean artist in the city at that time. Over 10,000 people attended, and tickets sold out quickly. Other famous artists like P. Diddy and Omarion also appeared.

In April 2006, Time magazine named Rain one of the "100 Most Influential People in the World." He released his first Japanese album, Eternal Rain, in September 2006. It reached number 14 on the Japanese music charts.

Rain then released his fourth Korean album, Rain's World, in October 2006. It was one of the best-selling albums in South Korea that year. He held a free concert for 40,000 fans at the Seoul World Cup Stadium. After that, he started his second world tour, the Rain's Coming World Tour. This tour went through Asia, Australia, the United States, and Canada.

In April 2007, Rain won Time Magazine's online poll for most influential people. He also made it onto People's list of the "Most Beautiful People" in 2007. In May 2007, Rain was the first Korean artist to perform at the Tokyo Dome. Nearly 40,000 people came to this concert. Later that year, Rain started his own company, J. Tune Entertainment. He still worked closely with his mentor, Park Jin-young.

Rain at a concert in Malaysia, 2011

In January 2008, Rain sang the theme song for the 2008 Beijing Olympic Games, called "Hand in Hand." He also performed at the closing ceremony in August. In October 2008, Rain released his fifth Korean album, Rainism. It included the hit song "Love Story." He went on his third concert tour, The Legend of Rainism Tour, in 2009.

In April 2010, Rain released a mini-album called Back to the Basic. It featured the songs "Love Song" and "Hip Song." Rain topped the Time 100 reader's poll again. In 2011, Rain was at the top of the Time 100 poll for the third time. Before his required military service, Rain went on a farewell tour called The Best Show Tour.

Recent Music: 2013–Present

In September 2013, Rain signed with Cube DC, a part of Cube Entertainment. He then went on his first tour since leaving the military, the 2013 Zepp Tour in Japan. He also had his first fan meeting in Seoul.

Rain starred in a reality show called Rain Effect in December 2013. This show was a preview for his new album, Rain Effect, released in January 2014. In September 2015, Rain decided not to renew his contract with Cube Entertainment. He then created his own company, R.A.I.N. Company, in October.

Rain performing during The Squall World Tour in Shenzhen, 2015

From late 2015 to 2016, Rain went on his second world tour, The Squall World Tour. In 2017, he released the single "The Best Present," produced by the famous artist Psy. Rain also appeared as a mentor on the TV show The Unit. In December 2017, Rain released his mini-album, My Life.

In May 2020, Rain's 2017 song "Gang" became very popular online in South Korea. This happened after a high school student's parody video went viral. Rain handled this new fame with humor, which made the song even more popular. An official remix of "Gang" was released and topped music charts.

Rain joined the reality show I-Land as a judge and mentor in June 2020. In the summer of 2020, Rain formed a group called SSAK3 with Yoo Jae-suk and Lee Hyori. Their song "Beach Again" was a huge hit, topping charts for five weeks. In December 2020, Rain was named one of the "2020 Visionary" figures for his work in Korean pop culture.

Rain released a new album in 2021. He worked with his mentor Park Jin-young on the song "Switch To Me." He also collaborated with Chungha on "Why Don't We." His new EP, Pieces by Rain, came out in March 2021.

Acting on Screen

First Acting Roles: 2003–2006

Rain first appeared on TV in the KBS drama Sang Doo! Let's Go To School (2003). The show was popular, and he won an award for Most Popular TV Actor. In 2004, Rain's fame grew even more when he starred in the romantic comedy Full House. This show was a huge hit across Asia and made Rain a major Hallyu star. He won the Best Actor award for his role.

Rain then acted in the drama A Love to Kill. In 2006, he made his first movie appearance in the romantic comedy I'm a Cyborg, But That's OK. This film won an award at the Berlin International Film Festival. Rain also won the Best New Actor award for his performance.

Hollywood and Beyond: 2008–Present

In 2008, Rain acted in his first English-language film, Speed Racer. He played the character Taejo Togokahn. He then took on the main role in Ninja Assassin (2009) as Raizo. For this movie, Rain trained for six hours a day for six months.

Rain at the premiere for Hot Young Bloods in January 2014

In 2010, Rain returned to TV in the action drama The Fugitive: Plan B. He played a clever private investigator. This was followed by a leading role in the aviation film R2B: Return to Base in 2012. In 2013, Rain appeared in the film The Prince alongside famous actors like Bruce Willis.

Rain returned to Korean TV in 2014 with the musical drama My Lovely Girl. He also starred in his first Chinese film, For Love or Money. In December 2014, Rain began filming his first Chinese drama, Diamond Lover. This drama was very successful, getting billions of views online. Rain then starred in the Korean drama Come Back Mister in 2016.

In March 2017, Rain was cast in the movie Uhm Bok-dong. This film is based on a true story about a cyclist hero during Japanese colonial rule. In 2018, Rain played a detective in the drama Sketch. In 2019, he starred in Welcome 2 Life. In 2022, Rain acted in the TVN drama Ghost Doctor with Kim Bum.

Rain's Style and Influence

Music Style

Rain's singing and dancing have been inspired by artists like Michael Jackson, Usher, and Justin Timberlake.

Global Popularity

Rain is known as a "world star" because he is popular not just in South Korea and Japan, but also across Asia, Europe, and North America. His fans are in countries like China, Singapore, Thailand, Canada, and the United States. A lot of his popularity comes from his many acting roles. These include TV dramas like Full House and big Hollywood movies like Ninja Assassin.

Before acting in Speed Racer, Rain wanted to become famous outside of Asia. He said he wanted an Asian artist to succeed in the U.S. market. Because of his huge international popularity in the 2000s, he is often seen as a pioneer of the hallyu wave, which is the global spread of South Korean culture.

Rain's wide appeal has made him one of Korea's highest-paid celebrities for endorsements. He has promoted many brands like Hyundai, Pizza Hut, and Pepsi. He even made songs for some of these deals. Rain is also seen as a "cultural ambassador" for South Korea. He has represented his country at Asian music events. He has even appeared in a Thai textbook.

Other Projects and Contributions

Six to Five Clothing Line

Six to Five was Rain's first clothing line. Becoming a fashion designer was one of his dreams. It launched in December 2008 with a special fashion show and concert. Rain designed and modeled the clothes himself. The name "Six To Five" means having an extra sense beyond the usual five. It also relates to his birth date, June 25. The clothing line closed by the end of 2010.

J. Tune Entertainment

In November 2007, Rain announced he had left JYP Entertainment. He started his own company, J. Tune Entertainment. He was the CEO but stayed in touch with his mentor, Park Jin-young. J. Tune Entertainment's company, J. Tune Camp, launched the boy group MBLAQ in October 2009. Rain helped MBLAQ with their music, writing, producing, and dance routines.

In December 2010, J. Tune Entertainment merged with JYP Entertainment. JYP Entertainment became the main owner of J. Tune Entertainment. This was a partnership between the two companies.

R.A.I.N. Company

On September 7, 2015, Rain announced he would not renew his contract with Cube Entertainment. He then created his own one-man agency, R.A.I.N. Company. His activities in China are managed by H Entertainment. His American agency is WME. His music is handled by his long-time manager, Kim Yong Bae. His acting is managed by Park Jong Sun.

In December 2020, Rain announced he would debut a new boy group called Ciipher in 2021. Rain personally chose the seven trainees for the group. Many of them had been on survival shows before.

Helping Others

From 2005 to 2007, Rain gave money to build 50 drinking water wells and playgrounds in Cambodia. He also supported causes for children. He participated in a photography exhibition to help find adoptive parents for children. He donated part of his concert money to children orphaned by AIDS. He also joined a campaign to help find missing children. Because of his work, he was named a World Vision HIV/AIDS Ambassador.

Rain has also supported environmental protection. In 2008, he volunteered to help clean up an oil spill in Taean. He also donated money for clean water and clothes for the people there. He has performed at many concerts for charity. On Children's Day in May 2022, Rain donated 100 million won to the G-Foundation.

Personal Life

Military Service

Rain completed his required military service from October 2011 to July 2013. He was named the top marksman in his boot camp. He was also chosen as an assistant instructor. He became a promotional ambassador for the Military Manpower Administration. He appeared in a documentary about the defense industry.

Marriage and Family

In January 2013, Rain confirmed he was dating actress Kim Tae-hee. This led to an investigation into whether his dating broke military rules during his service. In 2014, he was baptized as a Catholic, the same religion as his wife. The couple married on January 19, 2017, after dating for five years.

Kim Tae-hee gave birth to their first child on October 25, 2017. Their second child was born on September 19, 2019.

Music Albums

• Bad Guy (2002)
• How to Avoid the Sun (2003)
• It's Raining (2004)
• Eternal Rain (2006)
• Rain's World (2006)
• Rainism (2008)
• Rain Effect (2014)

Concert Tours

World Tours

• Rainy Day Tour (2005–2006)
• Rain's Coming World Tour (2006–2007)
• Legend of Rainism Tour (2009–2010)

Asia Tours

• Rain Loves Japan Zepp Tour (2010)
• The Best Show Tour (2011)
• Story of Rain: 2013 Rain Zepp Tour (2013)
• Rain Effect China Concert Series (2014)
• The Squall World Tour (2015–2016)

Film and TV Shows

Movies

Television Series

Web Series

Television Shows

Documentaries and Specials

Awards and Recognitions

Images for kids

• 

  Rain's signature

See Also

In Spanish: Rain (cantante) para niños