Rain | |
---|---|
At the Time 100 Gala, 2011
|
|
Native name | 정지훈 |
Born |
Jung Ji Hoon June 25, 1982 Seosan, South Chungcheong Province, South Korea |
Residence | Seoul, South Korea |
Occupation | |
Years active | 2002–present |
Spouse(s) | Kim Tae-hee (m. 2017) |
Musical career | |
Also known as | Rain/Bi |
Genres | |
Instruments | |
Labels |
|
Associated acts | |
Website |
raincompany www |
Rain | |
Hangul | |
---|---|
Hanja | |
Revised Romanization | Jeong Ji-hun |
McCune–Reischauer | Chŏng Chihun |
Stage name | |
Hangul | 비 |
Revised Romanization | Bi |
McCune–Reischauer | Pi |
J. Tune Entertainment (2007–2011) William Morris Endeavor (2009–present) Cube Entertainment (2013–2015)
Jung Ji-hoon (Hangul: 정지훈; Hanja: 鄭智薰, born June 25, 1982), better known by his stage name Rain, is a South Korean singer-songwriter, actor, and music producer.
Rain's musical career includes seven albums (six Korean, one Japanese), 28 singles and numerous concert tours around the world. He first achieved breakthrough success with his third Korean album, It's Raining (2004), which spawned the number one single of the same name. The album sold a million copies in Asia, and established Rain as an international star.
Rain made his acting debut in the 2003 drama Sang Doo! Let's Go To School. His lead role in the pan-Asia hit drama Full House (2004) established his status as a Hallyu star. In 2008, Rain made his Hollywood debut in the film Speed Racer and starred in Ninja Assassin (2009), the latter of which made him the first Korean to win an MTV award.
In 2015, Rain set up his own company, R.A.I.N. Company.
Rain lost his mother as she struggled with diabetes and died in December 2000. Within that same year, Rain was recruited as a trainee for JYP Entertainment, led by recording artist and producer Park Jin-young. In a CNN interview and also in a Discovery Channel documentary called Discovering Hip Korea, 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 did not make it because I did not have double eyelids." However, he finally got in as producer Park Jin-young saw his drive and persistence. During the early years of training, Rain was a backup dancer.