Ren returns to america after an absence of practically 15 years, and he’s very completely satisfied about it.
Earlier than there was Ok-Pop Heavy hitters like BTS -And a member Jung Kook takes over TODAY Square — Pink black, twice, Seraphim And Seventeen, amongst others, Rain was the Ok-pop sensation who paved the best way for the South Korean style.
Rain, whose actual title is Jung Ji Hoon, has been making music since he was 16 years outdated, along with starring in hit Korean dramas and movies like “Alongside With the Gods” and “The Final 49 Days.” Now, the 41-year-old singer is celebrating his decades-long profession by sharing his music with American followers all through his “Nonetheless Raining” tour.
“I am so excited,” Ryan says in English over Zoom, earlier than talking in Korean with a translator. “I missed my followers within the US… I am actually completely satisfied to have the ability to carry out once more. Ok-pop has grow to be a world style.
From Jung Ji Hoon, to the fan membership, to Rain
Ren was born in Seosan, South Korea, and Ren’s given title is Jung Ji Hoon. The artist started his profession in 1998 as a part of the boy band Fanclub. When the group didn’t obtain business success, he started his solo profession.
He mentioned that the title Rain was given to him by his producer, JY Park, founding father of JYP Leisure.
“It had two sorts of meanings, as a result of in Korean it means precipitation – like water and rain,” he explains. “However it additionally has the which means of ‘there was one thing unhappy’.” “It has a which means of unhappiness.”
“And he informed me that the best way she danced regarded unhappy, so it had a double which means,” he continues. “However then I used it as a correct noun so individuals might bear in mind me each time it rained and consider me, and bear in mind me when it rained.”
Rain’s breakthrough occurred along with his third studio album “It is Raining”. Launched in 2004, the album and its title observe turned a world success, even gaining recognition in america
By 2006, he was included in Time’s 100 Most Influential Folks, and he reappeared on the record in 2011.
Ok-pop is not the place it appears to be proper now, however one might say that Rain is the Ok-pop act to know. painting He even described him as a “pioneer of the Hallyu wave,” a reputation used to explain the rising worldwide curiosity in Korean widespread tradition. His necessary army service in 2011 was additionally coated by magazinea long time earlier than consideration Special service for BTS members.
Other than his music and dance strikes, his position within the 2004 Asian drama “Full Home” made him a TV star and cemented his title as a triple menace. Then there have been his crossovers with appearances in Hollywood movies like “Velocity Racer,” “Ninja Murderer” and “The Prince” starring Bruce Willis and John Cusack.
Constructing a household
Amidst Ryan’s thriving profession and gaining stardom, he additionally fell in love. The artist retains his private life comparatively non-public, hardly ever sharing pictures of his spouse, actor Kim Tae Hee, or their 6-year-old and 4-year-old daughters.
Rain and Tae-hee began relationship in 2013. Throughout an episode of his internet selection present “Season B Season” in 2020, he shared the way it “took one yr” for his spouse to fall in love with him.
“I requested her out first, and it took a very long time for her to say sure,” he mentioned. Soompi. “It took one yr.”
Rin and Tae-hee will go on to marry on January 19, 2017, the place they may maintain a small wedding ceremony ceremony in a Catholic church, based on Soompi. They welcomed their first little one, a daughter, in October of that yr.
The couple are additionally mother and father to a second daughter, whom they welcomed in September 2019. They haven’t but shared the names of their daughters.
Whereas preserving their youngsters out of the general public eye, Rain and Tae Hee have labored collectively on numerous tasks. The couple has been in commercials collectively the cloud And therapeutic massage chair model Personal friendTo point out their love for one another.
Reconnecting along with his followers
In simply weeks, Rain will deliver his “Nonetheless Raining” tour to the US. This will likely be his first tour since 2016, and his first performances to American audiences in 15 years.
“I’m getting ready laborious for this upcoming live performance and my music will likely be a mixture of outdated and widespread music, so (followers) will have the ability to get pleasure from it loads,” he says. One other distinctive level is that I will likely be singing different artists’ songs for the primary time.
The reveals will final greater than two hours and “include lots of thrilling photographs and lots of songs and dances,” Ren mentioned. Amongst these songs are songs by Bruno Mars and the Korean pop group NewJeans.
The concert events are described as a “mixture of vibrant beats, enchanting melodies, and dazzling visuals”, which can depart long-time followers feeling nostalgic, whereas additionally being an entertaining introduction for brand spanking new followers.
“I simply wish to bear in mind the reminiscences I shared with my followers prior to now,” he continues. “I wish to play music once more. I simply wish to get pleasure from this stage with my followers.”
What’s subsequent for rain?
“Ok-Pop is so big globally now,” Ryan mentioned. “It is actually laborious to work with all of the dance teams too. They’ve grow to be celebrities themselves.”
With social media platforms connecting individuals all over the world, Ryan believes his early songs might have gone viral.
“I’ve a tune referred to as Rainism, and if Rainism had been launched at present, I feel it could have gone viral on TikTok, Reels, and Instagram,” he mentioned. “Folks will have the ability to sing and dance alongside.”
Followers can have loads of alternatives to create dance challenges on social media. Rain says he has a brand new album he is engaged on and hopes to launch it in March.
He mentioned: “It is very straightforward to hearken to African rhythm songs and music. I am going to shake my ass loads.”
Recalling his breakout position in Full Home, he jokes that he is “too outdated” for romantic comedies — regardless of being informed he is positively not.
The 2004 rom-com sequence follows an aspiring screenwriter whose pals trick her into considering she’s received a trip and secretly promote her home, referred to as the “Full Home.” Throughout her journey, she meets a well-known actor, performed by Ryan, and so they grow to be pleasant.
Nonetheless, when she returned residence, she found that she was now homeless and that he had purchased her home. A love story ensues.
Nowadays, he says, “If I had been to behave once more, I wish to be in motion movies or thrillers, or very emotional characters. I wish to play these deep characters.
Evidently he’ll combine romance and suspense in his upcoming drama “Pink Swan,” the place he’ll play the position of a bodyguard for a rich household. “I am wanting ahead to it,” he mentioned.
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