Jung Ji-hoon aka Rain has once again thrilled the audience with his fierce action avatar in Red Swan. K-drama lovers are swooning over the hot bodyguard, Seo Do-Yun, and why not? Rain is probably the biggest K-pop soloist in all of South Korea, lovingly called the country’s only ‘world star’ who has churned magic all the way to Hollywood. But beyond his singing and acting chops, Jung Ji-hoon has many interesting facets to his personality which make him the star that he is. From his early life, rise to stardom and everything in between – his journey isn’t one you should miss. Let’s take you through ten interesting facts about Jung Ji-hoon aka Rain you probably didn’t know.
In a career spanning more than two decades, Rain has produced seven albums, around 20 singles and trotted the globe on multiple world tours. If that wasn’t enough, he tried his luck with acting and landed in Hollywood ventures like Speed Racer and Ninja Assassin. And with his latest stint in Red Swan, Rain’s career has peaked to newer heights of success. Keep reading to get an up, close and personal account of his life.
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If you don’t know how Jung Ji-hoon got his stage name, let us tell you. Right before making his debut, Rain asked his producer about which stage name to use. In an interview with CNN, Hoon revealed that his producer told him he gives an ‘impression of sadness’ while dancing. “So, I decided on the character “Bi” which means sadness, as sad as rain falling,” he added. ‘Bi’ is the Korean word for rain, which Jung used as his stage name.
Shortly after losing his mother at the age of 18, Rain was picked up to train for JYP Entertainment. He began to perform as a backup dancer for several artists. After months of toiling hard in the backdrop, he finally made his singing debut with boy band Fanclub.
In the same CNN interview, Rain recalls that during his struggling days, he didn’t eat for four days because he didn’t have money. “There was also a time when I was ill, but I couldn’t go to the hospital,” he added.
He further recalls the discrimination he faced for his looks. He got rejected 12 times and was asked to fix his ‘ugly’ face with cosmetic surgery. Talking about a particular audition where his singing and acting were lauded, Rain revealed that he was still rejected for not having ‘double eyelids’.
Given how incredibly the star has risen from all these setbacks, he’s a true champion.
Another massive feat in his career, Rain was chosen to sing the theme song of the Beijing Olympic Games, Hand in Hand. Not only this, but he also even performed at the closing ceremony, singing the closing theme song Beijing, Beijing, I Love Beijing. Performing at the Olympics further bolstered his international stature.
Two years into his debut as a soloist, Jung Ji-hoon rose to international fame with his third Korean album, It’s Raining. Making him a household name in the whole of East and Southeast Asia, the album sold a million copies across the continent. The album was accompanied by Rain’s first-ever tour, Rainy Day Tour, spanning 14 concerts across eight countries. According to JYP Entertainment, the artist earned around USD 35 million from promotional activities and endorsements in 2005.
Rain entered the world of K-drama in 2003 with Sang Doo! Let’s Go To School. A fairly successful show with good ratings, it earned Rain the Most Popular TV Actor Award at the Baeksang Arts Awards the following year. Not too bad for your first acting gig, isn’t it? Nonetheless, the biggest milestone in his acting journey came in 2004, with the release of his hit romantic comedy series Full House, co-starring Song Hye-kyo. It was so popular, and everyone was singing Song Hye-kyo’s adorable Three Bears song.
After spreading his charm in South Korea, Jung Ji-hoon made a crossover to Hollywood. He moved into the Western market in 2008 with Speed Racer directed by the Wachowskis. Based on the popular manga of the same name, Speed Racer saw Rain take on the role of racer Taejo Togokahn. The following year, he worked with the Wachowskis again in Ninja Assassin, marking his first lead role in a Hollywood film. His performance was so good that he ended up winning the Biggest Badass award at the 2010 MTV Movie Awards. It made him the first-ever Korean star to win an MTV Movie Award.
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Jung Hi-hoon unfurled his entrepreneurial side by launching his own management company, J. Tune Entertainment in 2007. However, three years later it merged with Rain’s former agency JYP, mainly so that he could collaborate with his ex-manager and original mentor Park Jin Young. Later in 2020, Rain created his own one-man agency called R.A.I.N Company. Rain’s most significant milestone as a CEO was forming the boy group Ciipher from scratch, picking each member himself.
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Rain started dating K-drama actress Kim Tae Hee in 2013, finally tying the knot after four years of dating in 2017. The couple is blessed with two children: the first one was born in 2017, and the second in 2019. Luring one of South Korea’s most beautiful actresses wasn’t easy, recalls Rain. In an earlier episode of The Hungry And The Hairy, the singer recalled that he got rejected before Kim Tae Hee decided to go on a date with him. And well, the rest is history.
According to Celebrity Net Worth, Rain’s net worth is around USD 20 million. Considered a pioneer of the Hallyu wave, Rain’s international stardom has helped him earn impressive paycheques. The actor reportedly earned around USD 1 – USD 1.5 million per endorsement. He has represented a slew of notable brands like Hyundai, Lotte, Pantech, LG Electronics, SK Telecom and Pepsi. He’s hailed as South Korea’s ‘cultural ambassador’ for all the right reasons.
Lastly, the Red Swan star engages in a lot of humanitarian and philanthropic work. His charitable initiatives focus on causes like education, children’s welfare, and disaster relief. In 2022, Rain donated 100 million won to the G-Foundation Foundation of the International Organization for Development on the occasion of Children’s Day.
Which of these facts about Red Swan star Jung Ji-hoon did you find most fascinating?
(Hero and feature image credit: rain_oppa/ Instagram)
This story first appeared on Lifestyle Asia Hong Kong
K-pop star Rain's real name is Jung Ji-hoon.
Jung Ji-hoon has his own talent agency called R.A.I.N Company.
Jung Ji-hoon got his stage name Rain as a suggestion from his producer before his debut. His stage name 'Rain' represents sadness.
Rain is a popular Hallyu star, who gained recognition across Asia with his third Korean album 'It's Raining'. He further starred in Hollywood films like 'Speed Racer' and 'Ninja Assassin' that got him international fame.
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