Bi (비)/ Jung Ji-hoon (정지훈)
Who doesn’t know Rain (“Bi” is “rain” in Korean)? Whether you are a fan or non-fan of the talented singer/dancer/actor chances are, you’d have read about him. The latest buzz surrounding the bloke, whom I’d like to dub the Energizer Bunny (because he keeps going and going, and going) is his last-minute L.A. concert cancellation and its controversial repercussions. At the time of writing, the 25-year-old is laying low in Germany and shooting his Hollywood debut flick, Speed Racer.
Jung Ji-hoon, who adpots the stage name Rain, discovered the joys of performing in the 6th grade. During his teen years, he was part of a boyband called Fan Club. Its first single was a cover of Chumbawamba’s Tubthumping! Of course, the band sang the song in Korean and with different lyrics. The group was short-lived and soon disbanded, but Rain held on to his dreams.
Rain went for many auditions but was repeatedly rejected not because he lacked talent, but because he didn’t have double eyelids, an obsession with Koreans. Eventually, he was accepted by JYP Entertainment with the CEO of the agency, Park Jin-young taking him under his wing. Thank goodness for people with enough sense to overlook a lack of double eyelids, huh?
In 2002, he debuted with the album Bad Guy. It was a hit. He then delved into acting and toplined the drama series Sang Doo! Let’s go to School, which was also a hit. The following year, the Energizer Bunny released his second album How to Avoid the Sun, which – you guessed it – was a hit.
All of Asia took note of Rain in 2004 when the extremely popular drama Full House, the highest-rated Korean drama of all time, was released. He secured his popularity in Asia with the release of his third album It’s Raining, which is reportedly the star’s most successful album to date, both in Korea and internationally.
Wowing Asia alone isn’t enough for the Energizer Bunny. The ambitious young man wants to break into the United States as well in order to be known as an international superstar. In 2006, he received a nod from Time magazine when he was voted as the second most influential artiste of the year. He also performed to a sold-out crowd at Madison Square Garden in New York that same year.
Rain managed to squeeze in some acting in between and played a patient in a mental hospital in the quirky Park Chan-wook-directed I’m a Cyborg, but that’s OK.
The Energizer Bunny then released his 4th album entitled Rain’s World in Oct 2006 and kicked off his Rain’s Coming World Tour in December! He jetted all across Asia for his concert (Malaysia included! Yeah, whatta night!) but had to cancel the Canada and US dates, the latter due to legal problems and incompetent management.
Ladies and gentlemen, I give you the IT boy of Asia, the Energizer Bunny:
Name: Jung Ji-hoon/ Jeong Ji-hoon
Stage name: Rain/ Bi
Date of birth: June 25, 1982
Height: 184cm
Weight: 75kg
Blood type: O
Hobbies: Eating, dancing, singing, watching movies, and music
Family: Father & a younger sister
Albums:
- Back to the Basic – special mini album (2010)
- Rainism (2008)
- Rain’s World (2006)
- Eternal Rain (Japanese album) (2006)
- It’s Raining (2004)
- How to Avoid the Sun (2003)
- Bad Guy (2002)
TV Dramas:
- A Love to Kill (2005)
- Banjun Drama (2005)
- Full House (2004)
- Sang Doo! Let’s go to School (2003)
- Orange (2002)
Movies:
- Ninja Assassin (2009)
- Speed Racer (2008)
- I’m a Cyborg, but that’s OK (2006)
Source: Wikipedia
Purchase:
- Rain (Bi)’s 24 hours “THE DAY” Premium DVD Box (DVD) (Japan Version)
- Rain Vol. 4 – Rain’s World
- Eternal Rain (Normal Edition)(Japan Version)
- Road For Rain DVD DTS
- Everything About Road For Rain
- Rain’s Coming: Rain World Tour Premiere (First Press Limited Edition)(Japan Version)
- Rain’s Video Clips (Japan Version)
- Rain’s First Live Concert Rainy Day (DVD + Bonus Remix CD) (Taiwan Version)
- Rain’s Coming – Pendant (Metal) – the dog tag he wears in I’m Coming!
- Rain’s Coming : Mobile Strap – Red
- Rain’s Coming : Mobile Strap – White
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I wish I lived In Seoul South Korea.
Rain you rock, I hope one day I can meet you!!!!! LOL
he is a real actor.god has given him what a amazing talent in acting. his natural acting his sweet cute smile make u mesmerize i m from iran i saw his full house and a love to kill amazing suggest to his all fan surely watch his these two drama and his latest drama was plan b . all the best rain bi. and wish for all his fan that are in love with him one day can meet him and their wish fulfill happen. all the best
I come from France and I discovered his talent in :A Love To Kill. He is the big Talent of our time, he gave me interests for Koréan styles and for his culture. Hope he will continue to give a lot of dreams like that to all people over the world.
No need to imitate M. Jackson, Rain, your own talent and personality are enough to be the best.
God Bless You.
Eliah
Very talented guy and now he’s venturing into apparel. Hope he succeed and become a role model of a younger generation.
awww ilove him so much hz amazing and so fit ^-^
Bi oppa,.
u r my hero, every night i couldn’t sleep without thinking of u..
hope ur movie ninja assasin could be success in the world..
love u _ rie
annyong haseyo bi hyong..che iremen fazrain imnida..cho.hyongi nomu choahesumnida…cho malaysiaeso..love u rain.
hi ji im monica from india.i just want to say good luck for ur future.u always be happy.plz ji come to india for a concert.i realy want to meet u.everyday i pray to god tht i meet u somewhere.plz who s reading this comment plz pray to god tht i meet him plzzzzz.ji ur so cute,hot n sexy ur my 1st asian star to whom i like.
I will love u more if your GOD can come first before the privacy of your girlfriend..
i love him….
he is very smart, nice, and all other, ,
i want to meet you…..
i hope so
Hi Bi
no doubt you are my one and only idol in Korea… i wish you could come here in the Philippines not just for a games as you did before in cebu and villa escudero… PLEASE DO
A CONCERT… WE LOVE YOU… FOREVER
im reziel guangco,i really like u as an actor…u r so popular here in philippines….hope u go here,i still hoping that someday i go in ur country(korea)to watch ur performance..filipino loves u..
hi im reziel guangco,,from philippines i realy like u…i collected all ur pictures,at once glance u attracted my attention even though i didnt like korean,but now i saw the positive side of their nationality hoping that i come in korea someday..wish that u visit here in philippines…
hi..im came from philippines.filipino loves u…u r my favorate korean actor,u r the reason y im still hopping to go in ur country
HAPPY BIRTHDAY!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!
Happy birthday oppa! Saranghaeyo. Really, really love you!
hi…
come 2 indonesia key, we r waitng 4 u….
Bi obaa!!!!!
BI is so hot good-looking and sweet
OMG! He’s so great and popular^^
Bi obaa is so kiyowo and jo-a dance moves and looks.
I’m fowards to see him in more concerts nearby.
Bi obaa…sarang-he,,mani sarang-he
just love him so much…love his charisma…love his personalities…love his everything…
Bi! He’s my first love!!! (Korean, I mean) Always looking for his news in the net. I was literally drenched in his sweat at his M’sian concert as I was in the pit… so near and yet so far! Ha ha…!
Yeah! My boy!
i only pay attention to him after his concert in malaysia – 2007. arghh!! i have read in the paper that it was a bomb in that night. i will surely support him if he ever comes here for a concert. there is never ending CLEAR advertisement in msia tv channels, that rain endorses. whenever i look at it, it makes me smile…
I so LOVE this hunky man!