비
Tuesday, February 19th, 2008비 (Bi), also known as Rain or 정지훈 (Jung Jihoon), is one of Asia’s superstars. Signed under JYP Entertainment from debut until just last year, 비 has enjoyed success in the past 6 years throughout Korea and into Japan, China and even America; but China, in particular, loves this guy.
His music is R&B style, something that his voice is perfect for and gives his natural talent as a dancer the chance to shine, and he’s often been favourably compared to American artists like Usher and Justin Timberlake. In 2006, 비 was featured on the song Man Up by American R&B artist Omarion. And although he has yet to make his official American debut, 비 has still held several very successful concerts in America since 2006, and he has snagged himself many Asian music awards.
It hasn’t just been as a singer that 비 has enjoyed so much success; he’s also had a good acting career, starring in the Korean TV dramas Sang Doo! Let’s Go To School (상두야, 학교가자!), Full House (풀하우스), and A Love to Kill (이 죽일놈의 사랑), as well as the Korean movie I’m A Cyborg But That’s Okay (싸이보그지만 괜찮아). He’s also set to make his Hollywood debut in just a few months, in the upcoming Wachowski brothers’ film Speed Racer. This is definitely a huge milestone in 비’s career.
비 is one of the few artists that I admire. I like a lot and support quite a few, but 비 is one of the very few that I can honestly say that I admire. Part of it is because he’s only a year older than I am, yet he’s accomplished so much. He puts so much effort into his career, and everything that he does he does 110%. His career hasn’t at all been smooth sailing, there’s been many bumps and many obstacles, and in 2007 not only did he leave the security of his JYP Entertainment contract and set up his own record label instead, there was also a lot of trouble that would perhaps have ended the career of many other artists, or made many just give it up. But he’s come out the other side of it in one piece, and in a lot of ways he’s better off for it. I admire that, the way that he doesn’t give up, the way he just keeps on going.
His motto is “Endless Effort, Endless Endurance, Endless Modesty”. I think that’s something we could all try for.
Before I give you some MVs, you can have a live first 
Here is 비 performing my favourite 비 song, 태양을 피하는 방법.
And now its on to some MVs
나쁜남자 This is 비’s debut single. I love this song.
태양을 피하는 방법 This is from his second album, 태.양.을.피.하.는.방.법. My favourite 비 song!
It’s Raining This is from his third album, It’s Raining, and I think it’s one of those songs that pretty much anyone who’s into Korean music has heard at least once before - or at least the ssss~ ahhh~ bit XD;
Sad Tango This is one of his Japanese singles, probably my favourite of his Japan releases.
Free Way Another of his Japanese singles, this one is super cute.
Still Believe This is really cool! He did a promotion with BMW, and there was a digital single released for it. This is just the MV for the song, but the whole thing was like a mini movie of sorts. You can see it here: Part 1, Part 2, Part 3.
And finally, I’m Coming From his latest album, Rain’s World.
Posted by Taliana in Korean Music |
February 20th, 2008 at 12:05 am
I first knew about Rain when I saw Full House cuz that was the 3rd korean drama i saw and i was just starting to get addicted to this Hallyu. To be more specfic i saw Full Hpuse on October 2006 ^^. That was a really funny drama and he really did a good job there. He’s a very good actor and
He’s an awesome performer. His energy when he is on stage performing is just amazing!
And his MVs are really good too.
Taliana thanks for this interesting post.
February 20th, 2008 at 12:32 am
Jacqueline: Full House was the first drama I saw him in too ^_^ And then after that I saw A Love To Kill, which is my favourite one.
He’s got a lot of energy on stage doesn’t he? I love that he dances AND sings live, something which a lot of the more recent artists don’t do, unfortunately.
I saw a clip a while ago where JYP was telling Wonder Girls how Bi dances like he was gonna break his bones XD; Bi looked so embarrassed when JYP said that.
February 20th, 2008 at 1:11 am
yea I read about 비 being in the speed racer movie… GOOD LUCK!!!!!!!!!!!!!! I’m rooting for him to get big!
February 20th, 2008 at 10:06 am
Rain was scheduled to do a big concert in Toronto about a year and a half ago. In the end, it was apparently cancelled, but not before posters were put up at my and my sister’s university campus.
My sister and her friend saw the posters, which included a side profile of Rain posing topless, and they were quite… impressed. At night, when there was nobody around, they stole a couple of the posters and put them up in their workstations! I don’t think my sister could name even one of Rain’s songs, but she sure knows who he is!
February 20th, 2008 at 10:14 am
Keith: Yeah!
He’ll be in another movie by the Wachowski brothers after Speed Racer, I believe, and apparently he has gotten quite a few other Hollywood movie offers. I’m kind of torn, though. On the one hand, I really want him to succeed in everything he wants to do. On the other hand, I really miss him and his music, and want him to release another damn album XD; It’s been a long time!
Daniel: HAHAHA I don’t blame them for stealing the posters 8D But yeah, the Toronto concert was cancelled, as were many others throughout America. It was one of 비’s big drawbacks last year, with lots of bad press, lots of legal issues. It’s a shame, because I think if his World Tour had been able to go the way everyone was hoping, 비 would be in a very different position right now, but then again, with the way things panned out with that, he’s been given the time and opportunities to take his career down different paths, paths which he’d be completely freaking insane to not go down at least for a little while.
February 24th, 2008 at 8:57 am
I really liked him in “Sang Doo let’s go to school”. Mostly watched it cause Kong Hyo-Jin but then I saw “Rain” and it was doubly good, I had already seen “Full House” and I have “I’m a cyborg….” on disk. I also like the single “Bump”.
Speed racer is on my watch list, I saw the preview in the theatre and I wasn’t totally impressed but I read later that “Rain” was in it, so now I must see it.
February 24th, 2008 at 9:00 am
The single Bump? ^^; That’s not 비, but 이민우 or M, from 신화.
February 27th, 2008 at 3:33 am
Oh you are right I realized that when I read it over again, lol….I have to much music in the ole Ipod.
February 27th, 2008 at 3:34 am
XD I have that problem too sometimes. But both are some of my favourite R&B artists