CHINA: South Korean pop star "Rain" performs in Hong Kong
- 00:00:18
- ITN Source
CHINA: South Korean pop star "Rain" performs in Hong Kong
As the stage erupted with fireball pyrotechnics on Friday night (January 12), South Korean pop sensation and heartthrob Rain stood immobile, his dramatic pause electrifying his Hong Kong fans on the first Asian leg of his second world tour. "How are you!," he asked in Hong Kong's native Cantonese dialect, receiving happy screams of female fans in response. Later, pounding his white gloved fists in the air, leaping and flinging himself across stage, he shouted in American accented English: "I'm sure our concert's going to be fantastic!" Rain, whose real name is Jung Ji-Hoon will need his linguistic wits about him as he embarks on this first Asian leg of his second World Tour called "Rain's Coming." He is scheduled to perform in 17 cities in 11 countries including Singapore, Malaysia, Vietnam, China and Japan. At just 24 years of age, Rain's rise has been meteoric since he emerged in 2002. He's found legions of fans beyond Korea's borders, transcending Asia's diverse cultural divides to become a rare pan-regional pop success story. He's sold out concerts in China, Japan and Korea and has performed in New York's Madison Square Garden. He's now got his sights on the West. Time magazine named him one of the world's 100 most influential people in entertainment in 2006. Fans in Hong Kong could barely suppress their affection for the boyish, clean-cut star who has been compared to U.S. popstar Justin Timberlake. "He is so cute, I love his singing, dancing and everything about him. The tickets are not very expensive," said fan Sophie Chuek. Rain counts Charlie Chaplin and Michael Jackson among his favourite performers according to his official website. The young South Korean star has been soaring in other ways too. Korean Air emblazoned an image of a bare-chested Rain with angel's wings on the exterior of one of its airbus 300 planes to fly him and his crew around the world's cities on this tour.
ITN Source | January 17, 2007
