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TIME
South Korean Pop Sensation Rain Joins the Army
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| South Korean pop singer Rain gives a military salute to his fans in front of an army training center in Uijeongbu, north of of Seoul, on October 11, 2011 |
Suddenly, there’s been a surge of female interest in joining the armed forces.
Rain, the South Korean pop star and actor, is swapping records for regiments, concerts for corporals and — yes — music for the military. The 29-year-old, who has basically turned our top spot in the TIME 100 reader poll into a veritable second home, is undertaking the best part of two years of military service. And on Tuesday, with haircut duly cropped, he gave a salute to the masses of fans who had gathered to wish him well before he left for an army base in Uijeongbu, north of Seoul.
Despite starting his service at a relatively late age, Rain doesn’t seem to have much choice in the matter. (And good luck using that moniker over the next 21 months — we imagine he’ll be called by his real name, Jung Ji-hoon.) Nearly all able-bodied South Korean men are expected to serve, which is a legacy of the 1950-53 Korean War. The only exceptions are athletes, Olympic gold medal winners, or those deemed to have improved the country’s image with their accomplishments. But those in showbiz? No such luck.
(PHOTOS: Korean Pop Star Rain)
“Thank you for the 10 years of love,” Rain told hundreds of fans as his eyes welled up with tears. But Rain might have ended up crying for a different reason had he not undertaken his military service. Indeed, he risked a potential public backlash since South Korea does not take kindly toward draft dodgers.
For instance, Song Seung-heon, the Korean drama star who is well known across Asia, incurred the wrath of the people in 2004 when he reportedly tried to dodge the draft. But he succumbed in the end with his career now getting back on track.
But what marks out those in showbiz from sports? “Entertainers are thought to work for their own sakes. That’s the difference,” Hwang Sang-min, a Yonsei University psychology professor and commentator on pop culture, told Yahoo. But whereas once upon a time, a prolonged period out of the spotlight could harm a career, it can nowadays boost one’s profile, presumably because being seen to do the right thing still matters. “The fact that Rain entered the army without any attempts to be exempted will positively affect his future career,” said Kim Hee-ra, a 21-year-old Sogang University student in Seoul.
Rain is also in mighty fine pop star company, following on more than fifty years after a certain Elvis Presley was drafted into the U.S. army at the height of his fame. We will miss Rain, but are beyond excited for the music and movies inspired by this experience that will (ahem) pour out of him.
VIDEO: 10 Questions with Rain
Glen Levy is an Executive Producer at TIME. Find him on Twitter at @glenjl. You can also continue the discussion on TIME’s Facebook page and on Twitter at @TIME.
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THE WALL STREET JOURNAL
Rain Reports for Duty as Fans Weep
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Ain’t no sunshine when Rain’s gone.
The South Korean singer-actor, whose real name is Jung Ji-hoon, began his two-year mandatory military service on Tuesday. News photographs showed the 29-year-old pop star, sporting uncharacteristically short hair, saluting hundreds of fans (many of them sobbing) as he prepared to enter an army base near Seoul.
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All Korean men are required to serve in the military by the age of 35, although most fulfill their duty in their early 20s. Rain (비) said recently that he wished he had completed his service at an earlier age.
His career took off nearly a decade ago, and he quickly became one of Asia’s biggest entertainers, playing to sold-out concerts across the region. He made his film debut in 2006 as a young man confined to a mental hospital in the off-beat Korean comedy-drama “I’m a Cyborg, but That’s OK.”
He appeared in two Hollywood action films: “Speed Racer” in 2008 and “Ninja Assassin” in 2009. The latter won him an MTV Movie Award, and in a further sign of his clout in the U.S., Megan Fox called him a “Korean Justin Timberlake.”
Rain made a handful of high-profile public appearances in the days leading up to his conscription. He appeared at the Busan International Film Festival late last week to promote his film “Soar Into the Sun,” which is scheduled for release next year. He partied late into the night with other celebrities at the Asia Pacific Actors Network bash in the Haeundae Grand Hotel.
On Sunday, more than 20,000 fans showed up to see him sing at an outdoor festival, according to news reports, a final performance until his military duty is complete.
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CNN
THIS JUST IN BLOG
South Korean pop star Rain begins mandatory military service
October 11th, 2011
12:52 PM ET
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| South Korean music star Rain salutes fans Tuesday before entering boot camp in in Uijeongbu, north of of Seoul. |
Korean pop and movie star Rain, whose real name is Jung Ji-hoon, joined his country’s military Tuesday, according to news reports.
“Thank you for coming. I’m sorry to make such a fuss while leaving. I’ll be back from my duties soon,” Rain told about 1,000 fans near a military base in Uijeongbu, Gyeonggi Province, the Korean Times reported.
The celebrity thanked screaming fans, managed a grin and gave them a solemn military salute before retreating into the camp. The farewell lasted five minutes, the Korean Times reported.
Rain, 29, will serve in the military for about 22 months. By law, all South Korean males must serve their country for two years by the end of the year they turn 30. Rain, who has been an international music star for about a decade, has chosen to cut it close.
Major League Baseball's Shin-Soo Choo faced a similar situation last year, narrowly avoiding compulsory military service by cashing in on a gold medal exemption offered by the government when his South Korean national team won it all at the Asia Games.
On Tuesday, hundreds of foreign journalists and fans came from as far away as Japan and Hong Kong to see Rain begin his compulsory service.
Rain, a major part of the rise in Korean pop internationally, was named one of Time Magazine's Most Influential People in the World.
He begin his movie career in 2006 with the popular Korean film “I’m a Cyborg, But That’s OK.” Hollywood came calling shortly after when he was cast in 2008’s “Speed Racer.” He then went on to star in “Ninja Assassin.”
Post by:
Filed under: South Korea • World
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THE GUARDIAN
Rain, South Korea's modern-day Elvis, joins army
Singer and actor receives tearful sendoff from fans as he starts compulsory national service at ripe age of 29
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| South Korean pop star Rain salutes his fans in front of an army training centre in Uijeongbu. Photograph: Yonhap/AFP/Getty Images |
More than half a century after the US military draft put Elvis Presley's career on hold, his modern-day South Korean counterpart bade farewell to tearful fans this week as he prepared for two years' national service.
Sporting closely cropped hair, Jung Ji-hoon – better known as Rain – gave his fans a military salute before starting life as a soldier at an army base in Uijeongbu, north of Seoul.
At 29, Rain is relatively old to be starting his 21-month stint in the army – compulsory for all South Korean men – and some think his time away from music and television could weaken his celebrity status.
But the singer and actor was left with little choice: recent tensions with North Korea mean the South Korean public has little tolerance for men who attempt to use their fame to dodge the draft.
His farewell confirmed the huge appeal Korean pop music enjoys internationally. Among the hundreds who turned out to see him off were fans from China and Japan, where K-pop artists have become household names.
"Thank you for the 10 years of love," he told his fans, many of whom were holding up banners bearing messages of encouragement.
Military service, compulsory for all able-bodied South Korean men, poses a potentially career-ending problem for entertainers and sportsmen. Athletes are sometimes exempted if they win an Olympic gold or achieve a similarly lofty feat, but no exceptions are made for singers and actors, even the most successful ones.
Rain, named by Time magazine as one of the world's most influential people of 2011, is not expected to receive special treatment during his time in South Korea's 650,000-strong military.
The singer has not spoken in detail about the prospect of swapping the stage for the assault course, but he will have pleased the South Korean authorities by accepting his fate with equanimity.
Song Seung-heon, a popular actor with a big following in Japan and other parts of Asia, invited an avalanche of criticism in 2004 after he attempted to avoid the draft. He later joined the army and has resumed his career.
Other figures from the entertainment world have faced a similar backlash amid an escalation in bellicose rhetoric from the north.
"The mood against draft-dodgers is so hostile that nowadays entertainers feel it's better to get it over and done with," Ha Jae-keun a pop columnist, told Associated Press, adding that in the current political climate national service could even improve an entertainer's image.
Rain enters military service, a legacy of the 1950-53 Korean war, on the back of seven albums, appearances in several Korean films and, in 2008, his Hollywood debut in Speed Racer.
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THE HOLLYWOOD REPORTER
South Korean Sensation Rain Enters Military as Hundreds of Fans Bid Him Farewell
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| Liu Jin/AFP/Getty Images |
The pop singer-actor’s latest film, Soar Into the Sun, will be released in 2012.
Is Rain the South Korean Elvis?
It certainly seemed so by the turnout of hundreds of fans in Seoul Tuesday that came to bid the singer-actor farewell as he entered military service.
Like Elvis, who served two years in the U.S. Army, Rain will be an active-duty solder for the same amount of time with South Korea's Uijeongbu 306 Reserve Battalion.
Military service is mandatory for all able-bodied South Korean men. Artist who have tried to avoid duty, have suffered career backlashes, reports the BBC.
Rain will be off the public radar for the next two years, but fans will be able to watch him in military action through his air force movie, Soar Into the Sun. In Soar, Jung Ji-hoon – Rain’s real name, which he prefers to use for acting projects – plays a talented yet troublemaking elite air force pilot who is demoted to the combat flying unit. There he meets new friends, rivals and love interest, and is put to the ultimate test when he ventures into enemy territory.
The star told reporters at the Busan Film Festival press conference for the project last week that he feels like he got an intense preview of military life through the film, for which production wrapped last month for a 2012 release. “I experienced seven months of life in the barracks while shooting the movie. It was painful not being able to eat whenever I wanted,” he said, adding that he almost fainted while undergoing the actual gravity test for pilots.
Directed by Kim Dong-hoon, Soar marks Rain’s second homespun movie since his big screen debut, I’m a Cyborg, But That’s OK (2006) by Park Chan-wook. Hollywood ventures on Rain’s resume include the Wachowskis' Speed Racer and Ninja Assassin.
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ASIAN CORRESPONDENT
Pop sensation Rain joins South Korean army
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| South Korean pop singer Rain gives a military salute to his fans before he enters the army to serve in front of an army training center in Uijeongbu, north of of Seoul, South Korea, Tuesday. Pic: AP. |
UIJEONGBU, South Korea (AP) — South Korean pop star Rain is temporarily giving up his entertainment career to join the military.
The 29-year-old singer and actor gave a military salute to tearful fans Tuesday before walking into a boot camp in the city of Uijeongbu north of Seoul.
Many of the hundreds of fans gathered in front of the base were from Japan and China.
All able-bodied South Korean men are required to serve two to three years in the military, a legacy of the Korean War of the 1950s. Rain isn’t expected to receive any special treatment during his time in the army.
Rain’s real name is Jung Ji-hoon. He is one of Asia’s most popular stars.
He made his Hollywood film debut in “Speed Racer” in 2008.
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BILLBOARD
K-Pop Star Rain Joins South Korean Army
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| K-Pop Star Rain Joins South Korean Army |
South Korean pop star Rain bid farewell to tearful fans Tuesday as he put one of Asia's most successful entertainment careers on hold to enter boot camp and begin nearly two years of military service.
The 29-year-old singer and actor, his hair neatly cropped, gave a military salute to fans before he disappeared into an army base in Uijeongbu north of Seoul - more than 50 years after Elvis Presley was drafted in the U.S. army from the heights of stardom.
"Thank you for the 10 years of love," Rain told hundreds of gathered fans as tears welled in his eyes. Many of the fans were from Japan and China and held banners with messages meant to cheer him.
Rain is fulfilling his compulsory military service at a relatively late age and risks losing career momentum during the 21 months he spends out of the public eye. But he could otherwise face a backlash given South Korea's hostility toward draft dodgers.
Rain, whose real name is Jung Ji-hoon, is not expected to receive any special treatment in South Korea's 650,000-strong military. All able-bodied South Korean men are required to serve about two to three years, in a legacy of the 1950-53 Korean War.
Military service has agonized many young South Korean entertainers and athletes hoping to continue their successful careers. Athletes can be exempted from service if they win an Olympic gold medal or otherwise improve the country's image with major achievements. But entertainers - no matter how successful they are abroad - enjoy no such lenience from the government.
"Entertainers are thought to work for their own sakes. That's the difference," said Hwang Sang-min, a Yonsei University psychology professor and frequent commentator on popular entertainment.
Recent years have seen a series of draft-dodging scandals involving top stars.
Song Seung-heon, a Korean drama star hugely popular in Japan and other Asian countries, suffered a massive public backlash in 2004 over attempts to avoid the draft. He eventually went to the army and is now back on the path of success.
"The mood against draft dodgers is so hostile that nowadays entertainers feel it's better to simply get it over with," said Ha Jae-keun, a South Korean pop columnist.
In the past, a two- or three-year hiatus often meant irrevocable damage to an entertainer's career in South Korea as the public moved on to new faces, but nowadays military service can actually enhance a star's image, Ha said.
Rain's musical career includes seven albums, and he has acted in several South Korean film. Time magazines named him one of the 100 most influential people in the world. He made his Hollywood film debut in "Speed Racer" in 2008.
Kim Hee-ra, a 21-year-old Sogang University student in Seoul, said she was sad to see Rain go but glad that he was fulfilling his duties.
"The fact that Rain entered the army without any attempts to be exempted will positively affect his future career," she said.
Lee Jin-young, 22, fretted that Rain may not be as popular after a two-year publicity blackout. She also worried that Rain may find his service to be tougher because he is starting at a relatively old age. Many people serve in their early 20s.
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Rain Reports For Duty: South Korean Pop Star Starts Military Service
Mark Memmott
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| South Korean pop singer Rain gave a military salute to his fans today before entering the army. Lee Jin-man/AP Lee Jin-man/AP |
Even this blogger isn't old enough (just barely, though) to have been around when Elvis Presley went into the Army in March, 1958.
But it's well known that was a huge deal.
Now there's this close comparison from Asia:
South Korean pop star Rain today reported for his mandatory 21-month tour of duty with his nation's army.
The Korea Times says the 29-year-old singer and actor "smiled throughout [a] farewell event thanking his fans for the love they have given him over the past 10 years. More than 1,000 people crowded near the base [in Gyeonggi Province] to see Rain on his last day as a civilian, waiting for two and a half hours for him to appear."
"Thank you for coming," said Rain (real name: Jung Ji-hoon). "I'm sorry to make such a fuss while leaving. I'll be back from my duties soon."
How big is Rain? Not only does he sell millions of songs, fill concert halls and have a budding film career, he keeps winning the reader poll in the Time 100.
And he has a high-profile "enemy" — Comedy Central's Stephen Colbert (our apologies for Stephen's one slightly risque word).
[VIDEO: The Colbert Report]
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EMPOWERED NEWS
Superstar Hunk Rain to join South Korean Army
Posted by Kade Quinn on Wednesday October 12 2011, 5:14 AM EDT. Ref: Yahoo.
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| Superstar Hunk Rain to join South Korean Army |
Uijeongbu, South Korea — Hunk Rain, South Korean pop star, has decided to bid farewell to his fans Tuesday to join the South Korean army for 2 years military service. Hundreds of fans were teary as they gathered when the superstar announced his final decision of putting on hold one of Asia’s most successful careers in the entertainment industry.
Hunk Rain, 29 years old actor and singer, is now in the boot camp in Uijeongbu. It can be noticed that his hair is now neatly chopped. His valiant effort reminds the public of the same decision Elvis Presley did 50 years ago when the American singer joined the U.S. Army at the peak of his stardom. Rain was emotional and was teary when he thanked his fans for the 10 years of undying love and support. Japanese and Chinese fans were present with banners showing love and admiration to the South Korean pop star.
All South Korean able-bodied men are required to render 2 to 3 years compulsory military service in a legacy to the Korean War in the 1950s. Rain or Jung Ji-hoon in real life will not receive any special treatment just because he is a famous South Korean pop star. Some observers feared that Rain’s fruitful career might be affected as he won’t be seen for quite some time to join the 650,000-strong South Korea army.
Many athletes and entertainers in South Korea are agonized by the idea of compulsory military service because it will affect their careers. Athletes however, are exempted if they win a gold medal in the Olympic Games. Artists and entertainers like Hunk Rain aren’t exempted no matter how successful they are both in South Korea or overseas.
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THE CHOSUNILBO
Teardrops Fall as Rain Enlists in Army
October 12, 2011 09:17
After giving teary-eyed fans a rousing send off on Sunday with a free street concert in Gangnam, a newly-cropped Rain enlisted in the Army on Tuesday afternoon for 21 months of compulsory military service.
The "Ninja Assassin" star and Korean Wave singing sensation reported to the 306th Army draft camp in Uijeongbu, Gyeonggi Province. He is going to take up active duty after a five-week boot camp.
The former back-up dancer who rose to international fame held a press conference at a nearby vacant lot and bade farewell to fans before he disappeared into the Army camp.
The ever-humble star said, "I'm sorry for making a fuss about my enlistment." He thanked fans for supporting him for the best part of a decade and looked emotional as he headed off for a life of drills, discipline and Army fatigues.
He was seen off by friends and acquaintances including K-pop boy band MBLAQ, which he helped create and manage.
About 1,000 fans from home and abroad, including those from the U.S., Japan, China, Taiwan and Hong Kong, gathered to see him carrying placards wishing him the best.
On Sunday night, Rain gave a free concert on Yeongdong Boulevard in Samseong-dong as part of the Gangnam Fashion Festival.
He debuted as a solo artist in 2002 and has since expanded his scope of activities to include TV dramas and films. In 2006, Time magazine named him on its list of the top 100 people who were transforming the world with their talent or power.
"Thanks to his angelic face, killer bod and Justin Timber-like dance moves, Rain … has ridden the crest of hallyu," wrote Time reporter Bryan Walsh.
Rain acted in the Hollywood movie "Speed Racer" in 2008 and starred in the action film "Ninja Assassin" one year later.
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CHINA DAILY
South Korean star Rain joins army
Updated: 2011-10-11 15:03
(Xinhua)
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| South Korean pop singer Rain salutes his fans before he joins the army in front of an army recruit training centre in Uijeongbu, north of Seoul October 11, 2011.[Photo/Agencies] |
SEOUL - South Korean actor and singer Rain joined the army on Friday to fulfill military duty required for all able-bodied South Korean men.
The 29-year-old star, whose real name is Jung Ji-hoon, will receive basic training in Uijeongbu, north of Seoul, before beginning his 22-month-long mandatory military service.
Hundreds of fans not only from South Korea but also from across Asia, many of them holding placards saying "We will loyally wait for you," gathered to bid farewell to their much-adored star.
"Thank you all for coming. I appreciate that you have shown me much love for the past 10 years," said Rain.
Rain, one of Asia's most popular celebrities, made his Hollywood movie debut with "Speed Racer" in 2008 and starred in "Ninja Assassin" in 2009.
In South Korea, all eligible men over 20 must serve about two years in the military.
TRAVEL WIRE ASIA
Pop sensation Rain joins South Korean army
UIJEONGBU, South Korea (AP) — South Korean pop star Rain is temporarily giving up his entertainment career to join the military.
The 29-year-old singer and actor gave a military salute to tearful fans Tuesday before walking into a boot camp in the city of Uijeongbu north of Seoul.
 |
| South Korean pop singer Rain gives a military salute to his fans before he enters the army to serve in front of an army training center in Uijeongbu, north of of Seoul, South Korea, Tuesday. Pic: AP. |
Many of the hundreds of fans gathered in front of the base were from Japan and China.
All able-bodied South Korean men are required to serve two to three years in the military, a legacy of the Korean War of the 1950s. Rain isn’t expected to receive any special treatment during his time in the army.
Rain’s real name is Jung Ji-hoon. He is one of Asia’s most popular stars.
He made his Hollywood film debut in “Speed Racer” in 2008.
PEREZHILTON.COM
Korean Singing Sensation Rain Leaves Pop Career Behind To Enter The Army!
10/11/2011 1:40 PM ET
South Korean sensation Rain has left the microphones and groupies to serve his country — for two years anyways.
The decision wasn't made through free will, though. It's the law!
After the Korean War of 1950-1953, all able-bodied South Korean men are required to serve about two to three years.
Rain got away with it until now, and entered service at the older age of 29.
As he thanked his fans for ten years of love, who were all teary and waving goodbye banners, the singer gave a salute (pictured above) as he departed on his next adventure.
…as soon as the two years are up, he'll be back…but will his career be able to survive the publicity coma??
All able-bodied South Korean men are required to serve about two to three years, in a legacy of the 1950-53 Korean War.
[Image via AP Images.]
THE TELEGRAPH
South Korean pop sensation Rain begins military service to fans' dismay
2:12PM BST 12 Oct 2011Rain, the South Korean pop star, bid farewell to tearful fans as he put one of Asia's most successful entertainment careers on hold to begin nearly two years of military service.
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Rain salutes his fans in front of an army recruit training centre in Uijeongbu Photo: REUTERS/Jo Yong-Hak
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The 29-year-old singer and actor, his hair neatly cropped, gave a military salute to fans on Tuesday before he disappeared into an army base in Uijeongbu north of Seoul – more than 50 years after Elvis Presley was drafted in the US army from the heights of stardom.
"Thank you for the 10 years of love," Rain told hundreds of gathered fans as tears welled in his eyes. Many of the fans were from Japan and China and held banners with messages meant to cheer him.
Rain is fulfilling his compulsory military service at a relatively late age and risks losing career momentum during the 21 months he spends out of the public eye. But he could otherwise face a backlash given South Korea's hostility toward draft dodgers.
Rain, whose real name is Jung Ji-hoon, is not expected to receive any special treatment in South Korea's 650,000-strong military. All able-bodied South Korean men are required to serve about two to three years, in a legacy of the 1950-53 Korean War.
Military service has agonised many young South Korean entertainers and athletes hoping to continue their successful careers. Athletes can be exempted from service if they win an Olympic gold medal or otherwise improve the country's image with major achievements. But entertainers – no matter how successful they are abroad – enjoy no such lenience from the government.
Like Elvis Presley before him, South Korean pop star Rain has left his life as a celebrity behind, for now, to begin his military service. On Tuesday, the 29-year-old began his two-year stint in the Korean army.
The service is mandatory for all men to complete before the age of 35, and Rain, real name Jung Ji-hoon, headed to a Seoul-area army base as fans sent their heartthrob off. He wrapped up a string of live performances over the weekend, and in a recent blog post on his website, he said that he wished he had completed his military service earlier in his life.
He added that he felt it was "too late" to be joining now but that "I will try harder to fulfill my duty more sincerely." As a sign of his popularity in Korea, approximately 20,000 people showed up to his final performance on Sunday before his military service kicked off this week. The Wall Street Journal reports that hundreds of fans arrived at his send-off, where he was sporting short hair.
Time.com reports that at the send-off, he told his loyal and emotional fans, "Thank you for the 10 years of love."
While he is a Justin Bieber-like superstar in his home country, he remains better known to American pop culture aficionados as the star of 2009's "Ninja Assassin," as well 2008's "Speed Racer." He even won an MTV Movie Award for his part in "Ninja Assassin."
In a 2009 interview with MTV News, Rain did tease that he wanted to eventually pursue an English-language music career. "I don't sing in my film, and I don't have plans yet for an English album, but I will," he said. "Please wait for me."
POPCRUSH
South Korean Pop Sensation Rain Joins the Army
Scott Shetler
South Korean pop star Rain left on Tuesday to enlist in mandatory military service that will keep him away from the entertainment industry for 21 months.
"Thank you for the 10 years of love," Rain told fans and supporters as he left for an army base in Uijeongbu. The 29-year-old singer/actor may be best-known to American fans for his role in the 2009 film 'Ninja Assassin,' which won him an MTV Movie Award in the Biggest Bada--- category.
Rain joins a number of Korean singers who have been forced to interrupt their careers for military service. While some Olympic athletes receive an exemption from the country's requirement that all males must serve, entertainers are not granted special treatment.
At 29, Rain is enlisting later in life than most of his fellow countrymen. Fans are disappointed to lose their favorite star for two years, but the move could end up helping his image and keeping his career alive when he returns. Rain also appeared in the 2008 film 'Speed Racer.'
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