Korean Mega-Star 'Rain' to Star in Wachowski Brothers' 'Ninja Assassin' This Fall

To call him the 'Asian Justin Timberlake' doesn't cover all the ways in which Asian mega-star 'Rain' (Jung Ji-hoon) from South Korean wows his fans. The Asian star machines crank out large numbers of pop stars, but Rain is one of those versatile performers who is always seeking a new challenge. After a role in the Wachowski brothers' "Speed Racer", Rain is taking a lead in "Ninja Assassin," due out this fall according to today's Korea Herald.

Will posters of Rain be adorning American teenage girls' walls? Check out these photos in YeinJee's Asian Journal and see for yourself. Stephen Colbert (see his 2007 publicity feud video) has had it in for Rain since the South Korean star bested him in Time Magazine's Top 100 Most Influential People rankings - and he did it again in 2008, here are the rankings and vote tallies, with Rain nearly half again Colbert's vote count.

Rain's attempt to conquer the American pop market was off to a shaky start in 2007, when canceled concerts drew lawsuits from promoters. Concerts in Hawaii and Los Angeles, where the South Korean star has many fans already, were canceled for a variety of technical reasons.

Asian music and culture has long been popular in the U.S., with 'Hello Kitty' one of the most prominent logos, and clashes such as the name battle between cute Japanese pop duo "Puffy Ami Yumi" (originally 'Puffy') coming up against Sean "Puff Daddy" Coombs. Most Asian pop is still found mostly in specialty markets and stores that sell related merchandise such as 'manga' books.

Even though "Speed Racer" itself was a Japanese cartoon, and many current animated favorites in the U.S. such as "The Simpsons" are produced in South Korea, Asian culture is still slow in taking its place in the American market and pop culture mainstream. Rain hopes to change all that, and he's got the personality, looks, voice and broad appear to do it, and the merchandise to make it attractive to American promoters.

'Ninja Assassin', from 'The Matrix' creators the Wachowski brothers, will place Rain in a classic martial arts drama, based on Japanese tradition, telling a tale of betrayal and revenge. Not a typical 'pop star' role, Rain's ambition and range of talent could rival top American stars. As a true international star, Rain might not be as vulnerable to the cycles of stardom and destruction that haunt American stars such as Michael Jackson, Elvis Presley and Marilyn Monroe.

http://www.koreaherald.co.kr/NEWKHSITE/data/html_dir/2009/06/30/200906300124.asp
http://yeinjee.com/2008/rain-training-for-ninja-assassin/