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发表于 2007-4-11 20:26
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(2007.04.11/澳洲雪梨晨報)
Korea's Timberlake arrives
Plans for an English album ... Rain.
Photo: AP
April 11, 2007 - 7:20PM
Rain arrived in Sydney today. Not the torrential drought-breaking kind, but an Asian pop sensation.
Rain is his stage name and he's hailed as Korea's answer to American icon Justin Timberlake.
Like the wet stuff, the main called Rain is virtually an unknown quantity in Australia.
But he's been whipping up a storm all over Asia with his third album, It's Raining, selling more than a million copies.
Even so, it's been a hard road to the top.
Rain reckons in the early days he was rejected as too ugly to be a pop star.
But now the fans accept his looks, he wants to go global by showcasing his talents in a stage show extravaganza, with fireworks and props, including a mock submarine.
Rain, whose real name is Jung Ji-hoon, is in Australia for a one-off performance at Sydney's Acer Arena on Saturday, before continuing on his six-month Rain's Coming world tour.
The performer hopes his Australian show will give him an extra global boost, before he launches his first English-speaking album late this year or early in 2008.
He also hopes to rid himself of the Timberlake comparison.
"I do have plans for an English album for others to experience ... I will be going to the American market with this album and hopefully I will be getting a new nickname (not Timberlake) after the debut," the 24-year-old said via a translator at a press conference held in Sydney today.
While Rain currently has a niche market in Australia, his popularity is growing - more than 60 media types and fans jostled for the best positions at today's press call.
Some die hard punters waited more than five hours to catch a glimpse of Rain, including Sheryl Teoh, 24, from Perth, who spent $1000 for a concert ticket and airfare.
"I am his biggest fan and was willing to travel across the world to see him before I read he was coming to Sydney," the Malaysian-born, Perth-raised university student said.
"He shook my hand and I got to meet him, he is my idol and it's a dream come true."
Rain says a host of audition rejections ultimately made him a better performer.
"When I first auditioned I got rejected 18 times because of my looks," he said.
"In the beginning I was very conscious of my looks, now I dare say I have created a new image and in Korea people are now more concerned with talent rather than looks."
In 2006 Rain was listed as one of Time Magazine's top 100 most influential people in the world. |
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发表于 2007-4-11 16:29
