RAIN, One The People Who Shape Our World according to TIME magazine

[ed_win]

According to the current issue of TIME magazine's main article which entitled The Time 100: The People Who Shape Our World, RAIN is one of them

I'm not a fan of RAIN, i was shocked to see him there in the same categories as with Meryl Streep...

http://www.time.com/time/magazine/ar...187264,00.html

[SunshineSlayer]

WTF? Since when is Rain considered "big" in Japan. Sure, some people know him, but he is hardly a star there.

..why not Ayu, or boa, or someone?

[TeamAyu]

What in the world? This is ridiculous haha he is far from shaping the world in any manner. BoA would have even been a better candidate. However I think Ayu deserves that title if their going to put an Asian star on there.

[hallelujah_united]

Sadly, even TIME gets their facts wrong sometimes. Didn't Sad Tango tank spectacularly in Japan?

[ohsixthirty]

whaaat? whatever! how is he shaping the world? i don't think the article even mentioned that...i mean, he's releasing and album in the US and whatnot, but i don't see what exactly he is doing to "shape the world."

but at least he's hot. hahaha!

[AyuGAME]

silly article that base not in the fact
i never liked rain...

[MsMiyabi]

Im happy for Rain. Thats's good news I mean he's Popular all over asia. Actor, Singer, & Model. Now he's about to break out in the U.S.


He deserves to be their.

[Hazuki]

Originally Posted by Akurei

Im happy for Rain. Thats's good news I mean he's Popular all over asia. Actor, Singer, & Model. Now he's about to break out in the U.S.


He deserves to be their.

Well, he is popular. But, I never expected him to "shape our world" o_o

[ayu_fan929]

there was a whole arguement between BoA vs. Rain fans in a korean album. Basically, Rain fans say he deserves it cos he sold out 2 shows at MSG, got invited to MTV VMA's in 2005 and is doing projects in the States with P. Diddy etc. plus they say he bridged the gap between East and SE Asia.

I don't agree with anything they said. BoA should have been there before Rain. Heck even Ayu or Hikki should've been on that before Rain.

[MsMiyabi]

Originally Posted by ayu_fan929

there was a whole arguement between BoA vs. Rain fans in a korean album. Basically, Rain fans say he deserves it cos he sold out 2 shows at MSG, got invited to MTV VMA's in 2005 and is doing projects in the States with P. Diddy etc. plus they say he bridged the gap between East and SE Asia.

I don't agree with anything they said. BoA should have been there before Rain. Heck even Ayu or Hikki should've been on that before Rain.

I like both Rain & Boa. But I think he deserves to be their instead of her. The Guy SOLD OUT EVER CONCERT HE HAD. Thailand, Japan, China, South Korea, and Nyc.

He Acts, Sings, and Models. Rain has been in so many industments I can't even name them all. Sure BoA does her Korean/Japanese music and all but Compared to Rain? I don't think soo.


No he's in the U.S JY Park introduced to to alot of people to make Rain. He is about to be modeling on the U.S label Sean John and with Diddy helping Rain out I know he's going to go far. Everyone knows Diddy goes FAR for Money.


I just don't think it right that people say he doesn't deserve to be here and say such and Such belongs their instead of him just because you personally feel that why? So really tell me if Ayu or Hikki belongs there tell me how they shaped the world? Rain is HOT right now and he's about to release a Chinese single soon.

You can't stop him maybe they choose Rain because he was always on top and seemed to get better and better. He never feel off his game.

[JimmyKoria]

Originally Posted by Akurei

I like both Rain & Boa. But I think he deserves to be their instead of her. The Guy SOLD OUT EVER CONCERT HE HAD. Thailand, Japan, China, South Korea, and Nyc.

He Acts, Sings, and Models. Rain has been in so many industments I can't even name them all. Sure BoA does her Korean/Japanese music and all but Compared to Rain? I don't think soo.


No he's in the U.S JY Park introduced to to alot of people to make Rain. He is about to be modeling on the U.S label Sean John and with Diddy helping Rain out I know he's going to go far. Everyone knows Diddy goes FAR for Money.


I just don't think it right that people say he doesn't deserve to be here and say such and Such belongs their instead of him just because you personally feel that why? So really tell me if Ayu or Hikki belongs there tell me how they shaped the world? Rain is HOT right now and he's about to release a Chinese single soon.

You can't stop him maybe they choose Rain because he was always on top and seemed to get better and better. He never feel off his game.

I don't know much about Rain and what I've heard about him is impressive, but he's just another standard entertainer (he sells well and that's his job, his job isnt to change the world).

How does selling out concerts and being attractive make you shape the world? Bill gates donates money and helps kids with computers, he is far from the popular ideals of "hot." Modeling and being known for your ties with other famous people seems kind of cheap, and one could argue, "It seems like one can only get far by who they know and not by actual talent."

Hamasaki does more than Rain or Utada. She did the duet with Keiko to help raise money for 911. I think Hamasaki's songs tend of have a message as well and lately she's kind of one for womens right and equality, correct?

Utada was praised by a few people when her first CD was due for release in America (but the CD was canned?)? Or was that rumor? I think it's powerful that a 15 year old who is bilingual in one langauge that isn't of European decent would go to release a CD in the states. Plus Utada's sound is different and was for the most part in Japan. No one did it like her, and even know she's doing something different from most people.

I guess what it all comes down to is: none of them actually shape the world.

[ayu_fan929]

Originally Posted by Akurei

I like both Rain & Boa. But I think he deserves to be their instead of her. The Guy SOLD OUT EVER CONCERT HE HAD. Thailand, Japan, China, South Korea, and Nyc.

He Acts, Sings, and Models. Rain has been in so many industments I can't even name them all. Sure BoA does her Korean/Japanese music and all but Compared to Rain? I don't think soo.


No he's in the U.S JY Park introduced to to alot of people to make Rain. He is about to be modeling on the U.S label Sean John and with Diddy helping Rain out I know he's going to go far. Everyone knows Diddy goes FAR for Money.


I just don't think it right that people say he doesn't deserve to be here and say such and Such belongs their instead of him just because you personally feel that why? So really tell me if Ayu or Hikki belongs there tell me how they shaped the world? Rain is HOT right now and he's about to release a Chinese single soon.

You can't stop him maybe they choose Rain because he was always on top and seemed to get better and better. He never feel off his game.

I just don't think he's really "influential" that's all. It's good that he's going to the States and all but I don't think that's influential... If TIME only noticed him because of the MSG concerts, then that's dumb, cos I know many Chinese entertainers who have sold out their shows when they come here to North America.
I dunno, I think I just have a different perspective in what I see as influential. Rain had to do acting in Full House before he got the attention in Asia (mind you, his last drama did bad in Korea). As for BoA, she didn't need to do acting, she didn't need to sing in English or w/e, all she did was just work in Japan/Korea (and sometimes China) and still have her popularity equal to/greater than Rain's popularity. There's also been countless "BoA#2" and she's the one of the people who are helping brdige the gaps between Chinia-Korea-Japn. Ayu also, she didn't have to sing in another language or act to gain attention outside of Japan yet she has tens of thousands of young girls follow her trends etc. and also have singers who want to be like her. And both Ayu and BoA also have tens of thousands of fans worldwide. Both BoA and Ayu did a lot less and their popularity is still equal/greater than Rain's who had to do so much more to get this kind of popularity. That's why I think BoA and Ayu are more influential than Rain.
As for Hikki, I admit, I only put her there cos she did release an English Album and she did chart on Billboard... plus I think she has the best selling album in Asia.
But if I was in TIME, I would have just stopped at Ang Lee.

I agree with SunshineSlayer/greggerz189. Rain isn't as big in Japan as TIME wrote it to be.

[sora-kara]

o_O ?
WTF mate?

I don't think he's all that popular.....
I mean....his US album will probably tank as spectacularly as Exodus.

I'd say that Hikki, Ayu, or maybe even Kuu are more deserving of this than he is......

And Dane Cook?
Ok, I love him...but I don't think he's been around long enough to have such a massive or widespread affect on the world.
Try George Carlin.

[sexysaucestar]

I haven't heard much about Rain since I've been here in Japan, so I really don't see how he's "popular" enough to be in Time magazine.

They might have just plucked out a random "famous" Asian star.

[nmskalmn]

They probably wanted to represent an Asian pop figure, and so they chose the one who is trying appeal to the US market. Not really surprising at all because the United States media is so US-centered to the exclusion of the rest of the globe. They wouldn't mention Ayumi Hamasaki, for example, because she doesn't care one bit about making it in America.

It's nice to have someone from the Kpop world there at least. I'm not complaining.

[SunshineSlayer]

Originally Posted by nmskalmn

They probably wanted to represent an Asian pop figure, and so they chose the one who is trying appeal to the US market. Not really surprising at all because the United States media is so US-centered to the exclusion of the rest of the globe. They wouldn't mention Ayumi Hamasaki, for example, because she doesn't care one bit about making it in America.

It's nice to have someone from the Kpop world there at least. I'm not complaining.

My main complaint with the article is saying how innaccurate it is in saying he is big in Japan because he is not at all. This is coming from TIME magazine, you'd think they would try to be more accurate.

[andre2907]

The thing is, the fact he needed dramas to increase he's popularity doesn't make him less popular. He's more popular than BoA ever was around Asia. He's album was the best-selling album of the year in China, in Korea, in Malaysia, in Singapore and lots and lots of other asian countries while BoA sells good in a few asian countries. His concert in stadiums in Asia were ALL sold-out. He's much much more popular than BoA ever was.

Plus, he IS big in Japan. He was the first asian (non-japanese) artist to be invited to permorm of MTV Japan awards and he sold-out two concerts at Tokyo International Forum, one in Budokan and one in Osaka-Jo Hall with tickets for 10,000 yen (very expensive, Ayu tickets are 7,000), plus, he has a big fanbase and he's dramas are very popular around there.

Maybe he isn't talented or changed the world, but he is the MOST influentional entertainer in Asia and that's the point of the article.

Oh, btw, BoA isn't the most popular korean entertainer in Japan. Bae-Yong something, the male lead of Winter Sonata, is and he's the one the media says was the one who helped Japan-Korea relationship.. plus, lots of other koreans, mainly actress and actors are more popular than her. And I'm sure lots of asians artists sold-out shows in US but I doubt many of them had 10,000 people at their concert.

[ayu_fan929]

Originally Posted by *Petit*

However, there's no sign of better relations between the countries, diden't korea almost declare war the other week?

True. I guess she tried to relieve the tension.

Originally Posted by andre2907

Plus, he IS big in Japan. He was the first asian (non-japanese) artist to be invited to permorm of MTV Japan awards and he sold-out two concerts at Tokyo International Forum, one in Budokan and one in Osaka-Jo Hall with tickets for 10,000 yen (very expensive, Ayu tickets are 7,000), plus, he has a big fanbase and he's dramas are very popular around there.

Oh, btw, BoA isn't the most popular korean entertainer in Japan. Bae-Yong something, the male lead of Winter Sonata, is and he's the one the media says was the one who helped Japan-Korea relationship.. plus, lots of other koreans, mainly actress and actors are more popular than her. And I'm sure lots of asians artists sold-out shows in US but I doubt many of them had 10,000 people at their concert.

The only hyped up drama that Rain starred in was only Full House. That's the only truly successful drama he had so far. Take a look at his last drama, (the one about boxing), the ratings were nowhere near what Full House achieved in Korea and it hasn't been hyped about like Full House. I don't think he's THAT big in Japan. I'm pretty sure he had concerts in Japan before his single release, wouldn't you think he would have done at least decent in his sales? I agree that Bae Yong Jun is popular though, but then again, he's mainly popular for Winter Sonata and not much else.
And Andy Lau has had concerts at the SkyDome (in Canada) that easily beat out Rain's MSG 2 concerts.

Originally Posted by andre2907

He's more popular than BoA ever was around Asia. He's album was the best-selling album of the year in China, in Korea, in Malaysia, in Singapore and lots and lots of other asian countries while BoA sells good in a few asian countries. His concert in stadiums in Asia were ALL sold-out. He's much much more popular than BoA ever was.

I'm 100% positive that his album wasn't the best selling album of the year in Taiwan/China/Korea. That year, BoA's album beat his in Korea. As for Tawian/China, I'm pretty sure Jay Chou beat his album's sales. His concerts are not in stadiums. They are comparable to Tokyo International Forum (maximum to about Japan arena size). And also, I don't think he's THAT much popular than BoA. I think he maybe as popular as she is, but not "much more".

Originally Posted by andre2907

The thing is, the fact he needed dramas to increase he's popularity doesn't make him less popular.

Well without Full House, he wouldn't have achieved anywhere near the popularity he has now. BoA didn't need to have dramas to increase her popularity and still has as much popularity as Rain did with both his drama and music combined. That's why I think BoA is more influential that way.

[everlastingRAINBOW]

It shows how much the editors at Time Magazine know about asian stars xD! "He is on TV shows and he sings! He must be super famous!"
There is a place you can vote for the best entertainer and Rain is in second... Weird 0.0!
xD