[article] Firms debate next destination for Rain

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Excerpt:

Unlike JYP Entertainment, Avex Asia has already closed its offices in New York and London, managing director Buddy Marini told the seminar. It was hard for Asian singers to break through different culture barriers in Western countries, he added, while demand for music in Asian countries such as China, Taiwan, and South Korea _ as well as those in Southeast Asia _ is growing continuously.

''Asia is going to be a big pie,'' said Mr Marini. ''Our plan is that we would like to be a major player in Asia to compete with Europe and America.''

It is estimated that the entertainment business in Asia is worth hundreds of billions of US dollars annually.

Jimmy Jeong, chief operating officer of JYP Entertainment, which counts Rain as a client, has a different point of view. The US market was waiting for a new wave to come after Latin American artists such as Jennifer Lopez and Ricky Martin hit the big stage 10 years ago, he said.

''It's not a dream anymore,'' said Mr Jeong, adding that those South Korean artists were required to sing in English. The Asian community market in the US and Europe has grown up too, he added.

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