It's Raining
Encyclopedia
"It’s Raining" was the first single off the highly-anticipated third album from the Korean R&B singer, Rain.
"It’s Raining" first hit airwaves in September 2004 (a month before the album, It’s Raining), and was met with a positive response. The single went straight to the number one position in South Korea
. The single and its album launched Rain as an international artist throughout Asia
in 2005. Both reached number one in several places, including Vietnam
, Taiwan
, Thailand
, China
, Shanghai
, and Hong Kong
.
With this single, Rain presented a brand-new image to his fans, and explored a more upbeat, hip-hop influenced sound. In an attempt to attract a larger international audience, he changed his name from Bi (meaning ‘rain’ in Korean) to its English
form, Rain. This was also Rain's first single with an English name, rather than a Korean one.
The single eventually made its way to the MTV
studios in 2006. Its video was played periodically on MTV (USA) to promote Rain’s first ever US concert, Rainy Day, in Madison Square Garden
. It is rumored that an English version of the song will be re-recorded for inclusion on Rain’s first English album, due in 2008.
"It’s Raining" first hit airwaves in September 2004 (a month before the album, It’s Raining), and was met with a positive response. The single went straight to the number one position in South Korea
South Korea
The Republic of Korea , , is a sovereign state in East Asia, located on the southern portion of the Korean Peninsula. It is neighbored by the People's Republic of China to the west, Japan to the east, North Korea to the north, and the East China Sea and Republic of China to the south...
. The single and its album launched Rain as an international artist throughout Asia
Asia
Asia is the world's largest and most populous continent, located primarily in the eastern and northern hemispheres. It covers 8.7% of the Earth's total surface area and with approximately 3.879 billion people, it hosts 60% of the world's current human population...
in 2005. Both reached number one in several places, including Vietnam
Vietnam
Vietnam – sometimes spelled Viet Nam , officially the Socialist Republic of Vietnam – is the easternmost country on the Indochina Peninsula in Southeast Asia. It is bordered by China to the north, Laos to the northwest, Cambodia to the southwest, and the South China Sea –...
, Taiwan
Taiwan
Taiwan , also known, especially in the past, as Formosa , is the largest island of the same-named island group of East Asia in the western Pacific Ocean and located off the southeastern coast of mainland China. The island forms over 99% of the current territory of the Republic of China following...
, Thailand
Thailand
Thailand , officially the Kingdom of Thailand , formerly known as Siam , is a country located at the centre of the Indochina peninsula and Southeast Asia. It is bordered to the north by Burma and Laos, to the east by Laos and Cambodia, to the south by the Gulf of Thailand and Malaysia, and to the...
, China
China
Chinese civilization may refer to:* China for more general discussion of the country.* Chinese culture* Greater China, the transnational community of ethnic Chinese.* History of China* Sinosphere, the area historically affected by Chinese culture...
, Shanghai
Shanghai
Shanghai is the largest city by population in China and the largest city proper in the world. It is one of the four province-level municipalities in the People's Republic of China, with a total population of over 23 million as of 2010...
, and Hong Kong
Hong Kong
Hong Kong is one of two Special Administrative Regions of the People's Republic of China , the other being Macau. A city-state situated on China's south coast and enclosed by the Pearl River Delta and South China Sea, it is renowned for its expansive skyline and deep natural harbour...
.
With this single, Rain presented a brand-new image to his fans, and explored a more upbeat, hip-hop influenced sound. In an attempt to attract a larger international audience, he changed his name from Bi (meaning ‘rain’ in Korean) to its English
English language
English is a West Germanic language that arose in the Anglo-Saxon kingdoms of England and spread into what was to become south-east Scotland under the influence of the Anglian medieval kingdom of Northumbria...
form, Rain. This was also Rain's first single with an English name, rather than a Korean one.
The single eventually made its way to the MTV
MTV
MTV, formerly an initialism of Music Television, is an American network based in New York City that launched on August 1, 1981. The original purpose of the channel was to play music videos guided by on-air hosts known as VJs....
studios in 2006. Its video was played periodically on MTV (USA) to promote Rain’s first ever US concert, Rainy Day, in Madison Square Garden
Madison Square Garden
Madison Square Garden, often abbreviated as MSG and known colloquially as The Garden, is a multi-purpose indoor arena in the New York City borough of Manhattan and located at 8th Avenue, between 31st and 33rd Streets, situated on top of Pennsylvania Station.Opened on February 11, 1968, it is the...
. It is rumored that an English version of the song will be re-recorded for inclusion on Rain’s first English album, due in 2008.