Rain 2 Explained

Rain 2
Type:studio
Artist:Rain
Cover:Rain HTATS.jpg
Recorded:2003
Studio:JYPE Studio (Seoul)
Length:42:37
Language:Korean
Label:JYP
Producer:
Prev Title:Bad Guy
Prev Year:2002
Next Title:It's Raining
Next Year:2004

Rain 2, alternately titled How to Avoid the Sun, is the second Korean-language studio album by South Korean recording artist Rain, released through JYP Entertainment on October 16, 2003. It spawned two singles: the titular track "How to Avoid the Sun" and "You Already Knew". A R&B and pop album, Rain 2 was primarily written and produced by JYP founder Park Jin-young, Bang Si-hyuk, along with several other contributors.

Commercially, the album peaked at number six on the monthly album charts in South Korea and was the 19th best-selling album of 2003, selling over 127,000 copies. It sold over 166,000 copies by the end of the following year. The title track received seven first place music program awards in South Korea and won a Mobile Popularity Award at the 2003 Mnet Music Video Festival.

Background and composition

Rain 2 (Korean: 태양을 피하는 방법) is also referred to as How to Avoid the Sun or How to Run From the Sun. The single "How to Avoid the Sun" is about a person who still harbors feelings for a previous lover, using the sun as a metaphor to convey how the person is unable to stop thinking about them. The lyrics and music video express how the sun is omnipresent and cannot be avoided even if you hide underground or cover it with the palm of your hand.[1]

Singles

"How to Avoid the Sun" was released as the first single. The single put Rain on the map in Korea, going to number one on the charts. At the time of the album's release, there were two versions of the song: the radio mix, credited as the guitar remix, and the original version. The song lyrics describe feeling a love so strong that it is impossible to run from. The music video was shot in Seoul. In it, you see Rain running from the sun throughout the city, trying his best to avoid it, but always failing.

On the May 10, 2007, episode of the Colbert Report, Stephen Colbert presented his audience with a parody of the "Ways to Avoid the Sun" music video. The parody featured Colbert singing in Korean and mimicking elements from the Rain video including running from the sun and dancing in a parking garage. The video was created in response to Rain topping Colbert in Times open online poll.[2] "You Already Knew" was released as a promotional single as a follow-up to "How to Avoid the Sun".

Reception

From October 2003 to February 2004, the album sold 166,731 copies in South Korea.[3] [4] In 2021, "How to Avoid the Sun" was ranked at number 62 in Melon and newspaper Seoul Shinmuns list of top 100 K-pop songs of all time,[5] with critic Jung Min-jae praising "Rain's rich emotional performance" and wrote that it was through this work that solidified his career as a singer.[6]

Accolades

2003Mnet Music Video FestivalMobile Popularity Award[7]
Best Male Artist[8]
Seoul Music AwardsMain Prize (Bonsang)[9]
Date
Inkigayo November 9, 2003
November 23, 2003
November 30, 2003
Music Camp December 6, 2003
December 13, 2003
December 20, 2003
December 27, 2003

Promotion and live performances

Rain promoted "How to Avoid the Sun" on South Korean music programs such as Music Camp (former version of Show! Music Core) and Music Bank from October 2003 to January 2004.[10] He additionally performed it on Yoon Do-hyun's Love Letter on November 21,[11] at the 2003 Mnet Music Video Festival on November 27, and the 24th Blue Dragon Film Awards on December 11.[12]

Charts

Year-end charts

Release history

Release history for Rain 2! Region! Date!Version! Format(s)! Label!
South KoreaOctober 16, 2003Korean versionJYP Entertainment
JapanApril 4, 2007Japanese editionCDKing Records[16]

Notes and References

  1. Web site: Shin . Hyeon-gyu . 2003-12-14 . 태양을 피하는 방법 . How to avoid the sun . 2024-01-23 . Maeil Business Newspaper . Naver . ko.
  2. Brooks . Caryn . Colbert, Rain Not Most Influential . Time . October 30, 2021 . April 30, 2008.
  3. Web site: MIAK: Album Sales in 2003 . Music Industry Association of Korea . May 22, 2007 . Korean . https://web.archive.org/web/20070516070839/http://www.miak.or.kr/stat/kpop_2003_2h.htm . May 16, 2007.
  4. Web site: MIAK: Album Sales in 2004 . Music Industry Association of Korea . May 22, 2007 . Korean . https://web.archive.org/web/20070616165726/http://www.miak.or.kr/stat/kpop_2004.htm . June 16, 2007.
  5. Web site: Top 100 K-pop songs of all time revealed . Manila Bulletin . 31 October 2021 . 29 August 2021.
  6. Web site: Jung . Min-jae . Top 100 K-pop Masterpieces: Rain - How to Avoid the Sun . Melon . 13 December 2022 . ko . August 2021.
  7. Web site: November 28, 2003 . 2003 m.net 뮤직 페스티벌 최고의 수상자는 이효리와 빅마마 . 2003 M.net Music Festival Best Winners are Lee Hyo-ri and Big Mama . May 28, 2021 . Newsis . Naver . ko.
  8. Web site: November 27, 2003 . '2003 m.net 뮤직비디오 페스티벌' 최고의 수상자는? . 2003 m.net music video festival' Who is the best winner? . May 28, 2021 . Newsis . Naver . ko.
  9. Web site: 13 December 2003 . 이효리, 서울가요대상 가수왕 . Lee Hyori, Seoul Music Awards singer king . 5 December 2022 . Newsis . Naver . ko.
  10. Web site: 2004-01-08 . 가수 비, '마지막 무대 갖는다' . Singer Rain, 'will perform his final stage' . 2024-01-23 . Newsis . Naver . ko.
  11. Web site: 2003-11-20 . [TV하이라이트/21]'윤도현의 러브레터' 외 ]. [TV Highlights/21] ‘Yoon Do-hyun’s Love Letter’ and others . 2024-01-23 . Sports Dong-a . Naver . ko.
  12. Web site: [청룡영화상] 시상식 이모저모 ]. [Blue Dragon Film Awards] Awards ceremony details . . 23 January 2024 . ko . 2003-12-12.
  13. Web site: http://www.oricon.co.jp/prof/artist/353217/ranking/cd_album/ . ja:ピ(rain)のアルバム売り上げランキング . Japanese . Rain album release history . Oricon Style . Oricon Inc . 2 July 2013.
  14. Web site: http://www.miak.or.kr/stat/kpop_200310.htm. ko:2003.10월 – 가요 음반 판매량. 2003.10 – Sales volume. Music Industry Association of Korea. May 7, 2021. April 23, 2006. https://web.archive.org/web/20060423184741/http://www.miak.or.kr/stat/kpop_200310.htm. ko.
  15. Web site: http://riak.or.kr/chart/riakpdf.asp?hit_year=2003. ko:2003년 가요음반판매량. 2003 Album Sales Figures. Recording Industry Association of Korea. ko. https://web.archive.org/web/20171014133157/http://riak.or.kr/chart/riakpdf.asp?hit_year=2003. October 14, 2017. dead. November 28, 2014.
  16. Web site: rain2 RAIN(ピ) . Oricon News . 13 December 2022 . ja . 4 April 2007.