Name mix-up dampened Rain’s Hollywood debut.
We had no idea this had happened, until now. And it disturbs us.
°
Chosun Ilbo, 4/28/2008—Singer and actor Rain had an embarrassing moment at the premier of his Hollywood debut film “Speed Racer” at the Nokia Theater in Los Angeles on Saturday. The 26-year-old Korean superstar was introduced as Taejo Togokhan, the name of his character in the movie, instead of his real name Jung Ji-hoon, or his better-known stage name…. Rain’s name mix-up wasn’t limited to just the announcement—he was also listed as “actor Taejo Togokhan” in the caption of a photograph of him with costar Susan Sarandon. The mistake would be like writing Sarandon’s name as “Mom Racer.”
We are simply dumbfounded as to how professionals could make such a disrespectful error. Talk about ruining Rain’s moment of triumph after he worked so hard to get there! It probably felt like they had dumped a bucket of cold water on him in front of everyone. We’re shaking our heads at how such a small moment of someone’s carelessness undoubtedly impacted his confidence in a huge way.
Rain and other talented people who come to the US to entertain us and spread goodwill should be given the same amount of care and consideration as American celebrities. Because they are not as well known here, or not American, is no excuse for substandard treatment.
— Stephe ^@@^
Cloud USA 
[…] We already blew a gasket about » this pathetic behavior during the Speed Racer era… and now, to find out that People Magazine did it […]
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I certainly expected more from the WMA. I did! ???
^@@^
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i believe it did, period!! how else can they explain on sites that report receipts at box offices, the blatent ommision of the star of the film. even after Joel Silver stated at the Premier that this film was built around and for Rain? when Speed Racer came out we saw it announced on Entertainment Tonight, (big announcment), i saw posters all around everywhere. not so with Ninja Assassin. there was a preview event in the city that i live in. i found out about it 15 mins. (while reading the Metro paper) before is was to start. that’s the only announcment i saw and i was on route to handle business, so i couldn’t go. i kinda don’t understand what role WMA or Warner Bros. plays in exposing Rain to the US. but i’m not impressed with their handling of him so far. we are going into the 3rd year of his contract with them, they have enough of his appearances in the States to build a better marketing strategy then they have. ckeck it: Chicago UIC (2003); Hollywood Bowl (2005); Madison Square Garden (2006); Las Vagas (2006); Steven Colbert (2008); CNN (Korea Sparkling cf) 2008); Las Vagas (2009) his film Cyborg played almost all of 2009 on the Sundance Channel up to the release of Ninja Assassin. he’s been in US mags as well, so there’s a lot to capaltalize on. What are they waiting for? or better yet, Why are they waiting?
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Honestly. HOW does every big news and entertainment outlet in the country not mention a Warner Bros. movie during its HUGE premiere at GRAUMAN’S CHINESE THEATER in Hollywood? HUH? Seriously? It takes you a week after this mad-hyped event to come up with “oh and by the way Ninja Assassin opened”?
Did an Asian lead have something to do with that? Just sayin’.
Stephe 😦
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This so disturbs me.
As a professional writer, I would NEVER EVER cover anything without knowing my subject thoroughly. I mean, it’s basic knowledge that before you put a mike in anyone’s face or put a pen to paper, you’d damned BETTER know what the hell you’re talking about.
So, to me, the situation is so bizarre that I’m having trouble believing it was actually a MISTAKE. Unreal.
I’ll tell you another thing that disturbed me. Right before Ninja Assassin premiered, no matter how much I channel-surfed for coverage, there was NONE to be found. NONE. NADA. NOWHERE. NO HOW. We could not find ONE mention of this fantastic movie on a network television entertainment news show here in the USA. In fact, if I’m recalling correctly it was only after it OPENED that we finally found someone briefly mentioning it.
Disconcerting at its best. Slimy at its worst.
Terri :-}
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and to imply that Rain is not well known here, is to ignore the Asian population. go into any Asian community or visit their markets, Chinese, Japanese, Korean, Viatamese, etc. you will find asian papers and mag. there with Rain in them. (i got a paper in a Korean herbal store, mags. from a Chinese store even my local asian store)…so it just seems it would be a sensible thing to visit these outlets for info. if you plan on writing somethng about an Asian entertainer. one last thing that desturbed me. i watched most if not all of the NA permier vids. in LA, there was several reporters who came and you could hear them asking each other who was Rain?, who was this person or who was that person, while another reporter was explaining to them. now how on earth do you go to cover an event without a clue who the major players are? ( scratching my head) fans just have to stay vigilent and add corrections when necessary.
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yeah, i read about this when it was happening here. it was reported that news reporters from Korea notified the appropriate folks of the mistake. but, not only that Stephe, it simply astonishes me how US newspapers, internet reporters and mags. just get it wrong when it comes to writing about him. how about the mistake in People mag.with the wrong pic and Rain’s name under it. fans e-mailed People to let them know Rain was the same person who had been selected as their most beautiful people in (2006, i believe). then there is the whole missed-description of his accomplishments using words like”little known” (that was one reason why rainlisting had the banner project on display at the NA premier with mesgs. from his fans around the world), on the IDBM page, many fans had to write in whole descriptions of who Rain is, because they didn’t seem to have a clue. this goes for box-office mojo as well. so many of US articles (by ignorance or on purpose) just seem to downplay his accomplishments, his global status and fame. one of the first things i learned in journalism class was KNOW YOUR SUBJECT. do they still teach that?? we all know that Rain has been listed on the internet Time 100 for the past 4 years, in People mag at least 2x, in Forbes mag at least 2x, written about in major NY news papers which can be purchased in almost every major city, yet they still don’t act like the know about him. it is truly an insulting thing to me that boxoffice mojo would list Naomi Harris under Director McTeigh on their NA page. but, i will say that when fans are made aware of these omissions they jump right in and either mass e-mail or comment to clearify while leaving links of his performances. i don’t know what’s behind this.
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