Rain LCCT Arrival 10.4.11.wmv. [Rain lands at the Low Cost Carrier Terminal Kuala Lumpur, via Air Asia (across the International Dateline, it’s already the 10th). Next, the F1 Grand Prix post-show! ^@@^] (courtesy of azeel2001 @YT)
[Eng trans][Eng captions] RAINY DAY Season 3, episode 2. Musical Chairs.
•April 9, 2011 • 13 Comments— Cloud cover by: Stephe, Managing Editor ^@@^
Asia broadcast 4/9. We continue on from where we left off last week—at Sun Music Studio, rehearsing for Rain’s ADIEU! 2010 concert in Seoul.
It’s a typical day in the studio—if any day with JiHoon could be called typical, that is, and “You” is being fine-tuned by the Man when all of a sudden we get to see him launch into an almost a capella intro to “Not A Single Day/Harudo” … Doesn’t matter how many songs you’ve heard Rain sing over the course of your own personal fan journey or how many times—the sound is simply mesmerizing regardless, rich and hypnotic, even during a simple rehearsal. How does he open his mouth and produce such beauty on the ears? And is it just me or does the sound get even more rich as he transitions into grown-manhood?
Awww. Mr. Perfection. He’s going to do it as many times as it takes to get it right for his fans. ♥ I hope someone was taking plenty of notes because The Man was being as detailed as all get-out. He knew exactly what he wanted when, where, why, and how.
(Gori is still teasing me with that awesome Warhol t-shirt. It would serve him right if I just snatched it off of him and went about my business.)
OMG! *gasp* It’s “One” in studio. “One” in studio, y’all! Pop it, Rain. Back him up, Men! You know this has got to be the hottest version of Musical Chairs on the planet. Aiiiigoooooo. Of course, they try a couple of similar intros. And do we care which one they eventually picked? That would be a hell-to-tha-naw. (NO.) Heh. You’ve got to grin at those little mini-grinds they did, being in polite company and all. 🙂
Hongshi was in rare form, yo. LOL! Dude looked like he was at a rodeo come grind-time (ride’em cowboy), not to mention the Yawnnn… hyung’s so tired, I’ve gotta stretch really big, all the way over into Hoon’s face incident. And of course that could not stand, no one is allowed to usurp Rain’s jokester title under any circumstances, and so he goes around the room reclaiming it. Haha. (Huh… was he singing with a Southern twang just then? “I’m yo maaa-yan, yeur mah guu-ral…” And did he almost miss the chair and land on his @ss? ROFL! )
Okay, by a show of hands… who wouldn’t mind Rain teaching them the choreography for “One”? (don’t anyone dislocate their shoulder throwing that hand up, now)
And then it’s time to rehearse “Escaping the Sun”… if people will lower their conversations and stop cutting into his concentration. How rude. 😦 Things do get going after it’s quieter, we get a taste of the song beautifully retooled for the changes in Rain’s voice, and then… we’re out! Until next week!
Terrific episode. Enjoy!
Stephe @cloudusa.wordpress.com
(Source: happyyyrain (torrent) /Brief translation by rain bird / courtesy of ratoka @YT)
Continue reading ‘[Eng trans][Eng captions] RAINY DAY Season 3, episode 2. Musical Chairs.’
[fan accounts] First historic bank Shinhan invites Rain to its celebration.
•April 9, 2011 • 3 Comments— Cloud cover by: Stephe, Managing Editor ^@@^
» More on Shinhan Bank can be found HERE. Very interesting.
momo_7823 @yfrog said:
회사 행사 축하 공연 에 ‘비’ 군 왔네요 ؛ ؛. 아하하……؛؛؛؛
어머. 회사 행사에 비왔다고 올렸더니 비팬님들께서 벌써;;;;
Rain came to Shinhan Bank’s celebration this afternoon…Ahhaha.. The first, second, and third performances were by Rain, ‘Jang Yun Jung’, and ‘Kim Jang Hoon’ respectively.
Oh! Many of Rain’s fans have already visited my Twitter as soon as I’ve posted his picture on it ;;;;
(image credit: momo_7823)
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rainraro @DC Inside said:
아…나도 갈걸ㅠㅠㅠㅠㅠㅠㅠㅠㅠㅠㅠㅠㅠㅠㅠㅠㅠㅠㅠㅠㅠㅠㅠ지인이 가서 전화로 짐 목솔 들려주고 있는데 눙물나네요비느 막 관객들하구 대화도 해ㄷㄷㄷㄷㄷㄷㄷㄷㄷㄷㄷㄷㄷㄷㄷㄷㄷㄷ말투 졸 귀요미왠지 가고싶더라니ㅠㅠ오빠 아닌 거 같은데 왜 오빠라고 부르냐면서ㅋㅋ왜 욕하냐고 농담이라고ㅋㅋㅋㅋㅋㅋㅋㅋㅋㅋㅋㅋ
신한은행 내 시상식 같은 행사인가봐 끝났어ㅠ아 지인이 혹시 모르니깐 가자고 했을때 따라 나설걸 내 게으름을 저주한다ㅠ
잇츠레이닝 레이니즘 태피 힙송 일케 4곡했대ㅠㅠㅠㅠㅠㅠㅠㅠㅠㅠㅠㅠㅠㅠㅠㅠㅠㅠㅠㅠㅠㅠㅠㅠㅠㅠ
뭐 당연하지만 졸 이뻤대ㅠ올만에 보니깐 넘 좋았다고ㅠㅠㅠㅠㅠㅠ
고대 화정체육관에서
Rain was invited to Shinhan Bank’s celebration at the gym of Korea University around 5 this afternoon to perform live. He sang 4 songs, It’s Raining, Rainism, How to Avoid the Sun, and Hip Song.
It was said he even talked to the audiences. He said to one of the audience, “You look much older than I am. So I’m wondering, why do you call me ‘oppa’?” He then said, “Why do you speak ill of me? Just kidding!”
According to my friend, of course, he was so cool. she was really glad to see him again after a long interval.
I really regret not having gone after her when she asked me to join her.
Rain was the first guest to perform, probably due to another schedule (Malaysia F1 concert on Apr.10)
Time Magazine Says This Week’s Conversation Included RAIN
•April 9, 2011 • 19 Comments~ Cloud cover by: Terri, Managing Editor :-}
Well, well, well.
I was upstairs, where I was chillin’ with my family after my lunch break and watching a little television, when my dad suddenly pipes up from his recliner.
“Well, well. Lookie here,” he says. “Look who’s in our Time Magazine.”
I get up from the sofa to take the magazine from him as he taps his finger on a piece in Time Mag’s Inbox, on page 6. There, in the section called, The Conversation, which highlights a few of the magazine’s topics of the past week, is a brief mention of Time.com’s Online Poll and its current leader: Rain. They also include a photo of Rain flashing a peace sign, from the MTV Movie Awards:
Aw. It’s only a small mention, but still, I think it’s great press for a fella Cloud USA just happens to think is DA BOMB. Go Rain! And keep on VOTING, Clouds!
Terri :-}
P.S. I also enjoyed the rest of the magazine as well. Of notable mention elsewhere is David Von Drehle’s article about the Civil War, called The Way We Weren’t and HBO’s announcement of their serial adaptation of one of my most favorite fantasy novel series called A Game of Thrones, by George RR Martin. If you don’t subscribe to Time Magazine, you can read Drehle’s The Way We Weren’t. online at Time.com. Give it a gander. It’s a intelligent and informative read. :-}
The Inbox Image that grabbed my daddy’s attention:
An HBO promo poster for The Game of Thrones. (And NO, this has absolutely nothing to do with Rain, but it’s my blog and I do what a want. :-})
[article] Rain files suit for unpaid wages from The Fugitive: Plan B.
•April 9, 2011 • 11 Comments— *sigh* ^@@^
HelloKPop 4/9/2011 — by TerriKR, HelloKPop Chief Editor
Rain files suit for unpaid wages from The Fugitive: Plan B
On Friday, April 8, Korean superstar, Rain, filed suit in Seoul’s District Court against “D Company,” the independent producers responsible for compensating him for his work in last year’s KBS television drama, The Fugitive: Plan B.
According to Rain, the company still owes him 400 million KRW (about $396,000 USD) for the work he did as a lead in the drama. Rain indicated that his contract stated that he would receive 50 million KRW (about $47,000 USD) per episode, for 16 episodes, plus the value-added tax (VAT) at a later date. However, he said he was only paid his original contract fees and a mid-project payment of the same amount. He never received the VAT or the rest of the money owed on the original contract.
To make matters worse, the producer tacked on 4 more episodes and a “Making of The Fugitive: Plan B” finale to the end of the drama. In spite of not being paid in advance, Rain agreed to appear in all of the extra episodes. He said:
“I was asked to appear in extra episodes without getting paid up front. Because I didn’t want to disappoint the viewers by rejecting their offer, I agreed to the extra episodes and completed the finale. After we finished filming, I received a promissory note from the producer, but it was not honored.”
Last December, actress Lee Na Young filed a similar suit against the same producers.
News Sources: Daily Economy via Yahoo Korea, Daum, and Korea.com
Photos: KBS
Rain about town: At the Kuala Lumpur Convention Center, Malaysia.
•April 9, 2011 • 5 Comments— Cloud cover by: Stephe, Managing Editor ^@@^
Malaysia is ready for rain, everyone! Banners are everywhere, and Clouds are on standby… good luck, sisters! Have a great post-show after the Petronas Formula 1 Grand Prix, JiHoon!
Rain concert banner at KLCC, April 9: “I found this one in KLCC (Kuala Lumpur Convention Center), missed the giant banner just outside the airport >.< there are lots of smaller banners along the street from LCCT airport to KL Sentral…”
— courtesy of: NovemberRain / posted by: RoseHoong @The Cloud
[article] Expect rain and “Rain.”
•April 8, 2011 • 2 Comments— Cloud cover by: Stephe, Managing Editor ^@@^
“2011. I’m Rain. I’m back. It’s raining. Eh, no, the next song isn’t It’s Raining, it really is raining. What’s up, Malaysia? Somebody scream!” 😀
New Straits Times / Klik4Malaysia 4/8/2011 —
Expect rain and “Rain”
KUALA LUMPUR: Expect a wet day and bring along umbrellas and raincoats if you’re going to the Petronas Formula One Malaysian Grand Prix 2011 this weekend. The Malaysian Meteorological Department is forecasting isolated rains in Selangor, especially around Sepang where the racetrack is located.
A department spokesman said there would be pockets of rain over the area during the afternoon starting today until Sunday. SIC chief executive officer Datuk Ahmad Razlan Tan Sri Ahmad Razali, however, is not deterred by the prospect of rain as he felt it would add to the excitement of the race.
“It takes an immense amount of skill to be able to push the Formula One cars to its limit even during dry weather. On a wet day, drivers will have to take greater amount of risks to gain the edge over their competitors,” he said.
He said the wet track would also allow spectators to witness spectacular overtaking manoeuvres performed by the drivers. He is, however, hoping to avoid a repeat of the 2009 Malaysian Grand Prix where the race was abandoned due to torrential rain.
“No amount of drainage engineering can salvage a race if it rains heavily like in 2009. Too much rain can jeopardise the drivers’ safety. If the International Automobile Federation (FIA) feels that the rain is too heavy, the race will have to be cancelled for the safety of the racers.” He said heavy rain would also pose a problem to off-track operations. “The roof membrane on the grandstand area is prone to leaks and we are still procuring funds to solve the problem.”
However, he is confident the wet weather would not deter hard-core F1 enthusiasts. “We have already exceeded our projected target of 100,000 visitors over three days judging from the number of tickets sold to date. We are expecting another 20 per cent increase in ticket sales once the practice laps start.”
Razlan said the Malaysian Grand Prix would also be the testing ground for the new Pirelli tyres to be used for this season. “No one really knows how the wet tyres will perform in the actual race as the designs are new. This all adds to the thrills and spills for the Malaysian Grand Prix… anything can happen.”
Meanwhile, spectators can also look forward to the appearance of South Korean pop-singer Rain (real name Jung Ji-Hoon), who will be performing his latest hits at the Sepang F1 post-race concert this Sunday.
Rain check: The Man for MENtholatum.
•April 8, 2011 • 19 Comments— Cloud cover by: Stephe, Managing Editor ^@@^
THIS Rain check only needs ONE picture. OMG.
THIS is going to be the best campaign ev-vah, in the history of Raindom. Holy hand-me-a-tissue. We cannot wait for the rest!
(image source as tagged)
[articles] Korea’s Top Agencies Combine Their Powers.
•April 8, 2011 • 11 Comments— Cloud cover by: Stephe, Managing Editor ^@@^
Very interesting…! And right away, it strikes us as a good thing, as it may mean that a certain someone (with the initials RAIN) is about to finally get some proper WORLD marketing and distributing of his stuff. Possibly. And maybe get a more international website to match his international fan base? (We can only hope for that one.) We’ll have to see… This is preliminary information. No one can go more in depth about this at the moment (all of the artists this will affect, in exactly what way, what about MBLAQ, etc.), until more information is forthcoming from the Powers That Be, so let’s try not to go off on a hundred-question tear and stay tuned.
(Don’t misread me. Opinions and comments are certainly welcome, as always.)
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KBS Global 4/8/2011 —
Korea’s Top Agencies Combine Their Powers
The largest and most successful Korean entertainment agencies representing some of the most well-known faces in Asia are coming together to form the United Asia Management (UAM).
The companies KEYEAST, AME&T, Star J Entertainment, SM Entertainment, YG Entertainment, and JYP Entertainment have all made investments to create this inter-Asian branch of themselves. The six k-pop powerhouses all agreed that there was a need for a bigger system where companies can collaborate, cast, and exchange ideas and talents to target the entire Asian market. Thus UAM was born to become a player in the global industry, representing all of Asia.
The collaboration team will not only play the agency role, but also manage portrait rights and intellectual property rights regarding film, drama, video contents creation, celebrity online stores, etc.
UAM will officially start this mid-April, with an already impressive lineup of faces that it represents: Jang Dong-gun, Hyunbin, Shin Mina, Bae Yong-joon, Kim Hyun-joong, Choi Kang-hee, Lee Ji-a, Soo-ae, Kim Nam-gil, BoA, Lee Yeon-hee, Ara, Goo Hye-sun, Kang Hye-jung, Big Bang, Rain, 2PM, and miss A.
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HanCinema 4/8/2011 — by Chung Ah-young
Stars to unite for new global management
Hallyu stars will join forces to establish a collaborative agency to target the Asian market. Keyeast, Bae Yong-joon’s management agency, said Friday that six management agencies, AM Ent, Star J, SM, YG, JYP and Keyeast, will combine to launch UAM (United Asia Management) this month.
The six agencies manage stars such as Joo Ji-hoon, Choi Kang-hee, Jang Dong-gun, Hyeon Bin, Sin Min-ah, Soo-ae, BoA, Big Bang, Rain, Wonder Girls, 2PM and miss A.
“UAM consisting of the six agencies is designed to meet the needs of an international agency to lay a foundation for the Asian Wave beyond the Korean Wave and to build networks as well as a casting system within Asia”,Keyeast said.
UAM will play the role of a global agency to manage the artists belonging to the six agencies, working to protect their rights, build a database system via online media and extend more content-based business related to films and dramas.
“The envisioned agency will maximize the business know-how and networks the six agencies have built up with the success of the Asian debuts so far through mutual trust and understanding”, Keyeast said.
Source : www.koreatimes.co.kr/… ( English Korean )
Rain check.
•April 8, 2011 • 11 Comments— Cloud cover by: Stephe, Managing Editor ^@@^
“Rain who has come out of a shop called ‘Lovely’ next to ours in Apgujung-dong. He is my man…” posted by fan seun03 today. (English trans by rain bird @rain-eu / source: seun03 @yfrog / tip: rain-cloud)
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The Rain(Bi)Love2 blog in Japan has been churning out Rain fan art for days. So how about a massive, gigantic, out of this world JiHoon Mega-Bonanza? Yes, let’s! 🙂 (images: RainBiLove2)
[fan made] Nine years of cute.
•April 7, 2011 • 7 Comments— Cloud cover by: Stephe, Managing Editor ^@@^
At the end of this month, on April 28, Rain will have been in the official limelight for nine years. Nine years since debut, fans! My goodness, with all the hundreds of projects he’s done, you’d think it was ninety. Enjoy this fan made video which represents a small portion of nine years of Jung JiHoon goodness.
bi rain *-*. (courtesy of 1405kawaii @YT)
Rain about town: More MENtholatum around Beijing.
•April 7, 2011 • 3 Comments— Cloud cover by: Stephe, Managing Editor ^@@^
What is there to say? Nothing, really. Except what we always do… Woahhhh! 🙂
We wonder where else in China, Hong Kong, or Taiwan these posters might be spotted? And what will the newer ones to come be like? (These are nowhere near the only photos that Mentholatum China shot—unless they’re crazy or something.)
So stay tuned! Surely we’ll be seeing a lot more of the Man larger than life, for his new endorser.
(image credit: RAIN☆ANGEL)
Rain check.
•April 7, 2011 • 5 Comments— Cloud cover by: Stephe, Managing Editor ^@@^
A lovely wallpaper of our JiWoo, and from one of Rain’s talk show appearances last April or May, during the B2TB comeback journey, and some cool screen shots of very young Bi in the studio back in the day. C-u-t-e. (courtesy of sizuku @Rain Diary, Japan and yuko @rainstorm, Japan)
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Rain “hurting ’em” during his I’m Coming tour stop in Sydney, Australia.
[article] Dear World & Asian Clouds: We’ve been included in the O Music Awards, sponsored by MTV.
•April 7, 2011 • 13 Comments— Cloud cover by: Stephe, Managing Editor ^@@^
That’s right, everyone! We, as Rain’s fan base, have been entered under MTV’s Open, Online, and Ongoing Music Awards category to determine the most visible and hardcore fan army, along with Beiber fans, Minaj fans, Gaga fans, Lambert fans, and six others. (They use the word “best,” but seeing as all fan bases are composed of super fans and incredibly dedicated people, most visible and hardcore makes a lot more sense, in our minds. “Best” is really too broad a term and implies that one fan group doesn’t care about their celeb as much as another fan group, which isn’t true.)
Just think… before 2010, who in the U.S. media had a real clue as to what a Rain “Cloud” was, much less used the term? Here we go, making history again for JiHoon for yet another year! 🙂 First, the article from MTV USA…
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MTV Buzzworthy Blog 4/7/2011 —
Vote now for the O Music Awards! [excerpt]
It’s the O Music Awards! The first-ever online music award show that celebrates the polygamous marriage of music, the Internet and #socialmedia — those fateful three-way lovers — and the first-ever music award show where the nominees include Radiohead, Justin Bieber fans, Ginuwine’s “Pony,” and a dancing parrot!
Check out the O Music Award nominees below, see which nominees are trending, follow theO Music Awards on Twitter, and watch the O Music Awards live, right here on Thursday, April 28 at 8pm.
+ CHECK OUT THE O MUSIC NOMINEES, AND VOTE!
Innovative Artist
Radiohead
Tyler the Creator
Kanye West
Lady Gaga
Lil B
The Flaming Lips
iamamiwhoamiFan Army FTW
Beliebers
Little Monsters
Taylor Gang
Barbiez
Clouds
Echelon
Killjoys & MCRmy
Aliens/Tokio Hotel Fans
Katy Kats
Rihanna Navy
Glamberts» You can see all 19 categories and nominees, and this article in its entirety on MTV.com HERE.
And now for some O Music Awards links. Voting is pretty simple… just take a look at the instructions, and do it either via your Twitter, your Facebook, or your mobile device (there’s also a WEB option). Once you connect to your Twitter or Facebook, it’s just a matter of clicking the VOTE button—it’s no more complicated than that. Easy-peasy.
» O Music Awards categories page / » O Music Awards Fan Army vote page
Well. If all the fun he’s having filming Red Muffler as well as how wonderfully he’s doing in the TIME poll has JiHoon turning flips of happiness these days… this should really make him grin. Ha!
Our Japanese Cloud sisters are strong and hanging in there.
•April 7, 2011 • 7 Comments— Cloud cover by: Stephe, Managing Editor ^@@^
[*ETA: Mexico also had an earthquake earlier today, a 6.5 magnitude, that cracked buildings and toppled things and really scared the heck out of everyone. Our prayers are also with our Mexican clouds sisters and their loved ones. It is such a frightening time. Thanks for the tip, BiA.]
This came in earlier today on The Korean Cloud’s English Talk board, from the 7th Cloud Japanese master, Hina. It means a lot to us that she took the time to do this, especially with the HUGE 7.4 quake aftershock that just hit off the Japanese coast in the past few hours. (It didn’t cause another tsunami, thank heavens.)
The ground over there is still shaking, and our sisters are hanging in there but they still need our prayers and support in this horrible time.
Thanks, Hina, for staying in touch.
Message of Thanks from Japanese Master ‘Hina’.
Hi, every Cloud. This is Japanese Master ‘Hina’.
We have received warm-hearted emails, words of encouragement, and messages which give us strength from many of you.
Thank you so much for your concern and attention on us.
Reading many of your loving messages, our heart was warmed while we were feeling that people are basically the same the world over as you touched the lives of millions of the earthquake victims through your charity work.
Special thanks to Cloud fans from all over the world including ‘Raincloud HK’, ‘Rain Malaysia’, ‘China Baidu Rainbar Cloud’ and so on.
We believe all of your philanthropic work will help the earthquake victims to stand up again as soon as possible.
We have no words to thank you enough, but on behalf of Japanese Cloud, I just want to express my heartfelt gratitude for your sharing love with us.
We love all of you.
[English translation by rain bird @rain-eu.com]
Word on the street: More venues for The BEST Rain 2011 concert tour?
•April 7, 2011 • 5 Comments— Cloud cover by: Stephe, Managing Editor ^@@^
PLEASE Note: As of this posting, nothing in this post has been confirmed by J.Tune, so until that happens do take it as such—word on the street. Confirmations (or lack thereof) should come soon enough. Thanks!
(Shanghai, on May 25…?)
(Singapore, on May 22…?)
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Channel News Asia 4/7/2011 — CNA/ha
Rain, Big Bang among top K-pop stars to perform in Singapore this year
SINGAPORE: Korean superstar Rain will perform in Singapore on May 22 at the Singapore Indoor Stadium as part of his “The Best” 2011 Rain Asia Tour. According to concert promoter Faith and D Entertainment, ticketing details for his concert will be announced at a later date.
Rain, who is best known for his slick dance moves and extravagant stage sets, last performed in Singapore in 2007. Although tickets to his previous concert cost between S$188 and S$888, they were sold out anyway, sparking concerns among his fans here that tickets to his upcoming concert might well cost even more. Other popular Korean acts like boy band Big Bang and girl group 2NE1 will also be making their way to Singapore for the Korean Music Wave 2011 concert on July 15, at the Singapore Indoor Stadium.
Organised by local events firm Proof Label, the concert will feature five other groups of performers whose identity will be revealed at a later date.
Proof Label previously organised the Korean Pop Night Concert 2010, which saw K-pop bands like SHINee, FT Island, Girl’s Generation as well as Big Bang perform to sell-out crowds in Singapore last year.
[post] Rain and his current fellow models have a “Lotte” new teammates.
•April 6, 2011 • 2 Comments— Cloud cover by: Stephe, Managing Editor ^@@^
We absolutely can’t wait for the retooling of the So I’m Loving You campaign theme song, with all the veterans and the newbies together. THAT is going to be awesome.
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Allkpop 4/6/2011 — by Vitalsign
“Lotte Duty-Free Shop” signs a new line of top stars
“Lotte Duty-Free Shop” has selected a slew of new models for their brand in addition to their current models, Song Seung Hun, Rain, Choi Ji Woo, and JYJ!
Their first line of models represent the first generation of the Hallyu wave, and in an effort to keep up with the trends of the current wave, Lotte Duty-Free has added Kim Hyun Joong, 2PM, Jang Geun Suk, Hyun Bin, and others to expand their marketing potential.
While most brands hold two to three models, Lotte Duty-Free is unique in that it holds a whopping nine teams, with 16 models in total.
Director Kim Ju Nam of Lotte’s marketing team explained, “The reason we are signing on such mammoth stars is not simply for our sales. Lotte’s star marketing emphasizes the creation of new content. Our aim is to expand Korea’s tourism industry through enter’tour’ment marketing, a combination of the tourism industry and the entertainment industry.”
The new line of models will be singing the brand’s theme song, “So I’m Loving You.” Additionally, they will also be participating in a variety of different events such as fan meetings, star relays, and talk shows.
[post] Holy blunder! Forbes uses Rain’s picture for hyung HoDong’s profile. :)
•April 6, 2011 • 9 Comments— Cloud cover by: Stephe, Managing Editor ^@@^
Holy cow! MC Kang HoDong, one of our favorite comedians, is an absolute nut, and as JiHoon’s close hyung for years, there’s no doubt the man is going to milk this for all it’s worth. Poor Rain! LOL! Every time HoDong sees him for a while, be it on the street or during a variety show, he’ll probably immediately bust out into Golden ab rolls and who knows what else.
On a set somewhere: RAIN, to HoDong: “Hyung! How’ve you been? Let’s go have lunch.” HoDong, to Rain: “2011. I’m Rain. I’m back.”
Block his calls for now, JiHoon! For the love of God, block his calls! 😛 (kidding, you know they’re both cracking up over this)
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GoKPop 4/5/2011 — by evil4life
Forbes Asia Mixes Up Kang HoDong and Rain
Releasing their annual Korean Star Power Rankings” Top 40 list in their April issue, Forbes Asia Magazine experienced a blunder accidently printing comedian’s Kang Hodong profile with Rain’s photo.
The list was created based on how much celebrities earned with filming CFs and dramas, how frequently they appeared on music videos and on magazines, and how many times they appeared on variety shows.
Defending the magazine, the Korean media has stated that the top celebrities aren’t as well known as the magazine expected.
[post][no Rain] Awesome KPop moment of the week: LA Korean cultural center and KBS America collaborate.
•April 6, 2011 • 1 Comment— Cloud cover by: Stephe, Managing Editor ^@@^
Incredible idea. Incredible opportunity! And who wouldn’t want to go to Seoul to see Music Bank LIVE? Just too cool.
The 1st Los Angeles K-Pop Contest for Non-Koreans
HelloKPop 4/6/2011 — by joAnnwashere
THE KOREAN CULTURAL CENTER OF LOS ANGELES AND KBS AMERICA CO-HOST THEIR FIRST EVER K-POP CONTEST FOR NON-KOREANS!
The Korean Cultural Center of Los Angeles and KBS America are banding together to hold a wonderful and unique event aimed at international K-pop fans.
The 1st Los Angeles K-pop Contest for Non-Koreans is a chance for listeners of Korean music to express their love for K-pop. Entrants will be eligible to win a round trip flight to Korea, along with a special ticket to the renowned K-pop show, Music Bank.
Can you imagine winning this, going to Korea, and being within the presence of your favorite stars at Music Bank?! This dream could possibly become your reality….
[post] Muffler check: Rain tweets new stills from Red Scarf.
•April 6, 2011 • 4 Comments— ^@@^
Dramabeans 4/6/2011 — by javabeans
Rain tweets new stills from Red Scarf
Thanks to Rain, we have a few more behind-the-scenes shots from his upcoming fighter-pilot blockbuster movie Red Scarf, in which he stars as a pilot with a team of fighters who carry out a bombardment of Pyongyang, North Korea.
He tweeted the following photos on April 6, with a note declaring that he’s enjoying filming the movie and feeling lots of excitement. With that much fancy military equipment at his disposal, I’m not surprised; he poses here in combat gear, with an F-15 fighter jet. (The main cast has undergone aviation training at air force facilities, and the film is being produced with the cooperation of the military. Hopefully the result of that preparation is a credible portrayal of pilots in flight, or at least entertaining ones a la Top Gun.)
Below, Rain poses with his Full House hyung Kim Sung-soo — don’t they look strapping together? Kim plays another fighter pilot, as do co-stars Yoo Jun-sang, Lee Jong-seok, and Lee Hana. And we can’t leave out rising star Shin Se-kyung, who plays the love interest. We haven’t seen any shots of her in the movie yet, although to be honest I’m not terribly keen on her so that’s not a huge disappointment. Really, a movie like this is all about the fighting and the bromance, right?
Red Scarf began filming in March and plans for a November release.
Via: Sports Chosun
[new CF][Eng trans] Rain’s 21sec commercial spot for 해찬들 (Haechahndle).
•April 6, 2011 • 1 Comment— Cloud cover by: Stephe, Managing Editor ^@@^
» Our previous post, with Rain’s 15-second Haechadndle Red Pepper Paste commercial spot, is HERE. We can’t wait for the next version, which should be even longer! (30 seconds? 60 seconds?)
[Rain (Bi) CF][Eng Trans]110406 해찬들Haechandle red hot pepper paste_21s. (Credit: 캐보꾸 @ DC / scorpiolabibi @YT)
(English translation by rain bird @rain-eu.)
The field is carpeted with our red Taeyangcho and rice which is grown and harvested thankfully on sunny days. Even both of ‘sea salt’ which is pure and glowing and ‘lots of waiting’ which feels our best, are included in ‘Haechahndle’. It (‘Haechahndle’) includes nothing but 8 materials from nature.
First created by nature, On the timetable of nature, ‘Haechahndle’.
(* Taeyangcho 태양초 : sun-dried red peppers / ‘Haechahndle’ 해찬들: a red pepper paste brand)
[quickie] The latest TIME stats…
•April 6, 2011 • 13 CommentsHoly smokes! The battle is turning epic! (remembering how we cheated on Rain with Jay at the movies back in February… gah! LOL!)
[article] Rain #1 On Online Votes For Time’s Top 100
•April 6, 2011 • 2 Comments— Cloud cover by: Stephe, Managing Editor ^@@^
*Please NOTE: As of this posting, Rain is leading with 62,139 votes for him, and 9900 votes against. (4/6/11, 5:24 am EST)
KBS Global 4/5/2011 —
Rain #1 On Online Votes For Time’s Top 100
Korean singer and actor seems to be a regular on the Time Online Top 100. He’s made appearances on the list of the top 100 most influential people in past years, and it seems that 2011 will be no exception.
The renowned US publication is conducting an online voting where Rain was in first place as of April 5th. This was out of 18,066 votes (3:30 PM local time), and 16,252 voted Rain to be influential while 1,814 voted him not influential.
Following hot on Rain’s heels was American actor Chris Colfer who had 12,186 influential votes and 1,506 not influential votes. Third place went to pop star Lady Gaga, fourth to the diva Beyonce, and fifth to the heroes working hard to keep the radiation leaks at bay at the Fukushima nuclear power plant. Sixth place was taken by US Republican representative Ron Paul, seventh to singer Rihanna, and 8th place to the US First Lady, Michelle Obama. Wael Ghonim took the 9th slot, while Mohamed Bouazizi, the former Secretary-general of the International Atomic Energy Agency rounded out the top 10.
There are 203 candidates in total for this year’s final list, with the online voting continuing until April 14th. The Top 100 are a list of leaders, heroes, artists, and thinkers who have influenced the entire world in some way. There are two lists and one of them is the online list, where online voters have a say in the final selection.
[article/clips] Time and Rain: A Love Story
•April 6, 2011 • 10 Comments— Cloud cover by: Stephe, Managing Editor ^@@^
Firstly, Rain fans don’t do anything differently in a voting poll than any other fan group (oh, wait… we don’t hack, use bots or voting software to get over, or vote other people down for the hell of it)—we just vote our butts off. That’s all. Secondly, we LOVE Stephen Colbert! Colbert for president! We’re ready for another dance-off! Thirdly, I’ve always wondered if Rain was wearing Gators during that dance-off. Those shoes were smooth like buttah!
The Atlantic Wire 4/5/2011 — by Uri Friedman
Time and Rain: A Love Story
A day after Time launched its annual poll asking readers who should appear in the magazine’s list of the 100 most influential people in 2011, the South Korean popstar Rain is dominating, with more than double the votes of the runner-up, Glee star Chris Colfer. It’s something of an annual tradition for his fans as Rain’s finished first or close to first nearly every year since 2007.
In 2009, when Chris Poole (a/k/a “moot”)–the then-21-year-old founder of the online community 4chan.org–won the poll, Time noted that its technical team had detected and addressed attempts to hack the vote, though Poole denied that his followers had tampered with the poll. In fact, as TechCrunch pointed out at the time, 4chan users manipulated the 20 spots after Poole so that the first letter of every name spelled out “Marblecake, also the game” a reference to a 4chan chatroom. (In case you’re wondering, Rain finished just behind the letter E in “game.”)
However, Time appears less concerned about Rain’s uncanny dominance of the magazine’s popularity contest. As Time’s staff writes in Rain’s 2011 profile, “His army of fans helped him stay on top of this poll last year; let’s see if there’s still enough love to keep him on top today.” And as anyone working on the web can tell you: page views are page views.
The unrelenting fan love has inspired some memorable moments over the years. In 2008, Comedy Central’s Stephen Colbert, locked in a duel with Rain for the top in Time’s rankings, engaged in a dance-off with the decidedly more agile and better dressed pop sensation:
http://www.dailymotion.com/video/x5c7fj_stephen-colbert-vs-rain-dance-off_fun#from=embed
In 2009, Time documented Rain’s battle with Poole:
[review] I’m a Cyborg, But That’s OK scores an 8.5 out of 10.
•April 6, 2011 • 11 Comments— Cloud cover by: Stephe, Managing Editor ^@@^
This isn’t an old review, fans. This is newly posted, and so well written in its detail and explanations that I am amazed by it. Strangely enough, Chad’s rating of the movie sounds right on to me. Do enjoy the read, and let us know if you agree… or not.
Nether Regions 04.05.11 — by Chad Webb
I’m a Cyborg, But That’s OK
The title enough should compel you to click, but in case it doesn’t, this film comes from Park Chan-wook, the director behind Oldboy. Here he explores romance and mental illness in an unconventional comedy…
After I saw the mastery of Oldboy, I was instantly a fan of filmmaker Park Chan-wook. His “revenge” trilogy is glorious, but what helped cement his place as one of the world’s top directors was a little quirky romantic comedy few in the United States have seen or heard of. With the unforgettable title of I’m a Cyborg, But That’s Ok, this was a deliberate divergence from his previous efforts, and proved his versatility and overall prowess behind the camera. This is a funny, compelling, and refreshingly wacky glimpse into the lives at one insane asylum.
After the superb opening credits sequence, we meet Young-goon, a young woman who worked in a factory constructing radios before she cut her wrists and tried to connect herself to a power cord. Deemed suicidal, Young-goon is placed in a mental ward. She is delusional and thinks she is a genuine cyborg. This results in her refusing to eat. Instead, she licks batteries in an attempt to give herself electric charges. She allows robust fellow patient Gop-dahn the right to eat her meals. It is revealed that Young-goon’s grandmother also suffered from delusions, in her case being a mouse. This traumatic event made quite an impact on Young-goon, and while institutionalized, she frequently imagines herself getting revenge on the “white-uns” (a.k.a. staff members dressed in white) who took her grandmother away. Also a patient, but voluntarily, is Il-Soon, who is not only anti-social but also a kleptomaniac. He develops a fascination with Young-goon, and as he tries to help her, they build a bizarre kind of relationship together.
What it looks like when Young-goon is fully charged.
A significant portion of the running time is devoted to introducing the various oddball patients, many of whom are hilarious. Before Young-goon can even get comfortable, she meets Sul-mi, who suffers from mythomania and therefore lies all the time. She pretends to be a doctor to an unsuspecting Young-goon. There is also a man who is overly humble and who always assumes that he is at fault when something goes wrong. Another woman thinks she is an Edelweiss yodeler, while another thinks his body was made with an elastic band around the waist. All of these personalities contribute to the whimsical nature of I’m a Cyborg, and That’s Ok. The supporting cast is filled with conviction, which should be expected, but it goes a long way to the viewer becoming invested in these weird people and their zany universe.
The bond between Il-Soon and Young-goon is about as sweet as a romance can get without stumbling into syrupy or schmaltzy territory. Lim Su-jeong was previously known as one of the sisters in A Tale of Two Sisters but she is wonderfully committed, straight-faced, and amusing as Young-goon. She had to lose a lot of weight for the role, but Chan-wook never uses that as a gross-out tactic. Su-jeong radiates content and child-like qualities as a girl who thinks she’s a cyborg, which causes us to understand why Il-Soon is drawn to her. Their first interaction occurs when she is trying to communicate with a snack machine. Il-Soon sees this, and as she verbally requests a tea, he drops the money in for her. She grabs it and walks away, not noticing he was there. Another funny scene has Young-goon explaining her 7 Deadly Sins: 1) Sympathy, 2) Being Sad, 3) Restlessness, 4) Hesitating About Anything, 5) Useless Daydreaming, 6) Feeling Guilty, and 7) Thankfulness.
Il-Soon is played by Rain (Ninja Assassin, Speed Racer), who is a model, actor, singer, and just about anything else you can think of. His talent is boundless, and here he establishes innate chemistry with Lim Su-jeong and has effortless comic timing. Most of the laugh out loud scenes feature Il-Soon “stealing” the delusions and illnesses of other patients. One of which has Il-Soon absorbing the voice of the yodeler, and this gives Rain an excuse to sing. He has a nice voice, so it’s fine. Young-goon is the center of the plot, so her background is given more detail, but the reason for Il-Soon’s schizophrenic tendencies are also covered. What makes I’m a Cyborg so rewarding is that the humor and the drama are balanced. Chan-wook says a great deal about where these delusions stem from, and even the minor characters are not left out in the dark.
This is a brilliant example of a director incorporating CGI, but using them sparsely. Other filmmakers would have transformed this in a special effects extravaganza, but Chan-wook is cognizant of the fact that doing so would have undermined the importance of the primary relationship and the atmosphere in the asylum. The transparent views through Young-goon, revealing her internal gears and lights are visually arresting and amusing. The sequences involving Yong-goon using her fingers as guns on the staff are also striking. The image of a romance including a scene of violence with fingers as guns might not make sense, but it will if you watch the film. It is trademark Chan-wook action, and is superlatively staged.
This is hardly the first story set in an insane asylum or mental ward. You have the more popular entries like One Flew Over the Cuckoo’s Nest and Girl Interrupted; the setting in certainly popular. Park Chan-wook conveys his intelligence by integrating enough distinctiveness that when one sees this, there will be no doubt of what you’re watching. The color scheming is memorable, bright, and vivid. The costumes are piercing white, and even the hair and makeup work deserves mention, as this is what separates many characters from the others and helps them stand out from the pack. Evidence of how refined, yet easy-going Chan-wook’s direction displays is available in almost every scene. Every aspect of I’m a Cyborg is laid out and unraveled appropriately. Even the music from Jo yeong-wook is exquisite, and shifts at the proper instances.
In perusing some other reviews, many seem to be confused by the fantasy sequences, questioning whether or not they are intended to be real. I can see why some would scratch their head upon a first viewing, but I’ve seen I’m a Cyborg a few times now, and I can safely say those scenes are not meant to be debated. What Chan-wook is aiming for is clear. Young-goon’s mental stability is not supposed to be cloudy, unlike say Black Swan. For those who cherish Chan-wook’s darker, more aggressive pictures, this might not be what you expect. I adored how different it was from his famed trilogy. It is delightful, but not overly saccharine, and silly but not ridiculous. The biggest flaw is the length, which could have been trimmed, but any complaints are saved by the charming and captivating conclusion.
This film was #1 in South Korea in its opening week, but tanked at the box office after that, which is the only available reason for its absence on DVD in the US. I’m guessing most companies are worried there won’t be an audience for it. Too bad. You can find bootlegs, or if you’re lucky enough to have a region-free DVD player, tracking down DVDs from other countries should not be too difficult. That’s what I got, and it suits me fine. In some areas, it has been released on Blu-Ray with the title I’m a Cyborg.
Final Rating = 8.5/10.0
Word on the street: Rain at the MENtholatum press con next week?
•April 6, 2011 • Leave a Comment— Cloud cover by: Stephe, Managing Editor ^@@^
This in about three hours ago from Rain’s super fan club Benamoo, partly in Korean and in Chinese:
[소식]4월12일 오후 3시 상하이 스타 리버 호텔 맨소래담 기자 회견에 비느님 참석/4.12 下午3：00上海浦东星河湾酒店将举行曼秀雷敦新闻发布会，RAIN将出席
12 April 2011 / 3:00 pm Rain will attend Mentholatum press conference in Shanghai next week, which will be held in Pudong, Shanghai Star River Hotel
(source: charlottelu / 29RAINberry / benamoo)
Hopefully confirmation will come about very soon, so that Malaysian Clouds can see him off properly when he leaves after the Petronas F1.
—
And about six hours ago, Benamoo shared this information from Rain Malaysia:
[정보][Flight Info] Rain Arrival and Departure for F1 Malaysia
Rain will arrive on 10 April to LCCT airport 05:10am Departures on 11 April from LCCT airport 13:55pm.
[비님 말레이시아 F1 콘서트 출발 및 도착 정보]
4월10일 새벽 5시 10분 말레이시아 LCCT 공항에 도착 예정.
4월11일 오후 1시 55분 LCCT 공항을 출발할 예정..
(from:RAIN MALAYSIA/비나무(레이니아))
From the look of things on The Cloud, the Malaysian Clouds are well prepared for Rain’s arrival for his post-race show. Good luck, sisters! 🙂
Tweets abound: Someone’s had a Twitter-itch for the past three days…
•April 6, 2011 • 9 Comments— Cloud cover by: Stephe, Managing Editor ^@@^
…and his initials are Jung-Ji-Hoon. 🙂
He is really, really, REALLY over the moon about this movie and the scenes he’s been shooting. It’s great to see him so excited over a project. And concerning all this tweeting—I don’t know if someone has slipped something into his soju or what, but I hope they keep feeding it to him because this is wonderful! (Once on the 3rd, five times on the 5th… this one at around 9:30 pm EST our time… it’s got to be a record for him.)
(And yep, the special F15 retooled for Red Muffler is going to be killa! Holy smokes. Looks like, in his previous tweet, he wasn’t introducing the movie jet on his Twitter… he meant his character would be intro’ing it in the film’s plot line.)
Thanks for including us all in your Muffler fun, Bi. 🙂
[TIME stats][article] Rain has been nominated as one of the Time 100 for the sixth year in a row.
•April 5, 2011 • 7 Comments— Cloud cover by: Stephe, Managing Editor ^@@^
The latest stats from over on TIME.com…
SPN/Nate News 4/5/2011 — [English translation by rain bird @rain-eu.]
Rain has been nominated as one of the Time 100 for the sixth year in a row
Singer and actor Rain has been nominated as one of the 100 most influential people in the world by Time magazine for the sixth year in a row.
Rain is maintaining first place in the voting for the Time 100, surpassing pop star Lady Gaga and so on as of April 5.
An overwhelming majority have also voted for Rain, and he received ardent support from the voters, getting 22,167 votes until 5pm. Chris Colfer (14,002 votes) ( who ranks number two) was defeated by his rival candidate Rain by a margin of about more than 8,000 votes.
There are 203 finalist competitors from all over the world, and this voting period is due to close 14 April.
Meanwhile, Rain’s name has been listed among the candidates for six consecutive years since 2006, which has special meaning to him.
In 2006, Time magazine chose Rain as one of the 100 most influential people in the world.
He wasn’t selected as one of the Time 100 in 2007~2010, but he ranked first or second, being nominated as a candidate for it, which became the talk of the town.
[fan account] Oppa! I’m a Cloud fan!
•April 5, 2011 • 4 Comments— Cloud cover by: Stephe, Managing Editor ^@@^
It seems that, in the post comments, the fan said that it was a school paper from her workbook that Rain signed. Aww… 🙂
I get Rain’s autograph at Daegu Airport today, 4/5/11
Source: 비느 @DC Inside
English translation: rain bird @rain-eu.
Saw Rain at Daegu Airport today. He was there to film a movie.
After about three hours of waiting, actor ‘Lee Jong Seok’ came out and smoke, and then entered the set again. But he came out again and signed autographs for us.
‘Lee Jong Seok’ left while talking to us, and then actor ‘Kim Sung Soo’ came out and signed autographs for us. Just then, my friend screamed, seeing both Rain and his manager walking by.
When I ran forward to welcome Rain and told him, “Oppa! I’m a Cloud fan !”, he said to me with a laugh, “Okay, okay..” But his manager didn’t allow me to take a picture of him.
I asked Rain to sign his autograph for me by saying, “Oppa, would you please write down your words ‘Gamin, I love you’ for me?” So he wrote the words for me, “Gamin, I love you’.
He was so good looking..I was absolutely nuts about him, so I cried as soon as I saw him.
Tweets abound: An F15 never looked so good!
•April 5, 2011 • 6 Comments— Cloud cover by: Stephe, Managing Editor ^@@^
I remember nearly passing out when we first realized that Rain’s Red Muffler character would be flying a $30 million dollar F15 Eagle (speed: mach 2.5 plus, yeah, that’s FAST), retooled for the movie, of course… and here he is now not only tweeting about the doggone plane himself, but sending us all pics of him with it, while on a break.
JiHoon, you really know how to charm us, buddy. ♥
[Cloud USA announcements] Bi Yourself Open Thread for 4/5-4/11.
•April 5, 2011 • 22 Comments
(JiHoon filming » his MiiOW Sport commercial spot back in 2008. Meow…!)
» You can visit the previous Open Thread HERE. And of course, don’t forget that our Cloud USA Forum is a most excellent place for Rain love, fan communication, and self-expression.
By the way — have you left a message for JiHoon on The Cloud today?
(Remember, our Project page for newbies on how to register for and USE the Official Cloud Rain Fan Club site in S.Korea is HERE.)
°
If you can, PLEASE follow Rain’s lead and give Japan a helping hand. Donate to the 7th Cloud’s Appeal-Donation for Earthquake Victims in Japan.
Oh my heavens. It’s that TIME again, fans, and it pert near snuck right up on us! Rain is up on TIME’s 100 Influential People Poll for 2011, and he needs your help. As “Raizo” would say, “Go. Go now.” » Our recent TIME 100 most influential post is HERE. Get on the Rain Train. Happy voting!
— Stephe ^@@^
[article] It’s that TIME again: Rain up for TIME Magazine’s 100 most influential.
•April 4, 2011 • 148 Comments— Cloud cover by: Stephe, Managing Editor ^@@^
[*Edited to Add 4/15 @12:21 am EST: THIS JUST POSTED ON THE TIME POLL:
“See how your picks for the most influential people in the world rated among TIME readers. Though official voting for inclusion on the TIME 100 list has now closed, with Rain having won the honor, users can continue to vote for their favorites until the list is revealed on Thursday, April 21st.”
He’s done it! We’ve done it!]
°
[*ETA 4/15, 12:17 am EST: TIME’s April 14 online poll voting deadline has officially passed now… but the poll has NOT been shut down as of this posting update, and the voting is being allowed to continue. Not sure what’s going to happen next… please stay tuned…]
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[*UPDATE 4/15 @12:15 am EST… #1) Rain with 408,052 influential votes.]
:Ronald Martinez / Getty Images / source: Time.com
As you all recall, this time last year we were doing double-duty—not only fighting the good fight (against hackers and others of their ridiculous ilk) at TIME, but also helping blaze a path for Rain through the 2010 MTV Movie Award nomination stage, which ended in him bagging the Biggest Badass statuette in June (his hard work and our hard work duly rewarded!).
This year, however,the Movie Awards aren’t a factor. (Boy, if he’d been in The Expendables… we’d have him IN THERE LIKE FLYNN for Badass again. You know this.) We can all give TIME our undivided attention instead of spreading ourselves so thin. Sounds good to us! Let’s do it.
» Rain’s 2011 TIME 100 Poll voting page is HERE.
Voting closes on April 14, and the winner of this online Poll will be included in TIME Magazine’s own personal list of the world’s most influential 100 (published in a special issue). Clouds are already over there, en masse, so go jump on the Rain Train. 🙂
Continue reading ‘[article] It’s that TIME again: Rain up for TIME Magazine’s 100 most influential.’
Rain check #2.
•April 4, 2011 • 3 Comments— Cloud cover by: Stephe, Managing Editor ^@@^
Ahhhh… to be back in JiWoo’s arms right now… Blowing up Bad Guys is such a turn-on. (images: yuko @rainstorm, Japan)
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Eye-opening screenshots of SangDoo Rain… in more ways than one. How many women would kill for skin like that? (images: yuko @rainstorm, Japan)
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The Fugitive: Plan B is starting up on Japanese television this month! (images: rainstorm, Japan)
Cloud USA 
