K-pop king Rain coming to HK after army service
South Korean superstar singer Rain will celebrate the end of his two-year military service by bringing his live show to AsiaWorld-Expo in 2016
K-pop star Rain is headed to HK.South Korean pop icon Rain will visit Hong Kong tomorrow to promote his first world tour since serving his two-year military service.
The Korean singer will attend a pre-tour meet-and-greet for fans and the media at Metro City Plaza, Tseung Kwan O. As part of his tour, called The Squall, Rain will play a night at AsiaWorld-Expo Arena on January 30 next year.
Rain, 33, whose real name is Jung Ji-hoon, is one of the biggest names in the world of K-pop. He has just completed his mandatory two-year military service in South Korea, during which he served as an "entertainment soldier" who appears on military-run TV and radio.
Despite what some fans might think, it was not such an easy ride. Rain got into trouble when a tabloid magazine published photos showing him out of town with TV actress Kim Tae-hee while on duty. Koreans are not allowed to have private meetings while outside the Seoul army base for official duties such as recordings and performing.
One of the pictures of the couple also showed Rain driving a private car in military uniform and not wearing his army beret - both breaking service rules.
During military service, troops are confined to their barracks and given little free time. Military service in Korea is taken very seriously, as the nation has never signed a peace treaty with North Korea, so needs to guard against any threats.
Since his time in the military, Rain has also visited Australia, where he's helping the state of Queensland promote its tourist industry in South Korea.