Rain 2 (Korean: 태양을 피하는 방법; RR: Taeyang-eul pihaneun bangbeob), alternately titled How to Avoid the Sun,[a] 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.
| Rain 2 | ||||
|---|---|---|---|---|
 | ||||
| Studio album by | ||||
| Released | October 16, 2003 | |||
| Recorded | 2003 | |||
| Studio | JYPE Studio (Seoul) | |||
| Genre | ||||
| Length | 42:37 | |||
| Language | Korean | |||
| Label | JYP | |||
| Producer |
| |||
| Rain chronology | ||||
| ||||
| Alternative cover | ||||
 Japanese edition cover | ||||
| Singles from How to Avoid the Sun | ||||
| ||||
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
editRain 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
edit"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 Time's open online poll.[2] "You Already Knew" was released as a promotional single as a follow-up to "How to Avoid the Sun".
Reception
editFrom 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 Shinmun's 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
edit| Year | Organization | Category | Result | Ref. |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2003 | Mnet Music Video Festival | Mobile Popularity Award | Won | [7] |
| Best Male Artist | Nominated | [8] | ||
| Seoul Music Awards | Main Prize (Bonsang) | Won | [9] |
| Program | 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
editRain 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]
Track listing
edit| No. | Title | Lyrics | Music | Arrangement | Length |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1. | "2003.10.16" | Park Jin-young |
| 1:20 | |
| 2. | "You Already Knew" (알면서) | Park Jin-young | Park Jin-young | Bang Si-hyuk | 3:46 |
| 3. | "Why Do I Love You Again" (난 또 니가 좋은거야) | Park Jin-young | Park Jin-young | Bang Si-hyuk | 3:30 |
| 4. | "How Come" (왜 하필) | Woo Eun-jeung | Woo Eun-jeung | 3:30 | |
| 5. | "To Me You Are" (나에게 너는) | Bang Si-hyuk |
| 3:43 | |
| 6. | "Even You" (너마저) | Bang Si-hyuk | Kim Do-hoon | Kim Do-hoon | 3:43 |
| 7. | "Do You Love Me Or My Fame" (내가 유명해지니 좋니) | Park Jin-young |
| Bang Si-hyuk | 3:32 |
| 8. | "How to Avoid the Sun (Gtr. Remix)" (태양을 피하는 방법) | Park Jin-young | Park Jin-young |
| 3:51 |
| 9. | "Men are from Mars, Woman are from Venus" (화성에서 온 남자 금성에서 온 여자) | Bang Si-hyuk | Kim Mi-sun | Kim Mi-sun | 3:41 |
| 10. | "아쉬운 빈 공간" (The Empty Space) | Park Jin-young | Dick | Dick | 3:36 |
| 11. | "Instead of Saying Goodbye" (안녕이란 말대신 (Remix)) | Park Jin-young | Park Jin-young | Yoo Gun-hyung | 3:28 |
| 12. | "How to Avoid the Sun" (태양을 피하는 방법) | Park Jin-young | Park Jin-young | 3:40 | |
| 13. | "Even When The Sun Rises" (태양이 떠도) | Park Jin-young | Park Jin-young | 1:14 | |
| Total length: | 42:37 | ||||
Charts
editSales
edit| Region | Certification | Certified units/sales |
|---|---|---|
| South Korea | — | 166,731[16] |
Release history
edit| Region | Date | Version | Format(s) | Label | Ref. |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| South Korea | October 16, 2003 | Korean version | JYP Entertainment | ||
| Japan | April 4, 2007 | Japanese edition | CD | King Records | [17] |
Notes
edit- ^ Other alternate titles include How to Run From the Sun and Ways to Avoid the Sun
References
edit- ^ Shin, Hyeon-gyu (December 14, 2003). "태양을 피하는 방법" [How to avoid the sun]. Maeil Business Newspaper (in Korean). Naver. Retrieved January 23, 2024.
- ^ Brooks, Caryn (April 30, 2008). "Colbert, Rain Not Most Influential". Time. Retrieved October 30, 2021.
- ^ "MIAK: Album Sales in 2003" (in Korean). Music Industry Association of Korea. Archived from the original on May 16, 2007. Retrieved May 22, 2007.
- ^ "MIAK: Album Sales in 2004" (in Korean). Music Industry Association of Korea. Archived from the original on June 16, 2007. Retrieved May 22, 2007.
- ^ "Top 100 K-pop songs of all time revealed". Manila Bulletin. August 29, 2021. Retrieved October 31, 2021.
- ^ Jung, Min-jae (August 2021). "Top 100 K-pop Masterpieces: Rain - How to Avoid the Sun" (in Korean). Melon. Retrieved December 13, 2022.
- ^ "2003 m.net 뮤직 페스티벌 최고의 수상자는 이효리와 빅마마" [2003 M.net Music Festival Best Winners are Lee Hyo-ri and Big Mama]. Newsis (in Korean). Naver. November 28, 2003. Retrieved May 28, 2021.
- ^ "'2003 m.net 뮤직비디오 페스티벌' 최고의 수상자는?" [2003 m.net music video festival' Who is the best winner?]. Newsis (in Korean). Naver. November 27, 2003. Retrieved May 28, 2021.
- ^ "이효리, 서울가요대상 가수왕" [Lee Hyori, Seoul Music Awards singer king]. Newsis (in Korean). Naver. December 13, 2003. Retrieved December 5, 2022.
- ^ "가수 비, '마지막 무대 갖는다'" [Singer Rain, 'will perform his final stage']. Newsis (in Korean). Naver. January 8, 2004. Retrieved January 23, 2024.
- ^ "[TV하이라이트/21]'윤도현의 러브레터' 외" [[TV Highlights/21] ‘Yoon Do-hyun’s Love Letter’ and others]. Sports Dong-a (in Korean). Naver. November 20, 2003. Retrieved January 23, 2024.
- ^ "[청룡영화상] 시상식 이모저모" [[Blue Dragon Film Awards] Awards ceremony details]. The Chosun Ilbo (in Korean). December 12, 2003. Retrieved January 23, 2024.
- ^ ピ（ｒａｉｎ）のアルバム売り上げランキング [Rain album release history]. Oricon Style (in Japanese). Oricon Inc. Retrieved July 2, 2013.
- ^ 2003.10월 – 가요 음반 판매량 [2003.10 – Sales volume] (in Korean). Music Industry Association of Korea. Archived from the original on April 23, 2006. Retrieved May 7, 2021.
- ^ 2003년 가요음반판매량 [2003 Album Sales Figures] (in Korean). Recording Industry Association of Korea. Archived from the original on October 14, 2017. Retrieved November 28, 2014.
- ^ Cumulative sales for Rain 2:
- 2003년 가요음반판매량 [2003 Album Sales Figures] (in Korean). Recording Industry Association of Korea. Archived from the original on October 14, 2017. Retrieved November 28, 2014.
- 2004년 가요음반판매량 [2004 Album Sales Figures] (in Korean). Recording Industry Association of Korea. Archived from the original on July 18, 2018. Retrieved November 28, 2014.
- ^ "rain2 | RAIN(ピ)" (in Japanese). Oricon News. April 4, 2007. Retrieved December 13, 2022.