Five K-Dramas And Movies Starring Rain To Marathon Before 'Please Comeback, Mister'

Tags
Rain
Please Comeback Mister
Full House
My Lovely Girl
Ninja Assassin
The Fugitive: Plan B
Jung Ji Hoon

Rain is the quintessential Hallyu star, who set the standard for modern-age Korean pop idols and actors who are destined to make an impact on Hollywood. 

On February 24, Rain returns to Korean television as the leading man of the SBS series, "Please Comeback, Mister." 

Rain debuted under his birth name of Jung Ji Hoon in 1998 as the 16-year-old member of the now-defunct male boy band, "Fanclub."

Fanclub broke up after releasing two commercially unsuccessful albums, but Jung would receive the opportunity to try his hand as a soloist under the tutelage of JYP Entertainment and J.Y. Park (Park Ji Young).

The 33-year-old vocalist launched his acting career in 2003 with the KBS drama, "Sang Doo! Let's Go to School." He capitalized on the buzz surrounding the series by releasing his second solo album, "Rain 2," which yielded the seminal hit, "Ways to Avoid the Sun." 

In 2004, he experienced meteoric popularity as the leading man of "Full House," a romantic series which set the bar for K-Drama, with ratings exceeding 42 percent. The endearing tale touched audiences throughout the world through international broadcasts in Asia, nations in Africa, the Middle East, and the United States.  

"Full House" also bolstered the career of "Descendants of the Sun" starlet Song Hye Kyo, who previously cut her teeth on the Hallyu hit, "Autumn in My Heart." 

Rain followed with the commercially successful album, "It's Raining," which sold more than one million copies. 

People magazine listed him as one of 2007's Most Beautiful People of the World after he was named in the compilation of the Most Influential People in the World by Time magazine.

However, it was his ability to break into Hollywood as the leading man in the 2009 action flick, "Ninja Assassin" that solidified his place as a bonafide global film star. 

Here are five Korean dramas and movies to marathon before watching the upcoming series, "Please Comeback, Mister." 

1. "Full House" 

"Full House" set the tone for its successors, as one of the most commercially successful K-Dramas of all-time.  

Based on the Korean comic, "Full House" by Won Soo Yeon, the romantic comedy is centered on the exploits of Han Ji Eun (Song Hye Kyo), a naive screenwriter who unwittingly allows her friends to sell her family home to Lee Young Jae (Rain).

Young Jae is a spoiled actor who has a rocky start with Ji Eun but willingly enters a contract marriage with the downtrodden woman, in an attempt to allow her to reclaim her house.

Hijinx and heartbreak ensue, as Young Jae embraces the now-typical K-Drama persona of denying his feelings for the heroine, up until the final episode. 

2. "The Fugitive: Plan B"

Rain transformed into an action hero for the 2010 KBS2 series, "The Fugitive: Plan B." He portrayed Ji Woo, a high-priced private investigator who becomes the leading person-of-interest in a murder investigation. 

Lee Na Young, who married Won Bin in 2015, joined Rain as Jini, a woman who is seeking answers regarding the mysterious death of her parents. 

Daniel Henney (Criminal Minds: Beyond the Borders) made a notable appearance as Kai. 

3. "Ninja Assassin" 

"Ninja Assassin" marked the first leading role for Rain in a Hollywood movie. He portrayed Raizo, a young orphan who trains to become the successor in a brutal gang of fighters. "Ninja Assassin" also served as a catalyst for the acting career of former MBLAQ member Lee Joon (Heard It Through the Grapevine), who tackled the role of the younger version of Raizo. 

4. "Soar Into the Sun" (R2B: Return to Base)

The 2012 film, "Soar Into the Sun" or "R2B: Return to Base" provided a loose interpretation of the '80s hit, "Top Gun." Rain led the cast as Captain Jung Tae Yoon, an elite Air Force pilot. Lee Jong Suk (Jade Lovers, Pinocchio) appeared as Ji Seok Hyun, a rookie pilot. 

Shin Se Kyung (Six Flying Dragons) was a technical sergeant and love interest of Tae Yoon while Lee Ha Na (Unkind Women) appeared as his classmate from the Air Force Academy. 

5. "My Lovely Girl"  

The 2014 romantic melodrama, "My Lovely Girl" received mixed reviews, but it continues to be a must-see series for Rain fans, as his television role after his military service. 

Rain is Lee Hyun Woo, an acclaimed singer-songwriter who mourns the death of his deceased girlfriend but is forced to return to everyday life when he assumes leadership of ANA Entertainment. 

Krystal Jung of the K-pop girl group f(x) is Yoon Se Na, an aspiring singer-songwriter who is the sister of Hyun Woo's deceased girlfriend.

INFINITE's L (Kim Myungsoo) delivers a notable performance as Shi Woo, the member of a fictitious boy band who is thrust into a solo career, when he is ousted from the group. 

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