In the early 2000s, the Korean entertainment industry mostly liked male stars with strong, sharp features. After singer and actor Rain came on the scene, that trend started to change. He brought a different standard of visuals into the public eye.

Fans on Pannchoa talked about how the industry changed as he got more popular. One person who commented on the timeline of male idols said, "Wasn't Jo In-sung there before him?"

Rain, on the other hand, had a different appeal. A Pannchoa user said, "Rain is all about his physique. His face didn't really stand out as memorable, but his physique was always being talked about."

Another comment pointed out how people thought he was beautiful at the time. "But there were no talks about Rain ever being handsome though? I feel like the standard of beauty back then was actually worse."

At the same time, people who watch Korean entertainment on theqoo talked about the trend of male celebrities getting monolids. A post said, "But Kim Sung-jae was the one who popularized monolids." Some also mentioned other actors, writing, "I thought it was Lee Jun-ki," and another user agreed simply, "I agree."

Some people on theqoo talked about whether Rain's effect on standards of beauty was more about his face or his whole image. One person said, "He never blew up for his face..." while another added, "Hmm.. I'm not sure about this one." Yet another explained, "It's because all the Hannams were trying to hype his face up. Them and the boy crazies... They still do it today."

A final comment summed up Rain's role in visual trends: "Rain didn't hit big for his face. It's more So Ji-sub," which refers to another actor who showed off the new style.

Both fans and people who work in the industry agree that Rain's career helped make monolids popular, which changed the way idols and actors looked in Korea.

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