After a 20-year wait, Hallyu icon Rain (Jung Ji-hoon) is once again lighting up the Taipei Arena. On January 17, the superstar holds the 2026 RAIN Asia Tour: Encore – Taipei, marking his long-awaited return to one of Asia’s most iconic concert venues.
Arriving in Taiwan on January 16, Rain made his entrance via VIP immigration but still took time to greet the media with his trademark warmth. To celebrate the occasion, Taiwanese media revisited three lesser-known yet fascinating facts about the singer-actor who can sing, dance, and act with equal mastery.
1. From Poverty to Stardom – Once a Wrestling Athlete
Few fans realize that before becoming a global star, Rain grew up in extreme poverty. He once revealed that he could not afford his mother’s medical treatment and tragically lost her at a young age. At one point, he wore the same sweat-soaked tracksuit for an entire month because he had no money to buy new clothes.
While best known as a singer, Rain has also built a solid acting career with hit dramas such as Full House, My Lovely Girl, and Ghost Doctor. Beyond entertainment, he is also a trained wrestling athlete. In a past episode of Knowing Bros, he famously defeated six younger wrestlers in a 1-vs-6 match, showcasing his remarkable physical strength and discipline.
2. He Never Confirmed His Romance With Song Hye Kyo
Rain’s 2004 drama Full House, co-starring Song Hye Kyo, became a pan-Asian phenomenon and fueled years of dating rumors. Reports even claimed the two studied abroad together in the United States. Despite intense speculation, both stars consistently maintained that they were “just good friends,” and the relationship was never officially confirmed.
3. Korea’s First New Year’s Day Power Couple With Kim Tae Hee
On January 1, 2013, Dispatch revealed Rain’s relationship with top actress Kim Tae Hee, making them Korea’s first-ever “New Year’s Day celebrity couple.” The two married in 2017 and are now parents to two daughters.
Rain once shared that although they were not each other’s ideal types, he was deeply moved when he saw Kim Tae Hee caring for her staff during a commercial shoot, thinking, “This is someone I want to marry.” Kim Tae Hee later revealed that it was Rain’s heartfelt letters during a difficult period in her life that made her open her heart to him.
As Rain steps back onto the Taipei stage, fans are not only witnessing a concert—but celebrating the journey of a self-made legend whose life story is as compelling as his music.
Sources: Yahoo News