Korea's hottest star Rain featured on Discovery Channel documentary

Many stars come and go. One day they are in, but the next, they are forgotten.

But there seems to be a Korean star who looks like he will stay with us for a very long time, if not forever. It is Korea's hot singer and actor Rain.

Thanks to his well-toned body and dynamic dance moves exuding masculine charm, the 26-year-old has ridden the crest of the Hallyu (explosive popularity of Korean pop culture abroad) or “Korean wave.”

Many Korean stars who rode on the wave of Hallyu seem to have stopped right there, thinking that the fame and glamour would live on forever. But Rain chose not to rest on his laurels.

Even amid his hectic schedule that involves promoting his new album, filming for his recently finished Hollywood film “Ninja Assassin'' and even launching his own clothing line Six to Five, he has never skipped his workout routine or dance practice.

Before rising to stardom in Korea, he had to undergo three years of arduous training and rehearsals.

He always strives for everything, never taking anything for granted.

And this passion and diligence have helped him rise above being merely a “Hallyu” or Korean wave star to an up-and-coming actor in Hollywood and more.

In 2007, Rain was ranked number one on the online voting system for “Time” magazine's poll of the 100 most influential people and introduced as "Asia's Prince of Pop."

Rain starred in the Hollywood movie ``Speed Racer'' and his upcoming movie ``Ninja Assassin'' will be released soon.

He also made headlines by singing at the closing ceremony of the 2008 Beijing Olympics.

And this time, he has finally been discovered by the world-renowned cable TV Discovery Channel, which specializes in documentaries.

Rain is being featured in a documentary entitled “Hip Korea,” produced by the Discovery Channel, which airs in 170 countries around the world, 

The documentary is about the rising status of Korean pop culture on the international scene and it portrays Rain as a frontrunner of Korean pop culture, someone who can represent the nation's growth as a pop cultural hub in the Asian region.

The 45-minute documentary has already been on TV screens from Jan 31, starting in Australia and New Zealand. It will start broadcasting in Asian countries including Korea from Feb 23. It will also air in Europe starting in May.

The documentary focuses on Rain's endless efforts which have made him from a normal guy struggling with poverty and the pain of losing his mother, to a world star. According to J. Tune, Rain's agency, Rain hopes that viewers will get the message from the documentary that anything is possible if you try hard.

With Rain's consent, the Discovery Channel's production crew followed the singer and actor everywhere for six months to capture his every move.

Candid and personal moments were captured, including him commiserating with his close friend comedian Kim Jae-dong and an emotional visit to the charnel house housing his mother's remains.

Filming Rain in Seoul took place mainly in the Hongdae area in northern Seoul and Cheongdam-dong in southern Seoul, two areas frequented by hip young people, to convey the image of him as a dynamic and youthful person.

In addition, the documentary contains interviews with American celebrities associated with Rain, including interviews with Steven Colbert of Comedy Central's "The Colbert Report," the Wachowski Brothers, who directed “Speed Racer” and Academy Award winner Susan Sarandon, who co-starred with Rain in the movie “Speed Racer.”

There are also interviews with Korean director Park Chan-wook and actress Im Su-jeong, who worked with Rain on the film “I'm a Cyborg, but That's Okay.”

No surprises, but Rain's busy schedule continues this year as well.

He had a fan meeting in Japan in early January, to promote his fifth studio album "Rainism," which was first released last year in Korea. The singer plans to work on a new album set to be released in the United States.

"Ninja Assassin," a film which was developed specifically for him by the Wachowski Brothers, is due for release this year. He will join the cast of the Hollywood movie for a promotional tour round the United States in March.

Amid his hectic schedule, he will continue to expand his clothing line Six to Five with a plan to expand it across Asia and then Europe and the United States.