SEOUL (Reuters Life!) - South Korean pop sensation Rain, one of Asia's top-selling musicians and a fan favourite in TV dramas, is to take on the United States again after a foray flopped last year.

Selected by Time magazine in 2006 as one of its 100 most influential people, Rain will be testing the waters with a role in the big-budget U.S. movie "Speed Racer", a Wachowski brothers' film due for release later this year.

"I want to focus on movies this year," Rain told a news conference in Seoul."

Under a deal announced at a news conference on Wednesday, the William Morris Agency said it aims to build a career for the 25-year-old in Hollywood movies as well as market his albums globally.

"We think we're just ideally suited for an artist like Rain ... because he is a singer, he is an actor, he is a dancer," said John Mass, executive vice president of WMA.

Rain's management company said Rain will team with the Wachowski brothers for another movie, this one tentatively called "Ninja Assassin".

"I'm excited to be working with the Wachowski brothers again," Rain said of the duo, best known for The Matrix series of movies.

Rain, whose real name is Jung Ji-hoon, has starred in TV dramas and movies in South Korea and played to sold-out concerts across Asia where his boy-next-door image has won him legions of fans across language barriers.

A series of concerts planned for the United States fizzled out last year because of promotion problems, his management company said.


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As reported the other day, Rain was to hold a press conference, to which William Morris Agency’s senior vice president John Mass also attended, today at the Lotte Hotel Grand Ballroom to discuss his US activities.

“Rain’s upcoming project is the movie ‘Ninja Assassin,’ which will be produced by Joe Silver and the Wachowski Brothers,” John Mass revealed.

During the press conference, it was evident how thankful Rain is to be casted in this new movie.

“This is a very big opportunity for me and it’s like a dream for me to star in a film that will be produced by Joe Silver and the Wachowski Brothers. I need to bulk up for this film and study more English. I don’t ever want to miss this chance,” Rain expressed.

With regard to an album release this 2008, Rain revealed that it will be delayed because of the said movie. He also said that he will be doing activities for the Beijing Olympics and that after the filming of the movie, if there is still time, he is thinking of releasing worldwide a single or album this year.

“How many albums I sell in the US is not important. Rather than aiming for a big hit, I would like to let my name and song out there and to introduce Korea. If the movie becomes a hit then I think it’ll help in promoting my music career. I think failing can be a good thing for it opens other opportunities,” Rain answered when asked what he expects when he releases an album in the US.

Source: Mydaily