In the late 1990s a Korean wave washed over Asia. From TV soap operas and movies to pop music, the region couldn't get enough of Korean culture and its good-looking stars. But the wave never quite reached the American entertainment industry. At most, Hollywood embraced the remake of several Korean films—including The Lake Houseand, more recently, The Uninvited.Lately, however, ethnic Korean actors have started to gain traction in American film and TV. Kim Yunjin and Daniel Dae Kim broke through when they were cast in Lost in 2004, followed by Sandra Oh in Grey’s Anatomy and James Kyson Lee in Heroes. This year Korean-American heartthrob Daniel Henney appeared in X-Men Origins: Wolverine as the villainous Agent Zero, and now stars on the new CBS medical drama Three Rivers. Lee Byung-hun took on the role of Storm Shadow in G.I. Joe: The Rise of Cobra. And John Cho, who played Hikaru Sulu in Star Trek, is currently starring as an FBI agent in ABC's drama FlashForward.Next up: Jeong Ji Hoon, a.k.a. Rain, a pop superstar in much of Asia but still little-known on the global stage. On Nov. 25, Joel Silver and the Wachowski brothers will release their latest big-budget martial-arts thriller, Ninja Assassin, starring Jeong as the title character, who seeks revenge on the secret society that raised and trained him and killed his best friend.The casting of Korean stars in prominent Hollywood roles reflects the new business realities: Jeong and his peers have a huge following in Asia, one of the few regions where movie audiences are growing. Korea, in particular, has become a key foreign market for Hollywood films, in some cases surpassing the U.K. According to the Web site Box Office Mojo, G.I. Joe earned more this summer in Korea—$13.2 million—than anywhere else outside the U.S.Hollywood producers are also courting Korean directors who have a proven track record delivering hits for Asian audiences. "Every studio executive here has seen Oldboy by Park Chan-wook, and you can't say that about a lot of foreign movies," says Korean-American film producer Roy Lee of Vertigo Entertainment. Though Korean directors may be in demand among Hollywood producers, they are reluctant to make the leap. "Top directors in Korea have the ability to make whatever films they want with total creative freedom," says Lee. "With the [U.S.] studios they do not have that control."Korean actors face cultural challenges, too. For actors from Asia to make it big in Hollywood, they have to commit to mastering English and networking with executives. "In Asia, for the most part, there is no auditioning process," says Grace Chen, the former managing director of William Morris Asia, now an independent consultant in Hong Kong. "So for big Asian stars to go to Hollywood and have to audition, it can be quite a foreign process." Plus, she says, those playing the Hollywood game risks losing opportunities back home.And Asian actors in the U.S. are still often typecast as martial-arts experts. "Stereotype does still exist when casting films," says Rain. "Asians have our own broad and unique culture; it's just that more people have been interested in the martial-arts side than others."But things are definitely changing. While it may be a while before Korean actors are cast as romantic leads in Hollywood, references to Korean culture are seeping into American films and TV. "In the past, you'd see a lot of Japanese references, Caucasian characters eating sushi or speaking a few Japanese words. But recently I noticed [they] are being replaced by Korean ones," says Shinho Lee, a Korean scriptwriter who splits his time between Seoul and L.A. Vertigo's Lee cites the rising prominence of Korean-Americans at all levels of the film-production chain: "There are more people of Korean descent working in Hollywood than of any other Asian ethnicity." Especially in front of the camera.

I am non-Asian but discovered the Korean entertainment industry about three years ago. Since then have watched several high quality Korean television series and have purchased music from a number of new-found favorite artists. I have enjoyed foreign films from many countries for years. I encourage other Americans to check out the great entertainment being produced by other countries.

-When Time Magazine asked Rain to participate in their ???10 Questions??? interview video segment in 2008, questions were submitted by fans from Argentina, Austria, Australia, Bahrain, Brazil, Canada, Chile, China, Dominican Republic, Dubai (UAE), England, Germany, Hong Kong (China), India, Indonesia, Italy, Japan, Kazakhstan, Korea, Lebanon, Macau, Malaysia, Mexico, Mongolia, Navaho Nation (in US), Netherlands, Palestine (Israel), Peru, Philippines, Puerto Rico, Saudi Arabia, Scotland, Singapore, Thailand, Taiwan, Trinidad and Tobago, United Arab Emirates, UK, US, and Vietnam (http://time-blog.com/10questions/2008/04/04/korean-pop-star-rain/). (video interview here http://www.time.com/time/video/player/0,32068,1554364682_1812469,00.html)
-Discovery Channel featured Rain in a documentary called ???Hip Korea: Seoul Vibes??? which began airing in 170 countries in January 2009, starting with Australia and NewZealand, followed by Asia and then Europe (http://www.korea.net/news/news/newsView.asp?serial_no=20090210009)
- In February of 2009 he was listed as one of Entertainment Weekly???s ???24 International Hotties??? (http://www.ew.com/ew/gallery/0,,20257220_21,00.html)
- From Oct 6th to 8th 2009 CNN solicited fan questions for a video interview. CNN did not ask for location, but of those that volunteered the information, questions were submitted from Australia, Canada, Chile, China, Dubai (UAE), Egypt, England, Europe (country unspecified), France, Germany, India, Indonesia, Israel, Italy, Japan, Korea, Latin America (country unspecified), Laos, Malaysia, Mexico, Middle East (country unspecified), Morocco, Panama, Peru, Philippines, Poland, Qatar, Saudi Arabia, Scandinavia (country not specified), Singapore, Southeast Asia (country not specified), Spain, Taiwan, Thailand, Turkey, UAE, United Kingdom (country unspecified), US, Venezuela, Vietnam. (Questions: http://edition.cnn.com/2009/SHOWBIZ/10/01/rain.questions/index.html#soundoff) (Video interview: http://edition.cnn.com/2009/SHOWBIZ/10/26/talkasia.rain.pop/index.html)
Considering the above facts,, I don't know how the author can state that Rain is "little-known on the global stage."

The statement above that Rain (Jeong Jihoon) is "little-known on the global stage" seems inaccurate given that
- He was invited to the Video Music Awards in the US in 2005 because he won the MTV Asia Grand Slam (MTV China, MTV Japan, MTV Korea and favorite artist at the MTV Asia Awards)
- The NY Times did a big feature article on him in 2006 (http://www.nytimes.com/2006/01/29/arts/music/29sont.html?_r=3&pagewanted=1&sq=January%2029,%202006%20Arts&st=nyt&scp=3),
-He was named in Time Magazine's Most Influential People in the World issue in May 2006 (http://www.time.com/time/2006/time100/) with an article which labeled him the ???face of pop globalism??? (http://www.time.com/time/magazine/article/0,9171,1187264,00.html),
-His 2006-2007 world tour sold out 250,000 seats in ten countries and he has sold several million music CDs
-He won the Time online poll in 2007 (http://www.time.com/time/specials/2007/time100walkup/article/0,28804,1611030_1612457,00.html),
- He was named in People Magazine???s Most Beautiful People in the World issue in 2007 (http://www.chinadaily.com.cn/entertainment/2007-04/27/content_862146.htm, http://www.people.com/people/archive/article/0,,20062101,00.html)
- Forbes Magazine mentioned him in their 2008 article ???20 Trends Sweeping the Globe??? (http://www.forbes.com/2008/01/09/internet-culture-global-forbeslife-globalpop08-cx_ee_0109pop_slide_16.html)
-He sang in the Olympic Closing Ceremony in Beijing in front of 90,000 people from all over the world (http://english.kbs.co.kr/entertainment/news/1542685_11858.html)

Hi I agree with isilvalie that Rain is not "little-known on the global stage" I'm his fan from Egypt and I know lots of his fans from all over the world and he is so popular
and I think Korean artists if they get the chance in Hollywood they will succeed specially Rain because he is very talented artist not just in in acting but also in singing and dancing beside that he is very hard worker guy his the most hardworking artists I have ever seen

Hi! I'm a RAIN's fan from PERU and i agree with Isilvalie and Famulan ..Rain (Jung Ji Hoon) has a lot of fan around the world because of his talent as an actor, singer , dancer,...as Famulan says Rain is a hard worker who always put all his heart when he does something..that's why Joel Silver and the Wachowski brothers give him the leading role in Ninja Assassin...

Congratulations tu Isilvalie for mention all that facts beacuse of them we consider the stament that Rain is "little-known on the global stage" is inaccurate...Rain is a Wolrd Star!!! and all his fans around the world will always support him !!

i i also agree to rain neen into alot filed and he also a megastar gobal wide he not just a sininger but he know as a dancer actor model and own his JTunr camp plus also become best know as CEO i very admire jis hard worker their no body like rain (jung ji Hoon) he wery hard worker and tallen in his own work rain very smat and humbleing by his effort he he very popluar threw out gobal wide peoples around the nation wide plus internaional love for who he is rain even suport alot orphan and diease all over the place he care and love his fans and peoples so much that i very endore and insprie by him so much rain very devote to his peoples and fans he even last yeasr starting Speed Eacer verry know him he recived goods attetion from WARNER BROS they even have select him in his new 2009 flim called NINJA ASSASSIN rain is very hard worke that no one ever know he anknowledge are very in hisee effort. i have see rain korean movies drama music and tv show he very entetainment and very good in his industry i been see rain and all peoples gobal love him and suporting him rain are the best artis we know for the pass 2006 he recived the most 100 influnce of the year the number 1 time magainze in 2008 and been recived alot award in 2008 for his music abum rain work so hard for us and i am very supass by him so much and that why eveytime he having his concert their ten and million of fans suporting him and his ticket sold out right he give them best enviment to proceed aand a very excitment peforamce ever rain very dicated to his fan and big relationship to them as well he even gain his boss up to even have all fan meeting international wilde and that why i love him coz, he are a very talen and hard worker that why their so manys suporter for rain.

In short words I'd like to say that Rain (Jung Ji Hoon) is one of the most well know kpop artist in the world, not only for the fact isilvalie gave you, also there's an important event that happened some months ago, he had a problem in U.S cause some " concerts cancelations" , the proces was not fear with him, and so, all his fans around teh world join togheter in a project called: "WE BELIEVE IN RAIN" you just can write it on youtube, and you'll see how many videos were made from everywhere!!!! since that you can noticed how famous and loves Rain is. you'll see a nice surprise on NINJA ASSASSIN premier!!!, thank you, Duggu from PERU

Too bad the Korean people are some of the most racist uninclusive group of people on the planet. I was lucky enough to have the opportunity to live and teach English in Seoul, South Korea. I will never forget 2008 to 2009. The TV and cabile channels of South Korea intentionally Korean wash their shows. It appears that although Hollywood attempts at diversity (my hat goes off to them), the Koreans aren´t there yet and probably will never get there. You would think, considering the U.S. has a few military facilities (the main one being in Itaewon) there, the Korean media would be a bit more educated about the world. The funny thing is, Koreans want to be American, especially the Korean youth. There is a group called "Wondergirls" and they are all the right now. Wondergirls reminds you of a silly Korean immature Envogue. There is also another singer, her name is Boa. She is a knockoff of a Korean Brittney Spears. As much as Korea wants to be American, they don´t know what American really is about... it´s about inclusivity, not Nazi-esque exclusivity. Wake up Korea, it´s a big world out there and there is more in the world than just "kimchi"!