How To Avoid The Sun (Korean: 태양을 피하는 방법; RR: Taeyang-eul pihaneun bangbeob), alternately referred to as Rain 2, is the second Korean-language studio album by South Koreanpop and R&B singer Rain. Commercially, the album peaked at number six on the monthly album charts in South Korea and was the 19th best-selling album of 2003 in the country, selling over 127,000 copies.
Singles
"How to Avoid the Sun" was released as the first single. The single put Rain on the map in Korea, going to number one on the charts. At the time of the album's release, there were two versions of the song: the radio mix, credited as the guitar remix, and the original version. The song lyrics describe feeling a love so strong that it is impossible to run from. The music video was shot in Seoul. In it, you see Rain running from the sun throughout the city, trying his best to avoid it, but always failing.
On the May 10, 2007, episode of the Colbert Report, Stephen Colbert presented his audience with a parody of the "Ways to Avoid the Sun" music video. The parody featured Colbert singing in Korean and mimicking elements from the Rain video including running from the sun and dancing in a parking garage. The video was created in response to Rain topping Colbert in Time's open online poll.[1]
"You Already Knew" was released as a promotional single as a follow-up to "How to Avoid the Sun".
Reception
From October 2003 to February 2004, the album sold 166,731 copies in South Korea.[2][3] In 2021, "How to Avoid the Sun" was ranked at number 62 in Melon and newspaper Seoul Shinmun's list of top 100 K-pop songs of all time,[4] with critic Jung Min-jae praising "Rain's rich emotional performance" and wrote that it was through this work that solidified his career as a singer.[5]
^"2003 m.net 뮤직 페스티벌 최고의 수상자는 이효리와 빅마마" [2003 M.net Music Festival Best Winners are Lee Hyo-ri and Big Mama]. Newsis (in Korean). Naver. November 28, 2003. Retrieved May 28, 2021.
^"'2003 m.net 뮤직비디오 페스티벌' 최고의 수상자는?" [2003 m.net music video festival' Who is the best winner?]. Newsis (in Korean). Naver. November 27, 2003. Retrieved May 28, 2021.
^"이효리, 서울가요대상 가수왕" [Lee Hyori, Seoul Music Awards singer king]. Newsis (in Korean). Naver. December 13, 2003. Retrieved December 5, 2022.
^ピ（ｒａｉｎ）のアルバム売り上げランキング [Rain album release history]. Oricon Style (in Japanese). Oricon Inc. Retrieved July 2, 2013.
^2003.10월 – 가요 음반 판매량 [2003.10 – Sales volume] (in Korean). Music Industry Association of Korea. Archived from the original on April 23, 2006. Retrieved May 7, 2021.
^2003년 가요음반판매량 [2003 Album Sales Figures] (in Korean). Recording Industry Association of Korea. Archived from the original on October 14, 2017. Retrieved November 28, 2014.
^"rain2 | RAIN(ピ)" (in Japanese). Oricon News. April 4, 2007. Retrieved December 13, 2022.
