Rain 2 (Korean: 태양을 피하는 방법; RR: Taeyang-eul pihaneun bangbeob), alternately titled How to Avoid the Sun,[a] is the second Korean-language studio album by South Korean recording artist Rain, released through JYP Entertainment on October 16, 2003. It spawned two singles: the titular track "How to Avoid the Sun" and "You Already Knew". A R&B and pop album, Rain 2 was primarily written and produced by JYP founder Park Jin-young, Bang Si-hyuk, along with several other contributors.
Commercially, the album peaked at number six on the monthly album charts in South Korea and was the 19th best-selling album of 2003, selling over 127,000 copies. It sold over 166,000 copies by the end of the following year. The title track received seven first place music program awards in South Korea and won a Mobile Popularity Award at the 2003 Mnet Music Video Festival.
Rain 2 (Korean: 태양을 피하는 방법) is also referred to as How to Avoid the Sun or How to Run From the Sun. The single "How to Avoid the Sun" is about a person who still harbors feelings for a previous lover, using the sun as a metaphor to convey how the person is unable to stop thinking about them. The lyrics and music video express how the sun is omnipresent and cannot be avoided even if you hide underground or cover it with the palm of your hand.[1]
"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.[2] "You Already Knew" was released as a promotional single as a follow-up to "How to Avoid the Sun".
From October 2003 to February 2004, the album sold 166,731 copies in South Korea.[3][4] 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,[5] 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.[6]
Rain promoted "How to Avoid the Sun" on South Korean music programs such as Music Camp (former version of Show! Music Core) and Music Bank from October 2003 to January 2004.[10] He additionally performed it on Yoon Do-hyun's Love Letter on November 21,[11] at the 2003 Mnet Music Video Festival on November 27, and the 24th Blue Dragon Film Awards on December 11.[12]
^"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.
^"가수 비, '마지막 무대 갖는다'" [Singer Rain, 'will perform his final stage']. Newsis (in Korean). Naver. January 8, 2004. Retrieved January 23, 2024.
^"[TV하이라이트/21]'윤도현의 러브레터' 외" [[TV Highlights/21] ‘Yoon Do-hyun’s Love Letter’ and others]. Sports Dong-a (in Korean). Naver. November 20, 2003. Retrieved January 23, 2024.
^"[청룡영화상] 시상식 이모저모" [[Blue Dragon Film Awards] Awards ceremony details]. The Chosun Ilbo (in Korean). December 12, 2003. Retrieved January 23, 2024.
^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.
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.
2004년 가요음반판매량 [2004 Album Sales Figures] (in Korean). Recording Industry Association of Korea. Archived from the original on July 18, 2018. Retrieved November 28, 2014.
^"rain2 | RAIN(ピ)" (in Japanese). Oricon News. April 4, 2007. Retrieved December 13, 2022.
