Earlier this summer, superstar singer-actor Rain alluded to the possibility of taking another movie or television project, and now he has announced his decision to make his acting return with a drama.

He’s currently engaged in singer-ly activities, kicking off his 2009 Asia Tour (“Legend of Rainism”) on August 29 at Japan’s Saitama Super Arena. It was at a press conference at that event that he spoke of his drama comeback plans. Rain didn’t get into the details, saying merely, “It will have an entirely different feel from the movie Ninja Assassin.”

Speaking of which, Ninja Assassin will be released in theaters in late November. As for the concert tour, Rain follows the Japan opener with performances in China, Seoul, and Southeast Asia. Ever the overachiever, he added, “If possible, I’ll try for Europe and America as well.”

I know he’s been busy working on his two Hollywood films (Ninja Assassin and Speed Racer), but it still feels to me like he’s been out of the acting spotlight for a really long time. I like him best in kdramas, and I’ll be looking forward to seeing him on television again. I get the sense that many people write him off from his uncomplicated spoiled-superstar character in Full House, but while it is his most well-known (and probably most-watched) role, it was also one of his earlier projects and he’s grown in the five years since that drama. (Take, for instance, his role with Im Soo-jung in Park Chan-wook’s eccentric psych-ward love story, I’m a Cyborg But It’s Okay.)

Via Joy News

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Via Wired, here’s a short clip of Ninja Assassin director James McTeigue talking about the old movies that inspired his take on Ninja Assassin. No mention of star ninja Rain, but it does sort of confirm that the over-the-top, vaguely cheesy vibe of the preview video was an intentional style choice:

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It’s been a while since we’ve had info on Ninja Assassin, and now we get a look at the newly released teaser poster (above) and trailer video (below). This is the second promo poster; the first is below the cut, although you’ve probably already seen it floating around.

I don’t think the artwork looks like Rain at all, but I suppose he does look badass. A bit feral and way photoshopped, but that’s probably the point.

Ninja Assassin is directed by James McTeigue (V for Vendetta) and co-stars Naomie Harris, Rick Yune, Ben Miles, and Sho Kosugi. The film is set for a North American premiere on November 24.

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Singer, actor, fashion designer, entertainment company CEO, and all-around entertainer Rain is said to be eyeing a return to broadcast television later this year.

According to a rep from Rain’s company J.Tune Entertainment, the star has been looking favorably at several proposals for drama roles, and plans to make his final decision soon. One possibility is with a project whose writer made the suggestion directly to the star himself, and as they are close friends, Rain is said to be considering that role seriously. His rep said, “It’s true that he’s looking more positively on a drama role rather than a film.”

Rain had at one point decided to make his television comeback last year, but development fizzled on the project. This would be his first drama in four years, following 2005’s revenge series A Love to Kill. He’s done several films in the interim — I’m a Cyborg But That’s Okay, Speed Racer, Ninja Assassin — but arguably hasn’t been able to reclaim the visibility he’d enjoyed at his peak, around the time of his incredibly popular 2004 trendy drama Full House co-starring Song Hye-gyo and his third album (”It’s Raining”).

(Personally, I think his somewhat haphazard approach to breaking into the American market set him back quite a bit. Without the proper organization and strategic planning required for such a huge undertaking, his career screeched to a halt back home as he dropped out of the spotlight for several years — eons in showbiz time. I think Rain is a decent actor, particularly with his roles in Sangdoo, Let’s Go to School and I’m a Cyborg But That’s Okay, so if this drama thing ends up happening, I’ll be looking forward to it.)

Rain left Korea on July 6 for U.S. promotional activities for Ninja Assassin, which will have its worldwide premiere on November 25. Following his return to Korea, he’ll hold a fanmeeting on the 26th.

Via Star News

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Lee Da-hae, in 2001 and more recently

Lee Da-hae (East of Eden, Hello Miss) has been attracting some attention for recently discovered photos of her earlier days, given how different they look from her current appearance.

These photos capture Lee Da-hae from a “Miss Chun-hyang” beauty pageant she had won back in 2001. The images were shown when actress Jang Shin-young appeared on the KBS variety show Happy Together on the 21st, and was asked about her participation in the Miss Chun-hyang pageant. She explained that she had come in sixth, but that in the same competition, Lee Da-hae had won first place.

Although Jang looks pretty much the same, many fans are wondering at the noted change to Lee Da-hae’s appearance, leading to inevitable plastic-surgery suspicions.

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