Rain is back at the top of K-pop with new album, and boy band Ciipher that he produces, who launch in March

Singer-songwriter, musician, actor and now producer, K-pop veteran Rain returns to the limelight with the launch of a boy band and his album Pieces of Rain

The first album in four years by Rain, its launch comes ahead of his company’s seven-piece band Ciipher releasing their first album to mark the group’s debut

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K-pop star Rain has launched his first new album in four years, and is producer for a boy band, Ciipher, that will launch later this month. Photo: CWH

Published: 2:30am, 4 Mar 2021Updated: 2:30am, 4 Mar 2021

Veteran K-pop idol Rain is back – and he’s doing better than ever.

The South Korean singer-songwriter, musician and actor has spent much of the past year going viral for various dance performances and an occasional collaboration, but March will see him return in a big way: he started the month off by releasing a new album and it will end with him launching a new boy band, Ciipher.

Rain released his most recent album, My Life, in 2017. Wednesday saw the release of the new one, Pieces by Rain, a five-track EP fronted by the single Why Don’t We featuring Chungha.

The pair had promoted the single for several days ahead of its arrival, and the propulsive dance song was shared through a dramatic, one-take choreography video on Monday featuring Rain and Chungha.

The album also features the end-of-2020 single Switch to Me with J.Y. Park, under whose tutelage Rain developed his career while working with JYP Entertainment in the 1990s and early 2000s.

Rain has been one of South Korea’s most prominent musical artists and actors for several decades now, and has earned a reputation as a multifaceted entertainer. After making his acting debut in South Korea in 2003, he pursued a career in Hollywood, and was featured in films including Speed Racer, Ninja Assassin and The Prince.