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Three years after his last album, Korean R&B singer and actor Rain returned over the weekend with the release of his Psy-produced single “The Best Present.” On Monday, he revealed that the song is about his longtime girlfriend, actress Kim Tae Hee, and that the pair will get married within the next month.
“The Best Present” is a collaborative track between Rain and Psy, of “Gangnam Style” fame, and is a smooth ballad. The music video features Rain doing what he does best: emulating Michael Jackson in a fedora and one gloved hand while performing sleek choreography. The elegant video and poignant song are Rain’s first releases since 2014’s Rain Effect album.
On Monday, Rain revealed through a handwritten letter on Instagram that the song’s lyrics — “She’s the greatest present of all” — are an ode to Korean actress Kim and that the two will get married in the next few weeks in a private ceremony. In the message, Rain thanked fans for supporting him since his debut 16 years ago and described his relationship with Kim as being built on trust and support.
The singer also said that he and Kim will get married in a quiet ceremony due to the ongoing political upheaval in South Korea.
After the announcement, Psy took to Twitter to congratulate the couple and explained that the song’s chorus mentions Kim in a play on words through its reference to “the biggest joy.” While crafting the song, Rain asked Psy to include the term, as it is a reference to the hanja (Chinese characters used in Korean) for “big joy,” which can be read as “Tae Hee.”
Rain rose to prominence as a soloist shortly after he released his first album Bad Guy in 2002 and saw major success with singles like 2004’s “It’s Raining” and 2008’s “Rainism.” He was one of the first K-pop idols to make an impression on a global level, and Rain appeared in several Hollywood films, including 2008’s Speed Racer. Kim Tae Hee is a popular Korean television star and most recently appeared in the 2015 television show Yong-pal. The two made headlines early on in their relationship after Rain was investigated by South Korea’s military for leaving his post for meetings with Kim.