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The Honolulu Advertiser
Updated at 5:22 p.m., Monday, March 16, 2009

MORE TROUBLE FOR RAIN
Rain says he doesn't know why Honolulu concert was canceled

By Will Hoover
Advertiser Staff Writer

Hawaii news photo - The Honolulu Advertiser

A man attempted to serve Korean pop star Rain with legal papers as he entered federal court this morning. Rain is being sued by a Honolulu promoter for canceling a 2007 concert planned for Aloha Stadium. The legal papers, which Rain let fall to the ground, represent a similar lawsuit from a Los Angeles-based promoter.

BRUCE ASATO | The Honolulu Advertiser

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South Korean pop star Rain took the stand in his civil trial in federal court today and said he did not know why his 2007 concert at Aloha Stadium was canceled.

Rain, whose real name is Jeong Ji-hoon, testified that he was looking forward to performing in Hawaii but his management team made the decision to cancel the show.

When pressed by plaintiff's attorney Eric Seitz, Rain testified that at one point he was told that the concert had to be canceled because security was deficient at Aloha Stadium.

"My part is on the stage performance," Rain said through an interpreter. "Everything else is arranged by the management team."

Rain said he would like to perform in Hawaii "as soon as possible," but only if he was certain that security was adequate.

The courtroom was packed with about four dozen Rain fans, almost all of them women.

Earlier in the day, Rain walked briskly into the courthouse accompanied by at least two men who appeared to be bodyguards.

As he entered the court, a process server tried to hand him papers from Andrew Kim, a Los Angeles-based promoter who also is attempting to sue Rain over a canceled concert. Rain refused to accept the papers and let them fall to the floor.

The Honolulu lawsuit was filed by Seung Su Lee, president of Honolulu-based Click Entertainment Inc. Lee is suing Rain and his former agency, Seoul-based JYP Entertainment Co., for breach of contract and fraud for Rain's cancellation of a 2007 concert at Aloha Stadium without explanation. Rain kept a $500,000 appearance fee.

Kim alleges the same thing happened to him in Los Angeles.

Lee testified last week that the last-minute cancellation cost him $1.5 million and damaged his business reputation. He also said Rain and his traveling entourage of 90 people never intended to perform in Hawaii, saying the crew never applied for proper visas.

Reach Will Hoover at whoover@honoluluadvertiser.com.