Fact Check: Did Rain Really Receive A Black Ocean And Get Booed At “KCON LA 2023?”
KCON LA 2023 just concluded, and one of the featured performers and emcees was none other than Rain (also known as Jung Jihoon), who has been active in the industry since 1998, leading an incredibly successful solo artist and acting career.
[#KCONLA2023] TODAY’s MC 👑
🅓🅐🅨 ➋#RAIN
See you soon, KCONers😎
Let’s #KCON! pic.twitter.com/KE0lTuW4An— KCONUSA (@kconusa) August 20, 2023
Rain is also the CEO of RAIN Company, playing a large part in the debut of Ciipher, the label’s first group. Fans of the group were disappointed when Rain was announced to join the KCON LA 2023 lineup, as he is often cited as the primary reason for the lack of promotion of the group following members’ participation in survival shows. Not only that, but four members of Ciipher — Tan, Tag, Dohwan, and Won — were recently announced to be leaving the group, while the three remaining members would continue their individual activities and “reorganize into a new team in the future.”
WTF? HE HAS THE AUDACITY TO JOIN THE KCON BUT CANT EVEN PROMOTE THE ONLY GROUP HE HANDLES? CIIPHER SHOULD HAVE BEEN ON YOUR POSITION https://t.co/Jvy1COKoy4
— 똥강아지 ❀ will be back! (@for_mywon) June 12, 2023
He should be making sure Ciipher attended these events instead, especially with Keita's popularity in Boys Planet, but that is a personal opinion… https://t.co/SkMCvmgt0h
— Fernanda Siepierski (@nandasiepi) June 12, 2023
Ciipher is not the only group K-Pop fans believe Rain is responsible for their ill fate. So, many proposed a “black ocean,” an organized protest in which attendees at an event turn off their lightsticks during an artist’s performance.
to everyone at kcon:
it doesn’t matter who you stan. it doesn’t matter who you’re there to support. when rain is on stage, lightsticks off. black ocean. he ruined the dreams of these boys and he will know that’s not okay. #JusticeForCiipher #KCON https://t.co/t4rOEXWbgR
— mocha is seeing LOOSSEMBLE (@winxyeojin) August 12, 2023
#ATINY #HUNNIES #MINI #KEPL1AN #road𝓨 #ZEROSE please help to give #RAIN a black ocean on #KCONLA2023 this is the least the kpop stans can do after what #RAIN did to #CIIPHER he promised them success and asked them to believe in him but then he ruined all of their dreams. pic.twitter.com/4NnCchF3Nr
— 𝐚𝐲𝐚✰⁵ (@knowoongyun) August 15, 2023
LIGHTSTICKS OFF FOR RAIN. BLACK OCEAN. he is performing on day 2, and an MC the whole weekend i believe. BLACK. OCEAN. pic.twitter.com/QNP6t6WFz5
— mocha is seeing LOOSSEMBLE (@winxyeojin) August 12, 2023
So, was this “black ocean” successful? Some attendees reported that Rain indeed received a black ocean…
person at kcon yelling lightsticks off motherfuckers just before rain was about to go on stage pic.twitter.com/Yj7OUAbxUa
— . (@13fiIes) August 20, 2023
During Rain's KCON set:
– Audience's lightsticks were off (black ocean) during Rain's performance compared to other artists
– Choosing to perform "Rainism" despite the current catastrophic weather in LA
– Fans are unhappy with apparent mismanagement of RAIN Company's Ciipher— 파룬 (@balloon_wanted) August 21, 2023
rain getting a black ocean brings me joy pic.twitter.com/d47hZNmHV1
— gumball (@iwyunho) August 20, 2023
TO THE PERSON BEHIND ME AT KCON WITH THE “WE WANTED CIIPHER” SIGN DURING RAIN’S PERFORMANCE I LOVE U pic.twitter.com/IjaTKz1Vse
— savcob d-1 (@ihrtcob) August 20, 2023
Additionally, clips of attendees booing him while he was on stage have circulated. Yet, that’s not the entire story.
@hongsanbf black ocean (kinda) and booed him after every song LMFAOOO it got awfully quiet during his performance #hongsanbf #kcon #kcon2023 #kconla #rain
here’s my clip of rain getting booed lol#kcon2023 pic.twitter.com/ScXAEjzD2Y
— outlaw (@mistflm) August 20, 2023
According to KCON LA 2023 attendees, the crowd was mixed. Some booed, others barked, his fans cheered, and others who didn’t know him remained silent.
Incase anyone was wondering
There was not a black ocean for Rain
And everyone was barking after this happened pic.twitter.com/8WSM4Q9yeR
— Mel Targaryen (@MelTarg) August 20, 2023
I never thought I'd see the absolute ICON LEGEND himself RAIN#KCON #KCONLA2023 #KCON2023LA #KCONLA pic.twitter.com/psRMnQ8ozC
— 🐥🥧 ✈️ KCON (@Chocobo_Pie) August 20, 2023
A bunch of people have asked me if there was truly a black ocean at KCON. I kinda knew this would come up so I took panos just as Rain’s set was beginning and during the next set. Tbh it felt more like most people simply didn’t know Rain, rather than mass action pic.twitter.com/4Vcu2SB33d
— Tamar Herman תמר הרמן 타마르 허먼 (@TamarWrites) August 21, 2023
Likewise, the “black ocean” was not entirely successful for the same reasons. Many lightsticks remained on, thanks to his fans and attendees unaware of the organized protest.
Not a complete black ocean but
Rain VS other artistes pic.twitter.com/FBdTGIo4uU
— 밀키문 🍼 (@milkymoonss) August 20, 2023
NOT COMPLETELY A BLACK OCEAN BUT ITS CLOSE ENOUGH OMG WE CHEERED RAIN BLACK OCEAN pic.twitter.com/BdTbfJHitv
— rua 😋 (@_rrk31) August 20, 2023
Ppl should have been passing our flyers and picketing at kcon abt giving rain a black ocean cuz clearly only the chronically online attendees were relayed the message
— ^≧ㅅ≦^ (@noruIesbytxt) August 20, 2023
Some attendees also played on their mobile phones or gave Rain the middle finger after turning off their lightsticks.
Loved the Rain performance! #KCON #KCONLA2023 @haechanss_feet pic.twitter.com/7Q667uVvVq
— Hobi’s Lil Army Wife⁷ (ꪜ) 🥺💜 (@MarryMeJhope) August 20, 2023
FUCK RAIN #KCON2023LA #KCON pic.twitter.com/Xx0CXESUfj
— m met wayv & yongie 😌 (@nanasbannanas) August 20, 2023
POV shots show that while Rain’s crowd was much darker than the other headliners’, many lights still shone. So, some do not consider it a successful black ocean and are disappointed by the lack of participation.
black ocean for rain pic.twitter.com/jCYW9q1HMw
— ren ʚ₍ᐢ. .ᐢ₎ɞ (@ili_chil) August 20, 2023
never gonna forgive y'all for not giving rain a black ocean pic.twitter.com/AqiXvPZkTf
— ash (@nxkxmxtxyxtx) August 20, 2023
Considering Rain is a 1st Gen K-Pop idol, he also has likely been exposed to a true black ocean and didn’t think anything of a few lightsticks turned off at KCON LA 2023.
@cdntheplayers #greenscreensticker #greenscreenvideo #Rain #Kpop #Ciipher #Kcon #KconLA #2023 #kconla2023 #BlackOcean #MBLAQ #FYP
So, we can not say Rain received a true black ocean at KCON LA 2023.
