The Best K-dramas Starring Rain To Watch Before Bloodhounds Season 2
The best characters he's played till now
For a lot of newer K-drama fans, Rain is a seasoned action star. But two decades ago he was one of the biggest figures in Korean pop culture. Born Jung Ji-hoon, the singer behind albums like It's Raining and Rain's World became one of the first global K-pop idols, touring Asia and breaking into Western markets as early as the 2000s. Over the course of time, a career in films and television followed, and what began with romantic dramas quickly expanded into thrillers, fantasy shows, and eventually full-blown action projects.
And that leads us to his upcoming work, Bloodhounds 2. Season 1 of the sports action drama followed rookie boxers Kim Geon-woo (Woo Do-hwan) and Hong Woo-jin (Lee Sang-yi), who enter the world of illegal moneylending while trying to protect people from predatory loan sharks. In Season 2, Rain joins the story as the main antagonist. We just got the first look into his character, the first time he's playing a villain in his career, and honestly, we're hooked. And while we can't wait for April 3 for the show to come on Netflix, here are the shows starring the actor that we'll be binge-watching for the next few days.
Welcome 2 Life
Welcome 2 Life is a fantasy crime drama where Rain plays Lee Jae-sang, a cynical lawyer who suddenly wakes up in a parallel reality where he is an honest prosecutor. Working alongside prosecutor Ra Si-on, played by Lim Ji-yeon (The Glory), he begins fixing the moral failures of his past life while confronting crimes that look strangely familiar.
Where to watch: Viki
Sketch
Dark and procedural, this thriller follows detective Kang Dong-soo who joins a secret unit trying to prevent murders before they happen. The key lies with a detective who can foresee crimes through drawings, played by Lee Sun-bin (Work Later, Drink Now).
Where to watch: Viki
The Fugitive: Plan B
Rain takes on Ji-woo, a charming but slippery private investigator dragged into a global conspiracy after a mysterious death tied to hidden gold. The chase spans multiple countries while he is pursued by police and criminals alike. The series pairs him with Lee Na-young (Romance Is a Bonus Book), giving the show a mix of espionage and screwball comedy.
Where to watch: Viki
Ghost Doctor
Here Rain plays Cha Young-min, an arrogant genius surgeon whose spirit ends up inhabiting another doctor's body after a near-fatal accident. The unwilling host is portrayed by Kim Bum (Boys Over Flowers), creating a chaotic doctor duo forced to cooperate in a medical Ratatouille.
Where to watch: Netflix
A Love To Kill
One of Rain’s early melodramatic roles, the series follows Kang Bok-gu, a street-hardened boxer who becomes bodyguard to a famous actress while secretly plotting revenge. That actress is played by Shin Min-a (Hometown Cha-Cha-Cha). The show leans heavily into tragic romance and established him as a serious dramatic lead.
Where to watch: Viki
Full House
This classic romantic comedy helped launch the global K-drama wave. Rain portrays top actor Lee Young-jae, whose fake marriage to struggling writer Han Ji-eun spirals into real feelings. Han Ji-eun is played by Song Hye-kyo (Descendants of the Sun). Contract marriage plots flooded television afterwards, largely thanks to this show’s massive popularity.
Where to watch: Viki
Come Back, Mister
Fantasy comedy drives this story about two men who die and receive a temporary return to Earth in different bodies. Rain plays one of the reincarnated souls navigating life with a borrowed identity while fixing unfinished business. The cast includes Oh Yeon-seo (Mad for Each Other) and Lee Min-jung (Boys Over Flowers).
Where to watch: Viki