Rain: 'If Kim Tae-hee Wakes Up, I Wake Up Too' — The Reality of the Parenting War

The singer and actor Rain (Jung Ji-hoon) shared a glimpse into his daily life as a parent with his wife, Kim Tae-hee, revealing the ordinary morning scenes of the 'superstar couple.' While Rain is known as an icon of perfect self-management on stage and in front of the camera, his confession that he even mimics slapping his own cheeks to wake himself up in the face of parenting reality drew laughter from viewers.

On the 12th, Rain appeared on the YouTube channel 'Si-eon's Cool' alongside actors Lee Si-eon and Kim Jae-wook. While enjoying a trip to Sokcho and discussing their plans for the following morning, the three naturally shared stories about their married lives and parenting experiences.

Lee Si-eon, who recently became a father, was the first to open up about how his daily patterns have changed due to childcare. He explained, “Since the baby was born, I wake up at 6 AM. We sleep in separate rooms; I sleep alone in the master bedroom, while my wife sleeps with the baby in the baby's room.”

His morning routine has also shifted. Lee described how, upon waking up and looking at the camera, he often finds that his wife and child are already awake, with his wife already feeding the baby. It was a complete restructuring of a lifestyle that had previously revolved around filming schedules and professional activities, triggered by the birth of his child.

Listening to this, Rain reacted firmly, saying, “Then you have to get up.” When Lee explained that he heads to his wife and child, calling them his “lovely ones,” Rain shared his own experience, revealing a realistic side of parenting.

Rain remarked, “At 6 or 7 in the morning, isn't your wife already rushing to get ready?” He then went to the bathroom and mimicked the action of slapping his own cheeks. He continued by reenacting how he tells himself, “I have to get up,” which elicited laughter from the cast.

His mentioned 'waking ritual' carries a meaning deeper than just simple married life. Since caring for a child cannot be entrusted to just one person, he believes that the moment a spouse starts moving, the other must also wake up. For Rain, this meant needing a process to forcibly wake himself up to uphold that fundamental principle.

When Lee Si-eon confessed, “To be honest, I’ve pretended not to hear them a couple of times,” Rain's reaction became even more stern. Rain scolded him like a parenting veteran, saying, “Why did you do that? That's mean. You absolutely must get up.”

However, the lecture did not end with him being the perfect husband. When the production crew asked Rain, “Have you never done that?” he admitted without a moment's hesitation, “Yes, I have.” By confessing that there were moments when he also wanted to pretend he hadn't heard anything in the morning, he created a humorous symmetry with his previous criticism of Lee.

The reason this moment was particularly funny is that it connects to the image Rain usually portrays. As a singer, actor, and entertainer, Rain has always emphasized thorough self-management and strong habits. While famous for managing his physical condition until the moment he steps onto the stage, he showed the side of an ordinary father who must ultimately overcome sleep to take care of his child and spouse at home.

Kim Tae-hee and Rain married in 2017 and have two daughters. As both are top stars who have long held the public's attention, interest in their family life has remained steady since their marriage, though they have been relatively cautious about revealing specific parenting methods or their daily routines as a couple.

Therefore, Rain's comments feel less like a grand variety show reveal and more like a realistic tale of daily life. With specific scenes like 'between 6 and 7 in the morning,' 'the moment a spouse wakes up first,' and 'the process of steadying oneself to wake up,' it shows that even a celebrity family is not free from the everyday labor of parenting.

What makes the conversation between Lee Si-eon and Rain particularly interesting is that both have recently entered a new stage of life as fathers. Lee Si-eon began his journey as a novice father after marrying actress Seo Ji-seung and recently welcoming a son, while Rain is a father with significant parenting experience, having already raised two children.

Despite the difference in experience, what was commonly revealed in their conversation was the issue of 'fatherly participation.' While parenting was perceived in the past as primarily a woman's domain, it is now being accepted as a shared responsibility that both parents must undertake, regardless of whether they are dual-income households. The fact that stars' private parenting stories resonate with the public is not unrelated to this social shift.

Ultimately, what Rain showed was not the image of a perfect 'parenting model student,' but the reality of a father who must eventually get up even in tired and bothersome moments. The moment he said, “You absolutely must get up,” and then admitted, “I have done that too,” his story changed from a lecture into a tale of empathy mixed with laughter.

Though he is a star who moves tens of thousands of spectators on stage, at home, he is a father who must react to the movements of his spouse even before his alarm goes off. The brief morning scene shared by Rain shows that even the life of a glamorous celebrity family is built upon the extremely ordinary daily routine of fighting off sleep to care for a child.