MUMBAI: US broadcaster MTV's ethnic offering MTV World has announced plans to produce a live performance special featuring Korean popstar Rain on 3 February at MTV's Studios in Times Square.

MTV Presents: Rain - Live In New York will provide the star with his first US opportunity to perform for and meet with his fans up close and personal. The production also marks the first live music production for MTV World.

MTV World operates television networks designed to super-serve ethnic populations in the US, with Chinese-American focused MTV Chi and South-Asian-centric MTV Desi available on the pay TV platform DirecTV and MTV K, a 24-hour music channel catering to Korean-Americans, scheduled to launch later this year.

MTV News' SuChin Pak will host the special, talking to Rain about his music, his rising star throughout Asia, his plans to break in the United States and offering fans the chance to ask questions during the special. Rain and his four dancers will perform exclusively for MTV World's cameras, and meet his fans in the studio audience during a question and answer session.

MTV World senior VP, GM Nusrat Durrani says, "Having an artist like Rain perform in an exclusive setting such as this marks an important milestone for MTV World. Not only does it allow us unfettered access to one of the fast rising stars on the planet, but it also furthers our commitment to breaking artists for US audiences."