A South Korean entertainer, who excels in acting, modeling, and music composition, is recognized by her stage moniker, IU. IU spent 10 months as a trainee before making her solo debut on September 18, 2008, with the mini album Lost and Found. About her stage name, it was actually created by her agency (LOEN) before she made her debut appearance. From the words “I and You,” the organization got its name.IU currently possesses the highest count of chart-topping singles in South Korea. The performer has launched a total of thirty singles that reached number one, along with five studio albums and nine EPs. Among these, five EPs achieved the highest position on the Gaon Album Chart.
The well-known song “Good Day” helped South Korean pop stars achieve both national and international success. In 2019, It achieved the top position on Billboard’s compilation of the “100 Greatest K-Pop Songs of the 2010s.”
| Name | Lee Ji Eun |
| Profession | South Korean actress, model, and singer-songwriter |
| Well-known for | Songs |
Early Life of IU
On May 16, 1993, IU was born in Seoul, South Korea. In 2023, she will be 31 years old. She was interested in working in the entertainment industry from an early age and started taking acting classes.
After finishing primary education, the economic condition of her family worsened. Not long after, they relocated to the neighbouring city of Uijeongbu in Gyeonggi Province. Together with their grandmother and cousin, she and her younger brother cohabited in a studio apartment, enduring severe poverty for over a year. Even though IU didn’t have frequent interactions with her parents at that time, she found comfort and safety in her grandmother’s guardianship.
She later enrolled in Good Entertainment with Jun Hyo-Seong, Yubin, Heo Ga-Yoon, and Uee. She relocated to Bangbae, Seoul, in 2007 after signing a contract with LOEN Entertainment. Because of her unsatisfactory living conditions, IU claimed she “liked being at the studio,” where she had a place to sleep and could eat as much as she wanted.
| Date of birth | May 16, 1993 |
| Place of birth | Seoul, South Korea |
| Nationality | Korean |
Lee Ji’s Career
After ten months of consistent training, she made her solo debut in 2008. She truly got a chance to join a girl group. But she went out on her own anyhow.
At first, the primary track from her inaugural extended play (EP), Lost and Found, made its debut on September 24, 2008, under the title “Lost Child,” in November. The Ministry of Culture, Sports, and Tourism of South Korea awarded IU the title of “Rookie of the Month” in recognition of the album.
IU Debut Album
Next, on April 23, 2009, IU’s Growing Up, their debut studio album, and lead promotional single “Boo” were made available.
She launched the promotion of her album the next day with the premiere of “Boo” on KBS2’s Music Bank. At the age of fifteen, IU expressed feeling discomfort over the image, despite the favourable reception it garnered from the public.
Thereafter, she became a national celebrity because of her song “Good Day”. The album’s debut track, “This Song,” was released in 2010. Moreover, this song was number one on South Korea’s Gaon Digital Chart for five weeks running. Later that year, the song was chosen as the number one song on Billboard’s list of the “100 Greatest K-Pop Tracks of the 2010s.”
Then, she published the albums Real+ and Final Fantasy in 2011, both of which were hugely popular. With the release of these albums, the South Korean singer secured her position as a dominant force on the national music charts.
Also, the young singer wrote her next song, Hold My Hand, that same year, and it was her first time writing music herself. She composed this song for the TV show The Greatest Love.
IU’s performance in Japan
However, she released Last Fantasy, her second studio album, on November 29, 2011. As a first step into the Japanese market, she subsequently signed a contract with EMI Music Japan, which is now a part of Universal Music Japan.
In June 2012, she commenced her inaugural concert tour, Real Fantasy, which continued into the subsequent year. She made two appearances in Seoul before travelling to six other South Korean cities.
IU Debut in TV Series
Prior to this, she embarked on her inaugural substantial part in a TV series as the protagonist in “You’re the Best, Lee Soon-shin,” which she assumed in early 2013. The next year, IU released “Can You Hear Me?” as the second extended play in Japan. On September 11, 2013, she released her upcoming Japanese single titled “Monday Afternoon.” Additionally, her third album titled “Modern Times” debuted on October 8, 2013. On May 16, 2014, she released “A Flower Bookmark,” her first cover album and sixth Korean extended play. On October 23, 2015, she made “Chat-Shire” available online.
IU Debut in Film
Also, in the 2015 movie “The Producers,” which also starred Gong Hyo-jin, Kim Soo-hyun, and Cha Tae-hyun, she played Cindy. In the September 2016 film “Moon Lovers: Scarlet Heart Ryeo,” she played the main character, Hae Soo.
Further, her fourth studio album, “Palette,” was released on April 21, 2017. Her second cover album, “A Flower Bookmark 2,” was released on September 22, 2017. In March 2018, she appeared in the TVN series My Mister as Lee Ji-an. She released the single “Bbibbi” in October 2018.
IU on Netflix
She debuted in a movie on April 11, 2019, in the “Persona” Netflix anthology series. In Gwangju, IU’s second Asian tour, Love Poem, started on November 2, 2019. Her fifth musical collection, titled “Lilac,” was released on March 25th, 2021. Then, on December 29, she hinted about a particularly unique album called “Pieces.”
Social Media Accounts
Height, Weight, Star Sign, Age, and Net Worth
In 2024, Lee Ji turns 31. She is 1.61 meters tall and weighs about 44 kg. Her total wealth is approximated at $15 million, and she belongs to the Taurus zodiac sign.
| Age | 31 years old |
| Height | 1.61 meters |
| Weight | 44 kg |
| Star sign | Taurus |
| Net worth | $15 million |
IU’s Personal Life
IU isn’t married yet. In December 2022, IU (Lee Ji-Eun) and actor Lee Jong-suk apparently started dating after reportedly spending Christmas together in Nagoya, Japan.
Their agency verified their relationship in January 2023.
Highlights
Movies
| Title | Year |
| Real | 2017 |
| Persona | 2019 |
Discography
| Album/EP | Year |
| Lost and Found | 2008 |
| Growing Up | 2009 |
| Real | 2010 |
| Eight and a Half | 2020 |
| Strawberry Moon | 2021 |
Music videos
| Title | Year |
| Lost Child | 2008 |
| You Know | 2009 |
| Good Day | 2010 |
| Love Poem | 2019 |
| Strawberry Moon | 2021 |
Frequently Asked Questions
Q1. Is IU in a relationship?
Actor Lee Jong Suk and K-pop sensation IU have formally acknowledged their romantic relationship! According to a December 31, 2022, article from the Korean news site Dispatch, the two celebrities have been dating for months.
Q2. Why is IU so famous in South Korea?
IU is renowned for having various skills and a flair for writing and producing music. According to Seoul Space, the singer has penned over 50 songs for her albums, other artists, dramas, and movies, giving her a significant advantage in royalties.
Q3. Why is IU named IU?
LOEN came up with the stage name IU, which she debuted in 2008 after ten months of training. The name means “I and You become one through music.”
Q4. Is Jungkook and IU in love?
Yes, but not in a romantic sense. IU will undoubtedly adore all of her admirers, including Jungkook, who shares our intense love for BTS. Furthermore, if we look at Jungkook, we can see that he views her as an idol, someone he looks up to in the same way that he looks up to G-Dragon.
Q5. Is IU more famous than BTS?
IU is more well-known and well-liked in Korea than BTS because she is more well-liked by casual listeners in general. Among all Korean singers, BTS has the highest brand value in Korea, though.
