AMAZING JOURNEY FOR SINGER-ACTRESS LEE JI EUN (IU)

IU or Lee Ji Eun in real life is one of Korea’s most successful and cherished solo artists in the K-Pop industry. But twelve years to her stardom comes a bittersweet story of success. Lee Ji Eun goes by the stage name IU (a combination of the words “I” and “You”), which is meant to represent the singer and the listener becoming one with music.

She is recognized as one of the most popular and bestselling artists in the K-pop world. She is considered the most influential K-pop celebrity alive today. Moreover, IU hosts various radio and TV shows writes songs, and stars in K-dramas! This is good news for all K-drama lovers! Lee Ji played the lead heroine in the popular historical drama.

Despite her family’s poor condition, IU was able to find a silver lining to her situation, and goals to become a successful singer. She tried her luck at JYP Entertainment but failed, and was also scammed by fake entertainment agencies.  After being rejected numerous times, she finally signed up with LOEN Entertainment, now known as kakaoM. In 2007, she debuted at a tender age of 15 after being a trainee for only 10 months. 

Her mainstream popularity catapulted in 2010 as she released her songs “Nagging”, a duet with 2PM’s Lim Seulong. But it was her smash hit track “Good Day”, that paved the way to her stardom. She was the cute and chubby Kim Pil Sook, who dreams of becoming a singer. She admitted that she was lacking and not yet ready for acting, but she was able to win over her confidence when she found out that it will require her to sing.

She has been living to her stage name IU, derived from “I and You”, as she creates beautiful connections with people through her music and artistry.