Verified biography · current role
IU Biography
IU is the professional name of Lee Ji-eun, a South Korean singer, songwriter and actress born in Seoul. Childhood singing led to auditions, LOEN training and her debut in 2008. Her early recordings include Lost and Found, Growing Up and Good Day. By Last Fantasy, collaborators sought her recording input; she approached its varied tracks through different vocal interpretations. She developed her own writing and production voice through Chat-Shire and Palette. The A Flower Bookmark releases revisited older Korean songs. LILAC received Melon’s 2021 Album of the Year honor. Later releases include The Winning and A Flower Bookmark 3. Unknown Planet arrived in September 2026 with two self-written lead tracks. A September fan message described a full album planned for 2027 without a fixed release date. Broker placed her in Hirokazu Kore-eda’s ensemble, followed by Dream. She played both mother and daughter in Netflix’s When Life Gives You Tangerines. In 2026, she played Seong Hui-ju in Perfect Crown. She described My Mister as a turning point and rehearsing with Moon So-ri to coordinate their Tangerines portrayals. She has connected acting’s repeated experimentation with working in a recording studio. September 2026 reporting records a debut-anniversary donation made with her fan community’s name. Dream High introduced her to television drama. Hotel Del Luna later featured her as Jang Man-wol.
Biography · sourced and maintained
About IU
Full name: Lee Ji-eun
IU is the professional name of Lee Ji-eun, a South Korean singer, songwriter and actress born in Seoul. Childhood singing led to auditions, LOEN training and her debut in 2008. Her early recordings include Lost and Found, Growing Up and Good Day. By Last Fantasy, collaborators sought her recording input; she approached its varied tracks through different vocal interpretations. She developed her own writing and production voice through Chat-Shire and Palette. The A Flower Bookmark releases revisited older Korean songs. LILAC received Melon’s 2021 Album of the Year honor. Later releases include The Winning and A Flower Bookmark 3. Unknown Planet arrived in September 2026 with two self-written lead tracks. A September fan message described a full album planned for 2027 without a fixed release date. Broker placed her in Hirokazu Kore-eda’s ensemble, followed by Dream. She played both mother and daughter in Netflix’s When Life Gives You Tangerines. In 2026, she played Seong Hui-ju in Perfect Crown. She described My Mister as a turning point and rehearsing with Moon So-ri to coordinate their Tangerines portrayals. She has connected acting’s repeated experimentation with working in a recording studio. September 2026 reporting records a debut-anniversary donation made with her fan community’s name. Dream High introduced her to television drama. Hotel Del Luna later featured her as Jang Man-wol.
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Questions about IU
What does the name IU mean?
Her stage name joins I and U to connect herself with the listeners of her music.
Sources: ELLE Hong Kong
How did IU begin singing?
ELLE’s 2020 interview traces her interest to childhood music and karaoke with her father, then a school singing opportunity before auditions and LOEN training.
Sources: ELLE Hong Kong
What is IU’s latest checked music release?
Unknown Planet arrived in September 2026 with Dear My Crazy Soulmate as its other lead track. The announced sixth studio album has no verified fixed release date here.
Sources: Yonhap News Agency · Apple Music / EDAM Entertainment
Who does IU play in When Life Gives You Tangerines?
She plays Oh Ae-sun and the character’s daughter, Yang Geum-myeong, in the 2025 Netflix series.
Sources: Netflix Tudum
Who does IU play in Perfect Crown?
MBC identifies her as Seong Hui-ju, a wealthy commoner seeking noble status in the drama’s fictional constitutional monarchy.
Sources: MBC Global Media
What role did IU play in Broker?
Does IU have verified named pets?
What scent does IU prefer?
Her dated 2021 answer favors fresh, subtle fragrances, with citrus as a recurring theme. It does not establish personal use of a named Gucci bottle.
Sources: Vogue Korea
How did IU develop her studio voice?
In a 2011 interview about Last Fantasy, she described collaborators seeking her input and using different vocal interpretations for its varied songs.
Sources: 10Asia / The Asia Business Daily
How did she coordinate Ae-sun with Moon So-ri?
The actors rehearsed each other’s lines to align speech patterns across younger and older Ae-sun, according to IU’s 2025 TIME interview.
Sources: TIME