Learn about IU, including her real name, birthday, music career, songwriting, albums, acting roles, achievements and latest activities.
IU Profile & Facts
| Fact | Details |
|---|---|
| Stage Name | IU |
| Real Name | Lee Ji-eun (이지은) |
| Birthday | May 16, 1993 |
| Birthplace | Seoul, South Korea |
| Nationality | South Korean |
| Occupation | Singer-songwriter, Actress |
| Agency | EDAM Entertainment |
| Music Debut | September 18, 2008 |
| Debut Song | “Lost Child” |
| Korean Debut Album | Lost and Found |
| Japanese Debut | 2012 |
| Fandom | UAENA |
| Major Music Genres | K-pop, Pop, R&B, Ballad |
| Acting Debut | Dream High |
| Film Debut | Real |
| Latest Digital Single | Unknown Planet |
| Upcoming Studio Album | Sixth full-length album |
Korean Film Council identifies IU, whose real name is Lee Ji-eun, as a singer-songwriter and actor who debuted as a singer in 2008. It also documents her transition into acting, including Dream High, My Mister, Persona, Broker and other projects.
Who Is IU?
IU, whose real name is Lee Ji-eun, is a South Korean singer-songwriter and actress. She is one of the country’s most established solo artists and has built a career spanning music, television, film and songwriting.
IU made her official music debut in 2008 at the age of 15 with the mini album Lost and Found and the song “Lost Child.”
She gradually established herself as a singer-songwriter rather than remaining solely a performer. Her later albums incorporated her own lyrics and compositions, allowing her to develop a distinctive musical identity.
IU also built a parallel acting career. She made her television acting debut in Dream High and later appeared in productions including You’re the Best, Lee Soon-shin, The Producers, Moon Lovers: Scarlet Heart Ryeo, My Mister, Hotel Del Luna, Persona, Broker, Dream, When Life Gives You Tangerines and Perfect Crown.
IU’s Early Life
Lee Ji-eun was born on May 16, 1993, in Seoul, South Korea.
She became interested in performing while she was young and eventually pursued a career in music.
IU went through a difficult trainee period before successfully entering the entertainment industry. She auditioned for numerous agencies before signing with LOEN Entertainment, now associated with Kakao Entertainment.
She trained before making her official debut as a teenager.
IU’s Debut as a Singer
IU officially debuted on September 18, 2008, with the mini album Lost and Found.
Her debut song was “Lost Child”, also known by its Korean title “미아 (Mia).”
Unlike the bright pop image often associated with later K-pop releases, IU’s debut presented a more mature and emotional musical direction.
Her early work helped establish her as a vocalist before she gradually expanded her role into songwriting and composition.
IU’s Early Music Career
Following her debut, IU released several albums and began building recognition in South Korea.
Her early releases included:
- Lost and Found
- IU…IM
- Growing Up
- Real
Her breakthrough came with “Good Day,” released in 2010.
The song became one of the defining songs of her early career and established IU as a major solo singer in South Korea.
IU’s “Good Day”
“Good Day” was released in 2010 as part of IU’s third mini album, Real.
The song became one of IU’s signature tracks and was particularly recognized for its vocal performance.
Korean Film Council notes that “Good Day” topped the charts for five consecutive weeks and helped IU become widely known in South Korea.
The success of “Good Day” significantly increased IU’s public recognition and helped establish her as one of the country’s leading young solo singers.
IU’s Music Career
IU’s music career developed from her early idol-pop releases into a singer-songwriter career centered around albums and self-written material.
Her discography includes:
- Lost and Found
- Growing Up
- Real
- Last Fantasy
- Modern Times
- Chat-Shire
- Palette
- Love Poem
- LILAC
- The Winning
- A Flower Bookmark
- A Flower Bookmark 2
- A Flower Bookmark 3
She has worked across several styles, including pop, acoustic music, R&B, ballads and other contemporary Korean pop sounds.
IU’s Songwriting & Composition
Songwriting has become an important part of IU’s artistic identity.
Korean Film Council notes that IU increasingly took part in writing and composing her own music, with her songwriting and production involvement becoming especially prominent from the mid-2010s onward.
Her songwriting credits appear throughout her later albums, allowing her to communicate personal themes and stories through her own music.
IU’s Major Albums
Last Fantasy
Released in 2011, Last Fantasy became an important album during IU’s early career.
The album continued the musical development that followed the success of “Good Day.”
Modern Times
Released in 2013, Modern Times explored jazz, swing and other retro-influenced sounds.
The album’s title track was “The Red Shoes.”
Chat-Shire
Released in 2015, Chat-Shire represented a more personal and self-directed period of IU’s music.
The album included “Twenty-Three,” which became one of her recognizable songs from the period.
Palette
Released in 2017, Palette featured the title track “Palette” with G-Dragon.
The album explored themes of identity, growing older and understanding oneself.
Love Poem
Released in 2019, Love Poem continued IU’s singer-songwriter direction.
The album includes the title track “Blueming” and the song “Love Poem.”
LILAC
IU released her fifth studio album, LILAC, in 2021.
The album’s title track is “LILAC.”
Other songs include:
- “Flu”
- “Coin”
- “Celebrity”
- “Ah Puh”
- “My Sea”
The Winning
IU released the EP The Winning in 2024.
The project includes:
- “Shopper”
- “Holssi”
- “Love Wins All”
- “Shh..”
- “I Stan U”
IU’s “Love Wins All”
“Love Wins All” was released in January 2024 and became one of IU’s major recent singles.
The music video stars IU alongside actor V of BTS.
The song was later included on The Winning.
Its music video received significant attention for its cinematic storytelling and dystopian setting.
IU’s Acting Career
IU began developing her acting career alongside her music career.
Her first major television acting project was Dream High, which aired in 2011.
She subsequently took on increasingly prominent roles and eventually established herself as an actress separate from her identity as a singer.
Korean Film Council describes IU as both a singer-songwriter and actor and documents her progression through television and film.
IU in Dream High
IU appeared in the 2011 KBS drama Dream High.
The series followed students at a performing arts school and featured several performers from the Korean entertainment industry.
The drama became IU’s first major television acting project.
IU in You’re the Best, Lee Soon-shin
In 2013, IU took her first leading television role in You’re the Best, Lee Soon-shin.
She played Lee Soon-shin, the central character of the family drama.
The role represented an important step in IU’s development as an actress after her earlier supporting role in Dream High.
IU in The Producers
IU appeared in the 2015 drama The Producers.
She played Cindy, a popular singer with a carefully controlled public image.
The role allowed IU to draw on her own experience as an entertainer while portraying a fictional idol character.
IU in Moon Lovers: Scarlet Heart Ryeo
In 2016, IU starred in Moon Lovers: Scarlet Heart Ryeo.
She played Hae Soo, a woman who becomes involved with several princes during Korea’s Goryeo period.
The drama was based on the Chinese novel Bu Bu Jing Xin and became particularly popular internationally.
IU in My Mister
IU starred in the 2018 drama My Mister.
She played Lee Ji-an, a young woman facing difficult circumstances who develops a meaningful relationship with Park Dong-hoon, played by Lee Sun-kyun.
The series became one of the most highly regarded dramas of IU’s acting career.
IU in Hotel Del Luna
IU starred in the 2019 fantasy drama Hotel Del Luna.
She played Jang Man-wol, the owner of a mysterious hotel that serves ghosts.
The series became one of IU’s most recognizable television roles and further established her as a leading actress.
IU’s Persona
IU starred in Netflix’s Persona in 2019.
The project consisted of four short films directed by different filmmakers, with IU portraying different characters across the segments.
Korean Film Council identifies Persona as an important part of IU’s transition into more varied screen work.
IU’s Film Career
IU expanded into feature films with her appearance in Real in 2017.
She later took more substantial film roles, including:
- Shades of the Heart
- Broker
- Dream
IU in Broker
IU appeared in Hirokazu Kore-eda’s 2022 film Broker.
She played Moon So-young, a young mother whose story becomes connected with a group of people involved with a baby box.
The film starred Song Kang-ho, Bae Doona, Gang Dong-won and IU.
Korean Film Council identifies Broker as one of IU’s major film projects and documents her progression from singer to film actress.
IU in Dream
IU starred in the 2023 sports-comedy film Dream alongside Park Seo-joon.
She played Lee So-min, a documentary producer following a football team.
The film expanded IU’s filmography beyond the more dramatic roles she had previously taken.
IU in When Life Gives You Tangerines
In 2025, IU starred in the Netflix series When Life Gives You Tangerines alongside Park Bo-gum.
The series follows characters across different periods of their lives on Jeju Island.
IU’s performance received significant recognition, including awards and nominations during the drama’s awards run.
IU in Perfect Crown
In 2026, IU starred in the MBC drama Perfect Crown opposite Byeon Woo-seok.
The drama is set in a fictional modern constitutional monarchy and combines romance and political-worldbuilding elements.
The series marked one of IU’s major television projects during the period when she was also preparing new music.
Apple’s current artist information lists Perfect Crown among IU’s 2026 television work.
IU’s Music and Acting Career
One of the defining features of IU’s career is her ability to maintain two major professional identities.
As IU, she is a singer-songwriter with a long-running solo discography.
As Lee Ji-eun, she has built a substantial career in television and film.
Rather than treating the two careers as completely separate, IU has frequently allowed her music, acting and visual work to influence one another.
IU’s OST Career
IU has contributed music to several Korean dramas.
Her OST work includes songs connected with projects such as:
- Dream High
- The Producers
- Moon Lovers: Scarlet Heart Ryeo
- Hotel Del Luna
- My Mister
- Other television productions
Her ability to connect her singing career with acting projects has helped make her a prominent Korean drama OST artist.
IU’s Japanese Career
IU also expanded her music career into Japan.
She made her Japanese debut in 2012 and released Japanese-language music and performed concerts for Japanese audiences.
Her Japanese activities formed part of her expansion beyond South Korea during the early part of her career.
IU’s Concert Career
IU is known for large-scale solo concerts and tours.
Her concerts have included:
- Solo arena performances
- Stadium concerts
- Domestic Korean tours
- International performances
- Fan events
Her concert projects frequently combine live vocals, elaborate stage production and storytelling elements.
IU’s Golden Hour Concert
IU held The Golden Hour: Under the Orange Sun concerts at Seoul Olympic Stadium in 2022.
The concert was later released as a concert film/documentary.
Korean Film Council lists IU Concert: The Golden Hour among IU’s film-related projects.
IU’s Fandom
IU’s official fandom is known as UAENA (유애나).
The fandom name has been used throughout her career for her dedicated fan community.
IU has maintained a strong relationship with UAENA through concerts, fan events, music releases and direct communication.
IU’s Achievements
IU’s achievements span music, songwriting, acting and live performance.
As a singer, she has achieved:
- Major Korean chart success
- Multiple successful studio albums
- Successful digital singles
- Major concert tours
- International releases
- Significant songwriting credits
As an actress, she has received recognition for television and film performances.
Her career has made her one of South Korea’s most prominent singer-actresses.
IU’s Awards & Recognition
IU has received recognition across both music and acting.
Her career awards and nominations include honors from major Korean music and entertainment award organizations.
She has received recognition for:
- Vocal performance
- Songwriting
- Album releases
- Digital music success
- Television acting
- Film acting
- Concert achievements
For KWaveHub, I recommend keeping the detailed award list separate and updating it periodically rather than filling the Artist Profile with every nomination.
IU’s Music Credits
| Release | Year | IU’s Role |
|---|---|---|
| Lost and Found | 2008 | Solo artist |
| Growing Up | 2009 | Solo artist |
| Real | 2010 | Solo artist |
| Last Fantasy | 2011 | Solo artist / songwriter |
| Modern Times | 2013 | Solo artist / songwriter |
| Chat-Shire | 2015 | Solo artist / songwriter |
| Palette | 2017 | Solo artist / songwriter |
| Love Poem | 2019 | Solo artist / songwriter |
| LILAC | 2021 | Solo artist / songwriter |
| The Winning | 2024 | Solo artist / songwriter |
| A Flower Bookmark 3 | 2025 | Solo artist |
| “Unknown Planet” | 2026 | Solo artist / songwriter |
| “Dear My Crazy Soulmate” | 2026 | Solo artist / songwriter |
Korean Film Council specifically notes IU’s development as a lyricist and producer, with her composing much of her own music from the mid-2010s onward.
IU’s Recent Music
IU released A Flower Bookmark 3 in 2025 after spending an extended period focused heavily on acting.
The project continued the A Flower Bookmark series.
She also released the digital single “Bye, Summer” on September 10, 2025.
IU’s “Unknown Planet”
IU returned to music in September 2026 with the digital single Unknown Planet.
The release contains two songs:
- “Unknown Planet”
- “Dear My Crazy Soulmate”
Both songs were written by IU.
Yonhap reported that the two songs are also planned to appear on IU’s upcoming sixth full-length album.
Apple’s current artist information lists Unknown Planet as IU’s latest release, dated September 10, 2026.
IU’s Sixth Studio Album
IU is preparing her sixth full-length studio album.
The album had originally been planned alongside a September 2026 concert schedule, but its release was postponed in July.
The album had already been recorded before the postponement, according to reports citing IU and EDAM Entertainment.
The new album does not yet have a publicly confirmed release date, so KWaveHub should not publish a specific date until IU or EDAM Entertainment officially announces one.
IU’s 2026 Activities
IU’s 2026 career has included both acting and music activities.
She starred in Perfect Crown and subsequently returned to music with “Unknown Planet” and “Dear My Crazy Soulmate.”
Her sixth studio album remains an upcoming project.
Because the album schedule changed during 2026, the Latest IU Updates section should be updated whenever EDAM Entertainment announces a new release date or concert schedule.
IU’s Current Activities
As of September 2026, IU is continuing her career across music and acting.
Her most recent music release is Unknown Planet, which contains “Unknown Planet” and “Dear My Crazy Soulmate.”
Her upcoming sixth studio album does not currently have a confirmed release date.
Her recent acting work includes Perfect Crown.
IU’s Quick Facts
| Category | Information |
|---|---|
| Stage Name | IU |
| Real Name | Lee Ji-eun |
| Korean Name | 이지은 |
| Birthday | May 16, 1993 |
| Birthplace | Seoul, South Korea |
| Nationality | South Korean |
| Occupation | Singer-songwriter, Actress |
| Agency | EDAM Entertainment |
| Music Debut | September 18, 2008 |
| Debut Song | “Lost Child” |
| Debut Album | Lost and Found |
| Japanese Debut | 2012 |
| Acting Debut | Dream High |
| Film Debut | Real |
| Fandom | UAENA |
| Latest Single | Unknown Planet |
| Upcoming Album | Sixth full-length studio album |
IU FAQ
Who is IU?
IU is a South Korean singer-songwriter and actress. Her real name is Lee Ji-eun.
What is IU’s real name?
IU’s real name is Lee Ji-eun (이지은).
When is IU’s birthday?
IU was born on May 16, 1993.
Where was IU born?
IU was born in Seoul, South Korea.
When did IU debut?
IU made her official music debut in 2008 with the mini album Lost and Found and the song “Lost Child.”
What was IU’s debut song?
Her debut song was “Lost Child” (미아).
What is IU’s agency?
IU is represented by EDAM Entertainment.
What is IU’s fandom name?
IU’s fandom is called UAENA.
What is IU’s most famous song?
IU has many widely recognized songs, including “Good Day,” “Palette,” “Blueming,” “LILAC” and “Love Wins All.” “Good Day” was particularly important in establishing her early mainstream success.
What was IU’s first drama?
IU’s first major television acting role was in Dream High in 2011.
What was IU’s first movie?
IU made her feature-film debut with a cameo in Real in 2017.
What dramas has IU starred in?
IU has starred in dramas including:
- You’re the Best, Lee Soon-shin
- Bel Ami
- The Producers
- Moon Lovers: Scarlet Heart Ryeo
- My Mister
- Hotel Del Luna
- When Life Gives You Tangerines
- Perfect Crown
What movies has IU appeared in?
Her filmography includes:
- Real
- Persona
- Shades of the Heart
- Broker
- Dream
- IU Concert: The Golden Hour
Korean Film Council’s database documents her filmography.
What is IU’s latest song?
Her latest release is Unknown Planet, a digital single released on September 10, 2026, containing “Unknown Planet” and “Dear My Crazy Soulmate.”
What is IU’s next album?
IU’s upcoming project is her sixth full-length studio album. Its release was postponed in 2026, and a new release date has not been officially announced.
Is IU a songwriter?
Yes. IU is a singer-songwriter who has written and composed many of her songs. Korean Film Council notes her increasing songwriting and production involvement from the mid-2010s onward.
