IU (Lee Ji-eun) is a South Korean singer-songwriter and actress. Throughout her career, she has encountered several controversies, including allegations regarding digital music charts as well as mixed reactions surrounding her public image and statements.
1. Intimate photo with Eunhyuk (2012)
A private photo of IU and Eunhyuk (a member of Super Junior) was leaked online in 2012, sparking over 500,000 discussions within 48 hours across various social media platforms both inside and outside South Korea, according to data from Nate and Naver.
The image depicted IU in pajamas lying on a bed, while Eunhyuk sat beside her shirtless. IU’s management agency stated that Eunhyuk was merely visiting her while she was ill; however, the incident was deemed inconsistent with the “innocent” image that LOEN Entertainment had previously cultivated for IU through musical releases such as “Marshmallow” and “You & I.”
2. Zezé and the “Chat-Shire” album (2015)
IU’s 2015 album Chat-Shire sparked controversy regarding the track “Zezé.” The song was criticized for allegedly sexualizing the character Zezé, a five-year-old boy from the novel My Sweet Orange Tree. The book’s publisher publicly objected, asserting that the song’s lyrics contradicted the spirit of the original work.
Additionally, the album was found to have used an unauthorized sample from Britney Spears’ song “Gimme More.” IU issued a public apology and removed the track from several platforms.
3. Controversial statements
In March 2011, on the variety program Yoo Jae Suk & Kim Won Hee’s Come to Play (MBC), IU mentioned Kim Tae-woo as her ideal type. However, during the same broadcast, in which IU appeared alongside Jiyeon and Luna while Kim Tae-woo appeared with an “uncle fan” segment, some viewers perceived her attitude toward him as distant or inattentive despite his fan status. This led to opinions that the earlier mention of Kim Tae-woo may have been promotional in nature.
During the filming of Dream High around February 2011, IU made a joking remark to Wooyoung, a member of 2PM, stating that he would be “the coolest oppa if he paid for a ribeye meal while she was in the bathroom.” The remark was later recounted by Wooyoung on the program Night After Night (SBS, Episode 22, aired April 11, 2011), where it was described as having received mixed reactions from viewers.