Lee Ji-eun, commonly known by her stage name IU, is a South Korean singer-songwriter, record producer, and actress born on May 16, 1993. She began her career as a singer at fifteen with her first extended play (EP), Lost and Found, after signing a trainee contract with LOEN Entertainment (now Kakao Entertainment) in 2007.
Even though her subsequent albums, Growing Up and IU…IM was commercially successful, but she didn’t become a household name in the United States until “Good Day,” the lead single from her 2010 album Real, was released. The song “Good Day” later spent five weeks in a row at the top of South Korea’s Gaon Digital Chart, and in 2019, it was named the best K-pop song of the decade by Billboard.
With the success of her albums Real+ and Last Fantasy in 2011, IU solidified her next-door girl reputation as Korea’s “little sister” and asserted herself as a potent force on the nation’s music charts. Her songwriting debut occurred in 2011 with the release of “Hold My Hand,” a song created for the television program The Greatest Love. With numerous tunes reaching the top 10 on the Gaon Digital Chart, IU’s third studio album, Modern Times (2013), demonstrated a more mature musical approach that signified a break from her previous girlish image. On Billboard’s list of the “25 Greatest K-Pop Albums of the 2010s,” the album came in at number two.
Later, IU had more artistic authority over her music, and Chat-Shire was the first time she was given sole credit for the album’s lyrics. Palette (2017), IU’s fourth studio album, became the artist’s first to top the World Albums chart on Billboard. Even though her subsequent albums, Love Poem and Lilac, explored and blended many musical genres and continued to stray from traditional K-pop, IU maintained her supremacy on South Korean music charts. She first reached the top of the Billboard World Digital Song Sales chart with her 2020 hit “Eight.”
IU has pursued careers in acting and hosting radio and television shows in addition to her singing career. She was cast in central parts in the television drama series You Are the Best! (2013), Pretty Man (2013–2014), The Producers (2015), and Moon Lovers: Scarlet Heart Ryeo after her supporting role in the adolescent drama Dream High (2011) and other minor appearances in various television series (2016). IU drew praise for her portrayal of a hopeless office worker in My Mister (2018), which led to her receiving a nomination for Best Actress in Television at the 55th Baeksang Arts Awards.
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She appeared in the fantasy television series Hotel del Luna in 2019 and the anthology film series Persona. The latter earned her a second Best Actress nomination at the Baeksang Arts Awards. In the 2022 movie Broker, directed by Hirokazu Kore-eda, IU co-starred with Song Kang-ho, Bae Doona, and Gang Dong-won. She will play the lead in the upcoming movie Dream by Lee Byeong-Heon.
IU has so far recorded five studio albums, nine EPs, and thirty number-one singles, five of which peaked at the top of the Gaon Album Chart, making her the South Korean artist with the most number-one singles. One of the best-selling solo artists in the group-dominated K-pop market, IU was the first solo female K-pop act to perform at the Olympic Gymnastics Arena on the Seoul leg of her 2019 Love, Poem concert tour and the first Korean female artist to hold a solo show, The Golden Hour, at Seoul Olympic Stadium in Seoul on September 17 and 18, 2022.
Since 2012, she has appeared five times in the top ten of Forbes magazine’s annual Korea Power Celebrity list. In that year, she peaked at number three. In 2014, Billboard named IU the singer with the most songs that reached number one and the most weeks spent at the top of the chart, making her the all-time leader of the K-pop Hot 100. In 2014 and 2017, she received the Gallup Korea Singer of the Year award.
IU Height In Feet
IU stands at 5 feet 3 inches and is 27 years old (162.0 cm).
IU’s Net Worth in 2022
Several publications and reports estimate that IU’s net worth will be between $35 and $45 million in 2022. The singer made her professional debut at the tender age of 15 with the Kakao Entertainment short album Lost and Found. With the help of the single Good Day from her 2010 album, Real, IU achieved mainstream recognition years after making her debut.
IU has released nine EPs in addition to five studio albums, five of which debuted at number one. On the other hand, Lee has had thirty singles peak at number one, making her the only artist in South Korea to have that many.
The singer has established herself as a top-tier K-pop soloist and a distinguished actor. Lee’s acting career has been on the upswing ever since she made her debut in a supporting role in Dream High in 2011.
In her own country, IU has become well-known thanks to K-dramas like My Mister, Hotel Del Luna, Moon Lovers: Scarlet Heart Ryeo, and Persona, gaining the moniker “Nation’s Little sister.”
Her subsequent films include Broker by Hirokazu Kore-eda and Dream by Lee Byeong-Hyun.
Lifestyle And Endorsements
With a substantial net worth, IU undoubtedly has a luxurious life. As one of the highest-paid celebrities in South Korea, Lee’s earnings primarily come from ads.
Every type and category of the brand has received IU’s endorsement. The singer-songwriter has also provided endorsements for various products, including video games, apparel, monetary institutions, cosmetics, and candy. She has served as the spokesperson for several companies, including Samsung, Nongshim, ISOI, The Same, Qdush (China), G by Guess, Woori Financial Group, Chamisul Soju, Jeju Samdasoo, Homeplus, and others.
Since March 2022, the singer has served as a global spokesperson for the prestigious fashion business Gucci.
The musician spent a staggering $11.7 million on a magnificent condominium in Seoul’s Eterno Cheongdam in 2021. Additionally, she owns homes in Gwacheon and Yangpyeong-gun.
Her kind, charitable deeds are what make IU a darling among millions. IU gave the Green Umbrella Children’s Foundation $100 million to aid disadvantaged children over four years (2015, 2018, 2019, 2020).
She gave 500 million won in 2021 to organizations that support children with rare diseases, including the Korea Pediatric Cancer Foundation, the Korean Single Mothers and Families Association, the Comprehensive Support Center for Elderly Living Alone, the Child Welfare Association, and the Yeouldol Association.
IU is one of the most adored performers in Korea, thanks to her charity deeds, which have made her a household name.