#ueana

[sweetobseesion]

Me to my disappearing IU playlist on my Spotify

[iuinspires]

My Hopes for IU in the Next 10 Years

As all ueanas would know, 2018 was a major milestone in IU’s career for it marked the 10th anniversary of her debut, which was commemorated by various events, including a series of concerts celebrating her discography over the past decade. I’m glad though, that beyond celebrating her past achievements, IU and her company seem to be taking a forward-looking approach – IU mentioned on various occasions that she was looking forward to embarking on the next phase of her career, and I heard too that her company had earlier surveyed ueanas on what they hope to see from her in future.

As we welcome a new beginning with the start of 2019, I thought it would be fun to share my thoughts on what I personally hope to see from IU in the next 10 years. As with most ueanas, I look forward to hearing more music from IU and seeing her take on more acting projects, but these are the three specific things which I would personally love to see:

IU appearing on more programmes which reinforce her identity as a producer, musician & singer-songwriter

Some of the IU videos I’ve enjoyed the most include IU’s 2017 appearance on MBC Picnic with Kim Eana and her 2015 Melon Chat-shire showcase, where she talks about the creative process behind her song writing process and the conceptualisation of her albums. So I really hope to see IU appear on more of such programmes, because I love seeing how passionate, eloquent and intelligent she is when she shares her thoughts on her music and provides insight that allows a deeper appreciation of her works.

I also hope to see more behind-the-scenes videos in the IU’s recording studio, because that is where we get to see a different side of IU – not as an idol, or performer, but as a music professional. I don’t know why, but there’s something I find really moving about the short videos of IU’s recording process we occasionally get to see, like those of the Flower Bookmark Albums; IU may wear minimal makeup, look slightly dishevelled in her baggy casual clothes, and seem really exhausted at times, but I think she looks most beautiful just being herself, passionately in discussion with other music professionals, and dedicating herself tirelessly to her music.

Finally, I would love to see IU in more programmes like MBC’s Secret Vacation, where she can simply sit before a small audience strumming her guitar, singing her favourite songs, and sharing her personal stories and thoughts. It’s times like this when IU seems the most comfortable, affable, and down-to-earth, and demonstrates an ability to create a deep connection with her audience.

IU’s Palette music show

This is something which IU mentioned herself, and is an idea which excited me greatly when I first heard it: on the 400th episode of Yoo Hee Yeol’s Sketchbook, IU said she hoped to succeed Yoo Hee Yeol someday with her own Palette music show. For the uninitiated, Sketchbook is a music programme with a special significance to IU; she first appeared on the show as a rookie in 2009, when she was hardly known by the public, and over the course of her career, made numerous appearances that traced her growth and evolution as an artist. IU also established a special friendship with Yoo Hee Yeol, who often declares himself proudly as IU’s ‘uncle’ who first recognised her budding talent, and helped nurture her growth over the years. So for Yoo Hee Yeol to pass on the baton to IU is something which would be especially meaningful; I love the thought of IU helming her own music show, and taking over the role of grooming fellow musicians as a respected senior in the industry. Also, I think “Palette” would make a beautiful title for such a music show - not only is it the name of IU’s highly successful 2017 album, it is also an apt metaphor for the colourful diversity of talent and music genres that IU can help promote with a programme like this.

IU’s Bed and Breakfast

This is a slightly wild and perhaps unrealistic idea, inspired by my love for Hyori’s Bed and Breakfast, a reality show featuring IU as a part-time worker who helped Lee Hyori and her husband Lee Sang Soon run a B&B in their Jeju Island home. As I mentioned in my first post, I loved how the show allowed us to see IU for who she was – not as celebrity IU but an ordinary person Lee Jieun, with her quirks, vulnerabilities, endearing traits and all. It was also meaningful to see how IU developed a bond with Lee Hyori as she confided in her and sought advice, tapping on the latter’s wisdom and experience as a sunbaenim in the industry.

What I hope to see in 10 years is an “IU’s Bed and Breakfast” of sorts: a similar programme where IU will no longer be a helper, but assume a role akin to Hyori’s – a married woman with her own happy family (hopefully with kids too), and a well-respected veteran in the industry with sufficient stature to provide guidance and mentorship to a junior. I’m sure the Lee Jieun we get to see then will still have the same traits and quirks we know and love - (I don’t think her fashion sense or sense of direction will have improved much, for instance!) - but what I hope will change is that she will be even stronger, more confident, and self-assured.

And so to conclude…

Ten years is a long time, and no one can foretell the future. As much as I hate to admit it, our hopes for the future have to be grounded in reality – over the course of 10 years, new faces will emerge in the industry, and perhaps someone new will one day overtake IU in her popularity. I think IU herself is very much cognisant of that; she has in fact discussed on various occasions, even in her early days, her worries about the transience of fame. What sets her apart, though, is how she is constantly thinking ahead of time, and working hard to improve herself to take her career to the next stage – progressing over the years from being a singer to a songwriter and a producer of her album. Above all, I think one of the biggest factors for her success is her genuine passion and tireless dedication to music, which has allowed her to earn the respect and affection of the public over these years.

The recent revelation of IU’s “Bunker” – her personal music studio and practice rooms let out to aspiring junior musicians for free – is probably an indication that she has greater ideas in mind for the future. Perhaps she has plans to lead and manage her own group of musicians under her own label, or perhaps she’ll decide to gradually take on a more backseat role as a producer and creative director. But whatever happens, I have faith that IU, with her capability, drive and passion, will continue to find joy in doing what she loves, and be successful in her own terms.

And on my part, as a fan, I’ll continue to listen to and grow old with her music.

[iuinspires]

IU’s Versatile Voice

One of the things which always amazes me is the versatility of IU’s voice. Someone who is new to IU and listens to a random sampling of songs from her discography for the first time might be forgiven for thinking that they were sung by different people. For IU has the ability to vary her voice to pull off a variety of styles – it can be cutesy and girlish, light and sweet, deep and soulful, or sultry and playful, depending on the mood and genre of the song. To make my point, I’ve chosen four very different songs to highlight each of these qualities of her voice.  

Cutesy and girlish

IU’s cutesy and girlish voice can be heard in songs from the early days of her career, when her company was trying to promote a cute image after the failure of her debut album Lost Child was blamed on its overly dark and mature concept. I’m not a fan of IU’s songs from these era – Boo and Marshmallow are a travesty in my opinion, and even IU herself seems quite embarrassed whenever she performs them these days – but you can’t deny that she managed to pull off admirably the aegyo she was expected to deliver, through her voice. To highlight this I’ve chosen to feature Nagging, IU’s 2010 duet with 2 AM’s Seulong that I find reasonably catchy and not overly cringe-worthy, even if it isn’t exactly my kind of song. It’s a light-hearted pop ballad where the lyrics are like the banter between a couple, and IU’s voice exudes a cute, girlish charm that is well-suited to the song and harmonizes well with Seulong’s voice.

Light and sweet

This is probably what IU is best known for – her light, sweet and mellow vocals, exemplified through popular sentimental ballads like Through the Night and The Shower, where her voice lends a delicate touch that complements the lyrical nature of these acoustic songs. I love so many of IU’s ballads that I had a hard time choosing one song feature, but I finally decided on IU’s Autumn Morning from her last album, Flower Bookmark 2. Here, IU’s voice demonstrates a pure, sweet clarity that does indeed seem like a breath of fresh morning air. I love how there is an element of gentle cheeriness to her voice as well - listen carefully, and at 1:12 when IU sings “ah-chi-meh”, you can almost hear the smile in her voice. Even though I do not understand Korean, listening to her sing this does evoke the image of a beautiful morning with clean, fresh air, bright sunlight and chirping birds!

Deep and soulful

While IU applies a light touch for many of her songs, she has the capability to exercise strength and depth with her voice where needed. One of the best-known examples of the power of her voice would probably be her three-octave note in her hit song Good Day, where she belts out three consecutive high notes in the chorus. I prefer, however, songs where IU demonstrates the strength of her voice in more subtle ways by going deeper - such as in the chorus of When a Love Passes By, or in this song I’ve chosen to feature: a cover of the oldie Forgotten Seasons, which IU sang in her drama You’re the Best Lee Soon Shin. Here, IU’s voice is much lower and deeper than usual, producing a lovely, rich resonance that sounds suitably soulful for this poignant song.

Sultry and playful

This is my favourite – the sultry and playful side of IU’s voice. I love this aspect of her voice because it showcases the unique huskiness of her vocals which goes particularly well with jazzy songs, such as those in her Modern Times album that I really enjoy (check out Modern Times, Love of B, Red Shoes, Between the Lips, all of which are great songs). One of my greatest loves amongst songs of this category, however, would be Zeze from IU’s 2015 album Chatshire. I know it was a controversial song (and probably one with painful memories for IU fans due to the unfair accusations levelled at IU for its lyrics), but that doesn’t detract from the fact that it is an excellent piece of music. I particularly love IU’s live performance in the acoustic version of the song in the video below. Notice how her voice has a special, lilting charm which conveys a sense of mischief and playfulness, with subtle details like the soft, suppressed chuckle at the beginning of the song (0:26 of the video).

The four songs I’ve chosen are just a tiny sample from IU’s vast discography - there are many other songs where IU’s vocal quality demonstrates all of these abovementioned qualities or even defies categorisation. They do, however, provide a quick snapshot of how versatile IU’s voice can be, and prove how IU is not afraid to experiment with a variety of musical styles. I know there are critics who say that IU’s singing skills are overrated, and that IU doesn’t have the best vocal techniques. But for a layperson like myself who isn’t vocally trained, listening to IU sing is a great joy, for she has the ability to tell a different story and convey a variety of emotions with her beautiful voice. And that to me, is what matters most at the end of the day – to listen to music that has the ability to touch the heart.

[iuinspires]

Zico & IU in Soulmate

OMG SEEING IU IN THIS MV AFTER SUCH A PROLONGED IU DROUGHT LITERALLY BROUGHT TEARS TO MY EYES.

I’ll be honest – prior to its release, my interest in this song was lukewarm because I didn’t know much about Zico, and I thought we would just hear a bit of IU in the chorus without seeing her in the MV. So when I saw her unexpected appearance in this, I was swept over by a wave of ecstasy that I’ve not felt in a long, long while. I love everything about the MV – the quirky concept, the whimsical storyline, the bright colours, IU’s retro garb, and her funny, cute chemistry with Zico. The song is proving to be pretty catchy too – kudos to Zico for his creativity, and for making my day with this amazing release. 

(PS: Add to that the triple good news of: 1) the song sweeping all the charts in Korea; 2) IU FINALLY updating her Instagram and 3) news of IU’s upcoming appearance on a variety show - and my mood is now at an all-time high :) )

[iuinspires]

Actress Son Sook Praises IU

“Although Ji-Eun is a singer and has never taken proper acting classes before, her profundity of thought and attitude towards her work are so respectable. She really went all out and immersed herself in this project from the beginning till the end. So I thought “She’s not a child. She’s like an adult. This kid behaves like an old person.” She’s really humble and smart. I was touched by her enthusiasm and hardworking side. Nowadays, young people are so full of talent and do everything so well.”

(Source: IU Teamstarcandy)

Reading this comment from veteran actress Son Sook (who played Ji-An’s grandma in My Ahjusshi) just expanded my heart with a warm and fuzzy happiness. This is by no means the first time IU has received praise from her fellow artists – there are countless actors, actresses, singers and celebrities who have complimented her attitude and personality after working with her – but this is especially meaningful to me for a few reasons.

Firstly, because Son Sook is a well-respected veteran in the acting circle, and her words of affirmation provide great validation for IU, especially in the face of detractors who love to hate IU’s acting on the grounds that she is a mere “idol”.

Secondly, because my favourite scenes in My Ahjusshi are those involving Ji-An’s interaction with her grandma. There is something incredibly moving about seeing the usually tough, cold and sombre Ji-An soften whenever she interacts with her grandma. Given the paucity of dialogue for Ji-An’s character, this is conveyed in the most subtle of ways – a flicker of eye, a movement of lips, a softening of glance – sending wordless signals which speak a thousand words about her love for her grandma. It is heartening to know that the special connection between the characters onscreen extends to reality as well.

And finally, I think Son Sook’s words affirms what many others have said and what IU has shown in her words and actions on her intelligence, maturity, humility and dedication towards her work . It makes me glad that I’m a fan of someone with not just a beautiful face and voice, but a beautiful heart and mind as well.

[iuinspires]

IU and Her Old Soul

My latest obsession: to watch videos of IU’s live performances of Korean oldies.

Any IU fan should be familiar with IU’s love for old songs, which she said was developed through karaoke sessions with her dad in her younger days. IU has often professed her respect and admiration for the work of her sunbaenims in the music industry, and her two Flower Bookmark albums, which feature remakes of Korean oldies, are perhaps the best testament to her love for the classics.

I love these two albums – I think songs from the yesteryear possess a certain beauty and flavour which IU leverages to showcase the unique charm of her voice. So it was with great delight that I discovered these four IU covers of Korean oldies that I had not heard of previously. Before I delve further into each of them, I must emphasize that each song is beautiful in itself, and due credit must be given to their original composers and performers for creating such wonderful music. But for me, IU’s rendition of these songs enhances the listening experience – she reinterprets each of them in her own special way, while staying true to the spirit of the original compositions. Also, what I really like about these four songs is that they showcase IU’s versatility as a singer in being able to pull off a variety of styles. Let me just elaborate a little on each of them.  

Love is Like Rainwater Outside the Window 

This IU cover of Yang Soo Kyung’s 1989 hit has become my absolute favourite in recent days, and I’ve been re-watching it obsessively ever since I discovered it. Other than MBC’s clumsy translation of the song title, everything about it is perfect. I love the beautiful accompaniment of the saxophone and flute, and how IU breezily sails through the song with her signature light, breathy vocals that complement the jazzy vibes of this rearranged piece perfectly. I’m by no means a vocal expert, but I think that characteristic huskiness and “breathiness” of IU’s voice go really well with this song, which she performs here with flair and aplomb. I think IU was aware of how well she had performed too at that point in time, for I notice that little smile of triumph that she broke into right at the end.  It’s also delightful to see how appreciative the audience is – you can see everyone from ahjummas to young men beaming and singing along – which to me is a testament to IU’s ability to connect to people of all ages through her music. It’s such a pity that this seems to be the only time she has sung this live – I do hope to hear her sing this elsewhere in future!

Old Love; Story of a 60-year Old Couple  

Old Love and Story of a 60-year old couple were originally sung by Kim Kwang Seok and Lee Moon Sae respectively – both legendary singers whom IU has expressed respect for on many occasions, and whose songs she has covered in her Flower Bookmark albums. I’ve put these two songs together because they give me similar vibes; both feature beautiful, melancholy melodies with poignant lyrics lamenting the loss of a loved one. I love these songs so much for their pure, soothing melodies, and I believe IU does too, for she has performed them on more than one occasion. Listening to IU sing these songs, what stands out most for me is her ability to emote and convey their heart-wrenching sadness through her soulful voice; listening to her sing brings tears to my eyes and gives me little goose bumps. I notice how she always closes her eyes for these performances and seems completely immersed in her emotions. That, to me, shows another strength of IU as a musician – her ability to invest in the emotions of her music, and convey this to her audience.

Most Ordinary Existence 

I was deeply fascinated from the first time I stumbled on this clip, but was frustrated at the same time - because without any English translation on the YouTube link, it took me the longest time to figure out the context of this performance (it was Ep 199 of Sketchbook!) and the background of this song. With some intense Googling I eventually found out that this was IU’s cover of a 2008 release* by Korean Indie group Sisters’ Barbershop who debuted in 1996 and whom she later collaborated with in 2017. (*Ok, so technically this song isn’t really an oldie, depending on how you define the term, but it is 10 years old now!)

It’s hard to describe my fascination with this song, but there’s something about it that feels whimsical, mysterious and full of contradictions – the beat is repetitive and the tune almost monotonous at first, yet the song is annoyingly catchy at the same time - and IU delivers it in a seemingly nonchalant, careless way in a flat tone, yet manages to ooze plenty of charm and attitude in doing so. If Love is like Rainwater showcases IU’s husky vocals while Old Love and Story demonstrate her ability to emote, I think Most Ordinary Existence shows her ability to exercise restraint over her voice (which clearly has capability to deliver more strength) to suit the style of the song where needed.

To sum up, I think these performances demonstrate not just IU’s versatility as a performer, but her varied taste and genuine love and respect for music. I remember being distinctly annoyed with an article which suggested that the Flower Bookmark album was released as a clever marketing ploy to attract an audience of an older demographic after she had alienated part of her younger fan base with her “scandal”. Whoever wrote that article clearly knows nothing about IU, who has been covering old songs since her debut days, and whose sincerity in wanting to pay tribute to the classics she loves is clear from what she’s said and done all these years, such as her heartfelt performances of the songs above. But I guess it doesn’t matter what others think – as IU said herself, you can’t please everyone, and being successful means finding people who like your honest thoughts and what you produce. IU’s passion and dedication to music is clear, and if she continues to do what she loves, her sincerity will always resonate with the right audience.

[iuinspires]

Say You Love Me

I love IU's beautiful vocals, but I'm generally not such a big fan of her covers of English songs - I think her pronunciation isn't that precise, which affects her rendition of the songs somehow. But I recently stumbled on this clip of IU's cover of Say You Love Me - and I must say, I am in love! I can't get this song out of my head now, and I've replayed this clip endlessly.

Enthralled by its light, catchy beat, I did a quick Google search  - so this song was originally released by Patti Austin, but IU's cover is based on an arrangement by a Filipino duo called MYMP who made this song a number 1 hit in Korean charts. Such a fascinating history - and yet another example of the power of music to transcend language and cultural barriers!

IU really seems to love this song, for she performed it quite a number of occasions - was delighted to find clips of her live performance from as far back as 2011 and as recent as 2015 (please let me know if you find earlier/more recent renditions!) My favourite, however, remains this clip from 2014, where she was standing in as a DJ on bestie Yoo Inna's radio show Turn Up The Volume. It isn't her best performance - it's a shortened version, she misses some lyrics, and towards the end she even stumbles without finishing the song properly. But her voice is beautiful all the same, and I can't help but smile when I see her break off into a peal of laughter at her mistake. I suspect it was a happy thought which distracted her, for you can see a smile creep to her face shortly before she loses focus. And seeing that smile just adds to the sweetness of this delightful song, and makes me want to Say I Love U :)

[douenjan]

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