IU Captivates Hearts with Her 5th Mini Album, Love Poem
After celebrating her 11th debut anniversary on September 24, Korea’s charming little sister makes a comeback with her new album, Love Poem! Singer, songwriter, and actress IU has kept herself busy since her last album, Palette, was released in 2017.
Just two months after finishing the world tour for Palette, IU dominated music charts yet again with her single “BBIBBI,” a catchy track that sends a message to all of her critics who don’t seem to understand boundaries. In March 2019, IU was featured as one of the main characters in Epik High’s music video for “Love Drunk,” showcasing her ability to play a broad range of roles - not just the bubbly and emotional. For her role in Hotel Del Luna, lead actress IU masterfully explores countless new sides of herself in the popular Korean drama, creating even more anticipation for what she has planned for her next album.
In just three days, the pre-release song, “Love Poem,” became one of five songs in 2019 to achieve a perfect all-kill, taking No. 1 on Melon, Genie, Flo, Bugs, and Soribada charts. This isn’t IU’s first time achieving a perfect all-kill, though. With little to no official promotions or music video, the pre-release track still dominated charts, making “Love Poem” IU’s 13th song to achieve such success.
IU opens up her 5th mini album with an ironically carefree track called “unlucky,” telling fans that you don’t need luck in order to have a good life. In contrast to the happy-go-lucky feeling in the first song, “The visitor” slows down the pace with a blues-like sound as she ponders about a one-sided love.
“Blueming” topped all major music real-time charts just three hours after the mini album’s release. To many, IU’s achievement comes as no surprise. With the combination of drums and electric guitar, the song seems like a throwback to the 2000s, but with a newer sound. The music video features the playful and bubbly IU that everyone adores, bringing a variety of colors to brighten up the fall season.
“Above the time” is a continuation of “You & I” from IU’s 2011 album, Last Fantasy. Although the two are kept apart, their worlds are still connected as they send small reminders of each other. Once reunited, their time together is spent with endless dancing and celebration, but that moment soon comes to a close as they both start to fall asleep. Before IU dozes, she draws a small symbol on his hand like how she did in “You & I,” indicating that they will meet again in the future. If you had to describe the music video for “Above the time” in a couple of words, it would be “a masterpiece.” The music video certainly hits home as it puts you through a rollercoaster of emotions: nostalgia, joy, longing, and sadness.
IU composed the lyrics for “Lullaby” by grabbing inspiration from the last installment of her short film series, Persona. Like a guardian angel, she wishes you well as you fall asleep, reassuring you that it’ll be free of any scary dreams. Wrapping up her 5th mini album, “Love Poem” is a powerful ballad that brings comfort to those who struggle with loneliness. As she pours out her heart with lyrics like “I’ll be there behind you who walks alone,” her strong vocals fill you with warmth and sincerity.
As Uaena grew in anticipation to see blue-haired IU at one of her concert dates, IU shocked fans with her ash blonde hair in one of her latest IU TV episodes. Needless to say, Uaena was not disappointed with the color change as she cutely attempts to buy tickets to her own concert, soon becoming flustered after seeing how many fans are also trying to attend. For this comeback, IU has been continuously bleaching and dyeing her hair, going from blue to white, fading to ash blonde, turning to purple, back to blue. How she manages to still have luscious hair is a mystery, but one thing is for sure — someone needs to share her hair care routine.
With every comeback, IU continues to dominate the music charts — no matter if it’s just a single or full album. When it comes to the beautifully talented soloist, IU’s work exceeds expectations and breaks records previously set by herself. Which song from IU’s Love Poem your favorite? Let us know in the comments!
Cover Image: IU (Kakao M)
Written by Sarah Wong
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