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IU

Acting

IU

IU is an actress born on May 16, 1993 in Seoul, South Korea. She is known for Broker, Dream and SUGA: Road to D-DAY. GloboWatch shows where to watch 4 of her movies and TV shows, country by country.

Known for
Acting
Born
May 16, 1993
Place of birth
Seoul, South Korea
Also known as
이지은 · Lee Ji-eun · アイユー

Biography

Lee Ji-eun, also known by her stage name IU, is a South Korean singer-songwriter and actress. She signed with LOEN Entertainment (now Kakao Entertainment) in 2007 as a trainee and debuted as a singer at the age of fifteen with the EP Lost and Found (2008). Although her follow-up albums brought mainstream success, it was only after the release of "Good Day", the lead single from her 2010 EP Real, that she achieved national stardom. "Good Day" went on to spend five consecutive weeks at the top of South Korea's Gaon Digital Chart, and in 2019, it was ranked number 1 on Billboard's 100 Greatest K-pop Songs of the 2010s list. With the success of her 2011 albums, Real+ and Last Fantasy, IU established herself as a formidable force on the music charts of her native country and further cemented her girl-next-door image as Korea's "little sister". Her musical style matured and evolved with subsequent releases, deviating from mainstream K-pop styles, exploring and mixing various music genres, with IU exerting more creative control over her music, both as lyricist and producer, while consistently retaining her dominance on South Korean music charts. Her 2020 single "Eight (prod. by SUGA)" became her first to reach number 1 on Billboard's World Digital Song Sales chart. Aside from her music career, IU has ventured into acting and hosting radio and television shows, starting with a supporting role in the hit teen series Dream High (2011). IU's roles in My Mister (2018) and When Life Gives You Tangerines (2025) received critical acclaim, and she earned her first Best Actress in Television nomination at the 55th Baeksang Arts Awards for the former. IU has released a total of five studio albums and twelve EPs, five of which have reached number 1 on the Gaon Album Chart, and thirty-one number-one singles, making her the artist with the most number-one songs in South Korea. One of the best-selling solo acts in the group-dominated K-pop industry, IU became the first solo female K-pop act to perform at the Olympic Gymnastics Arena during the Seoul leg of her 2018 dlwlrma concert tour for her 10th anniversary and also the first Korean female artist to hold a solo concert, The Golden Hour, at Seoul Olympic Stadium in Seoul on September 17 and 18, 2022. Rolling Stone named her the 135th greatest singer of all time in a 2023 ranking. She has been included six times in the top 10 of Forbes magazine's annual Korea Power Celebrity list since 2012 and attained a peak ranking of number 1 in 2025. In 2014, Billboard recognized IU as the all-time leader of its K-pop Hot 100 with the most number-one songs and the artist with the most weeks at the number-one position on the chart. She was named Gallup Korea's Singer of the Year in 2014, 2017, and 2025. In 2024, media outlets such as NME and Billboard referred to IU as the "Queen of K-pop", highlighting her widespread influence and consistent success in the industry. In 2025, Forbes Korea referred to IU as the "Queen of K-pop and K-drama", noting her influence and success in both the music and acting industries.

Filmography

  1. 2026Perfect Crownas Seong Hui-ju · 12 episodes
  2. 2025IU [HEREH] WORLD TOUR IN SEOULas Self · 18 episodes
  3. 2025Love Wins Allas Ji-hye
  4. 2025When Life Gives You Tangerinesas Oh Ae-sun / Yang Geum-myeong · 16 episodes
  5. 2025Good Dayas Self · 1 episode
  6. 2025IU CONCERT [THE WINNING] IN CINEMASas Self
  7. 2024IU [HEREH] WORLD TOUR ENCORE : THE WINNINGas Self
  8. 2024A-List to Playlistas Self · 1 episode
  9. 2024Here for Promoas Self · 1 episode
  10. 2024IU [HEREH] WORLD TOUR IN SEOULas Self
  11. 2023IU CONCERT [The Golden Hour] IN CINEMASas Self
  12. 2023IU CONCERT [The Golden Hour : Under The Orange Sun]as Self
  13. 2023SUGA: Road to D-DAYas Self
  14. 2023Dreamas Lee So-min
  15. 2022Brokeras So-young
  16. 2022Pieces: 29th Winteras Self
  17. 2021Shades of the Heartas Mi-young
  18. 2021The Game Caterersas Self · 2 episodes
  19. 2020Yoo Hee Yeol's Sketchbook Special - IU's 12th Debut Anniversaryas Self
  20. 2020House on Wheelsas Self · 2 episodes
  21. 2019IU CONCERT [Love, Poem] IN SEOULas Self
  22. 2019Background Liveas Self · 32 episodes
  23. 2019Funding Togetheras Self · 2 episodes
  24. 2019Hotel Del Lunaas Jang Man-wol · 16 episodes
  25. 2019Personaas IU / Eun / Hanna / Ji-eun · 4 episodes
  26. 2019Your Songas Self · 1 episode
  27. 2018IU 10th Anniversary Concert [dlwlrma.]as Self
  28. 2018Eat in Styleas Self · 1 episode
  29. 2018My Misteras Lee Ji-an · 16 episodes
  30. 2017IU's Concert Live Clipsas Self · 25 episodes
  31. 2017IU Concert [Palette] in Seoulas Self
  32. 2017Realas Awards ceremony guide
  33. 2017Hyori's Bed and Breakfastas Self · 14 episodes
  34. 2016Scarlet Heart: Ryeoas Go Ha-jin / Lady Hae Soo · 20 episodes
  35. 2015Men on a Missionas Self · 2 episodes
  36. 2015SEOTAIJI Band Concert Tour [Quiet Night]as Self
  37. 2015The Producersas Cindy · 12 episodes
  38. 2013Bel Amias Kim Bo-tong · 16 episodes
  39. 2013You Are The Bestas Lee Soon-shin · 50 episodes
  40. 2012Hidden Singeras Self · 1 episode
  41. 2012IU Concert [Real Fantasy]as Self
  42. 2012Baeksang Arts Awardsas Self · 1 episode
  43. 2012Salamander Guru and The Shadowsas IU · 1 episode
  44. 2011Kim Yuna's Kiss & Cryas Self · 14 episodes
  45. 2011Welcome to the Showas Self · 1 episode
  46. 2011Dream High Special Concertas Kim Pil-sook
  47. 2011Dream Highas Kim Pil-sook · 32 episodes
  48. 2010Hello Counseloras Self · 1 episode
  49. 2010Heroesas Self · 40 episodes
  50. 2010Running Manas Self · 5 episodes
  51. 2005Infinite Challengeas Self · 9 episodes
  52. 1998Inkigayoas MC · 1 episode