It may be obvious from the pictures and the title of the post, but IU is the subject of this segment of "Wopping Wednesday."
Born on May 16, 1993, Lee Ji Eun is just about four years older than me. If she were born just one day earlier, we would have the same birthday. This makes me very glad. :) (Her music was some of the first K-pop music I heard, so she's pretty important to me anyway.)
IU's stage name stands for "I and You," signifying the unity of all of us through music, which is kind of sweet. Ever since her debut in 2008, her image has been sweet, too. Not necessarily pure (blah blah blah, Eunhyuk scandal, blah blah blah), but still infectiously sweet. Even watching her through my computer, I can feel her charm, and that charm brings a smile to my face. IU's music and dramas are feel-good, partially just because of her presence.
Granted, I sometimes worry about what her occasionally-excessive airiness will do to her vocal cords, but her voice is enjoyable to listen to nevertheless. (Plus, I can't always avoid that sound when I sing either, so who am I to talk?)
Okay, nobody's really here to read what I say up here, so let's get to the songs! :D
"(나만 몰랐던 이야기) The Story Only I Didn't Know" is a story I never get tired of listening to. In my "Wopping Wednesday" post about Five Fingers, I did point out that I enjoy melancholy music, so it was a good thing that the first two IU songs I heard were sad. The sadness IU sings with just tugs at the heartstrings a bit.
This is a good song for people who feel like a "(미아) Lost Child" sometimes. *waves awkwardly and over-enthusiastically* Honestly, if this song hadn't been IU's debut song, I doubt it ever would have been released by her. It differs from the cutesy image. Still, that doesn't mean it's not enjoyable and pretty. :)
Let's continue with the sad songs! Whether I'm having a "(싫은 날) Bad Day" or not, this song just makes me stop whatever I'm doing and focus on listening. Literally, it's rare that I can focus on anything when I hear this song. It's just so sad and beautiful and...*sighs*
(Note: I apologize for the bias that's showing through.)
Yay, a fun song! (This actually helped me start writing a story in one of my classes a couple weeks ago.) This is such an infectiously bouncy song, more so because "(너랑 나) You & I"'s theme is hopeful and because of the cutesy image previously mentioned. People with feminist tendencies may have an issue when they analyze her choice to lose years of her life just to be with the boy, but... *pout* still... *continues pouting* I need to stop thinking.
This is a fan-made video for "(잔혹 동화) Cruel Fairy Tale." If you ignore the slightly invasive dubstep-percussion - or whatever it's called - then this is a soft, creepy, chilling song.
The music video for "(복숭아) Peach" is pretty (she travels to Venice, Italy), but it's quite long...so you can just listen to the cute audio if you'd like! :) (It's such a cute song.)
I've been including a lot of softer songs in this post, and "(아이야 나랑 걷자) Walk With Me, Girl" featuring Choi Baek Ho, is no different. The style of the song is older as well. While I'm amused by the likely-intended and inevitable contrast between IU's and Choi Baek Ho's voices and pronunciation, *sighs* I just love this song.
The music in this post is made up of some of my favorite songs released by IU. There certainly are others I could have chosen, and I could have included more than one bouncy song...which I probably should...Ah, for the sake of diversity, why not include just one more? Why not add in another energetic track just to go out with a bang?
How ironic is it that she released "(분홍신) Red Shoes" in the fall, but the words "summer time" are repeated throughout? Oh, my pink shoes...Oh, my...
IU has a welcoming feel to her that was endearing to me when I was first immersing myself in Korean media. She has enough talent to pique one's interest, but she also lacks exhibits enough flaws to be relatable and to not seem stuck-up. Well...she's also infinitely prettier than this peasant fangirl, so I sigh in both awe and self-pity when she appears.
-Pamela
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