Quick Facts

A South Korean actress, singer-songwriter, and record producer by the name of Lee Ji-eun is known as IU. IU began her career as a singer at the age of 15 with her first extended play (EP), “Lost and Found,” which she released in 2008. She initially joined with LOEN Entertainment (now Kakao Entertainment) in 2007 as a trainee.

How much is the Net worth of Lee Ji-eun aka IU?

As of January 2023, it is anticipated that the singer-songwriter, record producer, and actress Lee Ji-eun aka IU will have a net worth of $35 million to $45 million. Her compensation will unquestionably be in the millions, but the specific amount is still to be revealed. She was listed as one of the richest K-Pop stars in South Korea in early 2022 because to copyright payments. She rose to musical popularity at the age of 15 when Kakao Entertainment released the “Lost and Found” mini album. Also, she gained mainstream recognition with the single “Good Day” from her 2010 album, “Real,” years after making her debut. Also, she began her acting career in 2011 with “Dream High,” playing a supporting role.

Since then, she has been on a promising trajectory. She made a name for herself in the entertainment world with K-dramas including My Mister, Hotel Del Luna, Moon Lovers: Scarlet Heart Ryeo, and Persona. Her primary sources of income are the music industry, acting, endorsements, and other areas. She leads a relaxed lifestyle. Alicia: The Story of My Horse and I video game, Nexon’s Dungeon Fighter Online, Unionbay Sportswear, Le Coq Sportif, SK Telecom, Namyang Dairy’s Yogurt Bulgaris, S-Oil, Homeplus, Guess, Elite, The Saem cosmetic, Hoo Roo Rook products, Samsung Electronics, Qdsuh, Unionbay Sportswear, ISOI cosmetics, Global StarCraft II League, SK Planet online store,

She has served as the face of numerous companies, including Chamisul and the computer game Aion: Upheaval from NCsoft. She served as the Yeosu-based Expo 2012 ambassador as well. Since March 2022, she has also served as a worldwide spokesperson for the prestigious fashion house Gucci. In 2021, IU invested a staggering $11.7 million in an opulent apartment in Seoul’s Eterno Cheongdam. Also, she owns homes in Gwacheon and Yangpyeong-gun. 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.

Early Years: Where and when was Lee Ji-eum aka IU born?

IU was born on May 16, 1993, in Seoul’s Gwangjin neighborhood. Lee Ji-eun is her real name. She is of South Korean descent and belongs to the Asian race. As of 2022, she will be 29 years old, and the sign of her birth is Taurus. She practices Christianity as her religion. She is the daughter of Lee Jin-Kook, her father, and Kim Misam, her mother. Lee Jong-Hoon is the name of her brother. According to accounts, when she and her brother were little, her family’s financial condition forced them to relocate to her grandmother’s home in the province of Gyeonggi. She had to deal with poverty from a young age.

What is the Professional Career of Lee Ji-eun aka IU?

IU began taking acting classes at a young age and had an early enthusiasm in pursuing a career in the entertainment sector. After being praised for a performance she performed at her school’s sports competition, she chose to pursue singing full-time throughout her middle school years. Later, she received training from Uee, Yubin, Heo Ga-yoon, and Jun Hyo-seong at Good Entertainment. She went to Bangbae in Seoul after signing a contract with LOEN Entertainment in 2007. Following ten months of preparation, she made her professional singing debut in 2008 with the track “Lost Child,” which she sang live for the first time on the music show M Countdown on September 18, 2008.

Her debut extended play (EP), “Lost and Found,” which was published on September 24, 2008, features the lead hit, “Lost Child.” The lead promotional single from her debut studio album, “Growing Up,” was “Boo,” and it was released on April 23, 2009. She included “You Know” (Korean: ) and other songs from Lost and Found in her debut studio album Growing Up. In late 2009, she released “IU…IM,” her second EP. On November 13, 2009, she started promoting the album’s lead song, “Marshmallow” (Korean: ), on music shows. She then started performing on variety shows, including You Hee-Sketchboo, yeol’s Kim Jung-Chocolate, eun’s and Star Golden Bell.

More on Career

She also made regular appearances as a guest on a number of radio shows, including Kiss the Radio, Volume Up, Starry Night on MBC Standard FM, and Best Friend Radio on MBC  FM4U. On December 9, 2010, she released her third EP, “Real.” On February 16, 2011, “Real+,” a follow-up extended play to Real, including three songs, was published. In May 2011, IU recorded “Hold My Hand” (Korean: ), her debut original song, for the romantic comedy television series The Greatest Love. In July 2011, she then participated as a celebrity contestant in the reality ice skating competition series Kim Yuna’s Kiss & Cry. She took part in “Immortal Songs: Singing the Legend” at the same time.

Last Fantasy, her second studio album, was released on November 29, 2011. She then obtained a contract with EMI Music Japan, which is now a division of Universal Music Japan, as a step toward breaking into the Japanese market. In June 2012, she started her first concert tour, Real Fantasy. She performed concerts in six different South Korean cities, beginning with two performances in Seoul. She began the year by assuming the title role in “You’re the Best, Lee Soon-shin,” her first major lead in a television series. “Can You Hear Me?” was the title of IU’s second Japanese extended play album. On September 11, 2013, “Monday Afternoon,” her subsequent Japanese single, was made available.

More on Career

“Modern Times,” her third studio album, was released on October 8, 2013. On May 16, 2014, she released “A Flower Bookmark,” her sixth Korean extended play and debut cover album. On October 23, 2015, she made her seventh Korean extended play, “Chat-Shire,” available online. She played Cindy in the 2015 film “The Producers” with Kim Soo-hyun, Cha Tae-hyun, and Gong Hyo-jin. In “Moon Lovers: Scarlet Heart Ryeo,” which debuted in September 2016, she played the title character, Hae Soo. On April 21, 2017, “Palette,” her fourth studio album, was released. On September 22, 2017, she issued “A Flower Bookmark 2,” her second cover album.

She played Lee Ji-an in the tvN series My Mister, which premiered in March 2018. In October 2018, she released a song with the title “Bbibbi.” She debuted in a movie on April 11, 2019, in the “Persona” Netflix anthology series. In Gwangju, IU’s second Asian tour, dubbed Love Poem, kicked off on November 2, 2019. On March 25, 2021, her fifth studio album, “Lilac,” was made available. Later, she hinted to a special album called “Pieces,” which came out on December 29. She finished shooting Dream in Hungary, her debut feature film, on April 13, 2022. In May 2022, she then starred in the movie Broker. On July 27, 2022, it was revealed that IU would play at The Golden Hour: Under the Orange Sun, the first Korean female artist to do so, at Seoul Olympic Stadium on September 17 and 18.

Awards and Achievements

• IU has received over 200 award nominations, winning over 100 of them. The singer has won 21 Melon Music Awards, 16 Gaon Chart Music Awards, 5 Korean Music Awards, 11M net Asian Music Awards, 7 Seoul Music Awards, and 8 Golden Disc Awards.
• Likewise, she has also won several awards for her work as an actress, earning the title “Best New Actress” at the 2014 KBS Drama Awards for her performance in You’re the Best, Lee Soon-shin. She received ten Daesang (grand prize) awards from various award shows, including five from the Melon Music Awards and three from the Golden Disc Awards.
• In 2012, she was named to the Forbes Korea Power Celebrity list as one of the most influential people in South Korea and has since been mentioned five times. She was honored at the 2015 Korean Popular Culture and Arts Awards, held by the Korean Ministry of Culture, Sports and Tourism, for her influence and success in the music industry.

Who is the boyfriend of IU? Is she married?

IU is a unmarried woman. The actor Lee Jong-suk and IU (Lee Ji-eun) were said to have spent Christmas together in Nagoya, Japan, in December 2022, which sparked rumors that the two were dating. The couple’s agencies declared their union in January 2023. The couple is really content with their current situation. Her orientation is straight sexually.

She previously dated Jang Kiha, the host of a radio show and the lead singer of the South Korean indie rock band Kiha & The Faces. On a radio show that Jang hosted, Lee Ji-eun, who is 11 years younger than Jang, got to know him. On her social media accounts, she announced their relationship in October 2015, saying it was “love at first sight” for her. Subsequently, in 2017, the couple separated.

Body Stats: What is the height of Lee Ji-eun aka IU?

IU is a tall woman, standing at a height of 5 feet, 3.5 inches, or 1.62 meters, and weighing 45 kilograms, or 99 pounds. She is of a thin build. Her hair is the same color as her eyes, which are black. She has a tendency to frequently colour her hair in various hues. Her measurements are 32-23-30 inches. She follows a strict diet in order to keep her body. She currently has a healthy body.

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