2008: Debut
IU debuted on a Korean music program called M! Countdown in September 18, 2008. On September 23, 2008, she released her first mini-album, Lost and Found, in which the most famous song was the title track, "Missing Child." However, the album was not commercially successful. It wasn't until her follow-up album that she succeeded in breaking into the mainstream.
2009
On April 16, 2009, IU launched her first full album, titled Growing Up, with the lead promotional number "Boo." Within three weeks, "Boo" went up to the #1 contenders for SBS Inkigayo, and her name also went up twice on Take 7 together with other notable artists like SG Wannabe and Younha. The song also did well on KBS Music Bank K-Chart, on Mnet M!Countdown chart, and on various online music charts.
In 2009, IU sang the ending title song, "Araro", for the acclaimed MBC drama Queen Seon Duk, where she was recommended by the director, Sam Kim, citing her "clear tone and her lyrical sensibility." She was also featured on Mighty Mouth's album Love Class in the song "희망사항." In late 2009, IU recorded MC Mong's song "Love Letter For You (Neoyege Sseuneun Pyeonji)," featuring SHINee's Key as a rapper in the song.
2010
IU recorded the song "잔소리" (Nagging / Scolded) with 2AM's Seulong for the TV show We Got Married. On June 27, 2010, IU won her first award since her debut on SBS Inkigayo for "Nagging." On July 2, 2010, she won another award for that song on KBS Music Bank K-Chart. Soon after, IU was chosen to sing the main OST song for the MBC drama Road No.1 titled "여자라서" (Because I'm A Woman). IU's other collaborations include duets with Yoo Seung Ho ("사랑을 믿어요" (Believe in Love)), Sung Shi Kyung ("그대네요" (It's You)), and Big Bang's Seungri ("I Know").
IU worked with some of South Korea's most famous musicians and producers for her third mini-album, REAL, released in December 2010. Lee Min Soo and Kim Eana, the creators of IU's previous hit "Nagging", helped produce her award-winning song "좋은 날" ("Good Day"). IU received three SBS Inkigayo Mutizen awards for her performances of the song (on December 18 and December 26, 2010, and January 2, 2011), three awards from KBS Music Bank K-Chart (on December 24 and December 31, 2010, and January 7, 2011), and one award from Mnet M!Countdown on December 23, 2010.
2011
IU often covers other pop artists' songs with her guitar and features her friend Thunder from MBLAQ, most notably renditions of SHINee's "Juliette," Big Bang's "Lies," Super Junior's "Sorry, Sorry" and Girls' Generation's "Gee."
Soribada, an online music service, combined the music downloads and streams from January 1 to March 30, 2011, to name IU's song, "Good Day" as the number one song of the first quarter. Her song "Someday" from the KBS Drama Dream High OST and her ballad "The Story Only I Didn't Know" placed 4th and 7th place, respectively – showing that IU got 3 of the top 10 digital spots for the first quarter. Her first original composition, "Dreaming" was used in the drama "Dream High", but not released officially.
On June 18, 2011, IU held her first official fanmeeting and mini-concert at AX-Korea. It also marked the 1004th day since she debuted.
IU also sang a self-composed OST called "Hold my Hand" for drama series The Greatest Love.
On November 29, 2011, IU's second full length album Last Fantasy was released and achieved an ‘all-kill’ as all 13 songs immediately swept most of all the charts. The track list was revealed on November 22, 2011.
2012
On January 24, 2012, IU held a live showcase at Tokyo's Bunkamura Orchard Hall. On March 1st, 2012, she released a promotional video for the Japanese version of "Good Day", the title track of her Japanese single album. The album, which includes DVD footage from the showcase, was later released on March 21, 2012.
In early April, 2012, it was announced that IU will be holding her first solo tour, "Real Fantasy", starting in June. The tour features performances in six different cities across South Korea, including Seoul and Busan.
IU released the single album, "Spring of a Twenty Year Old" ("스무 살의 봄"), on May 11th, 2012.[16] The album contains three songs, one of which is self-composed by IU. This song, entitled "Peach" ("복숭아"), was digitally released before the album, on May 4th, 2012. A 26-minute-long documentary-style music video film was released alongside the album, featuring several interviews with IU that showcase her personal thoughts and experiences. This film contains footage of IU as she visits Venice, Italy.
2021
On January 11, 2021 IU, and her agency EDAM Entertainment, officially announced that they will be releasing a single from her upcoming album on January 27, 2021.
On January 27, 2021 at 18:00 KST (UTC+9) EDAM Entertainment globally released IU's comeback single entitled "Celebrity". The track was released in major online streaming platforms in South Korea and worldwide and achieved multiple All-Kills in Korean charts every hour.
Obliviate
IU Lyrics
Jump to: Overall Meaning ↴ Line by Line Meaning ↴
Obliviate obliviate
지금부터 기억을 지운다
한 걸음 뒤로 갈 때마다 추억 하나씩
난 얼만큼을 더 걸어가야
난 얼만큼 더 버려야 너와 남이 될까
천 걸음도 어쩜 부족할 거야
결국 난 나쁜 기억은
사라지고 좋은 기억만 남는다는
말도 안 되는 그 주문을 건다
머리야 obliviate
마음아 obliviate
아파 얼마나 내가 더 무너져야 해
이건 아니야 그럴 리 없단 말이야
더 선명해진 얼굴 그 목소리가
다시 귓가에
Obliviate
내 머리 속은 너무 비좁아
전부 짐이 돼버린 네 흔적이 나에겐
너무 아픈 virus
약도 없는 virus
오 말도 안 되는 이 사랑이 싫어
머리야 obliviate
마음아 obliviate
아파 얼마나 내가 더 무너져야 해
이건 아니야 그럴 리 없단 말이야
더 선명해진 얼굴 그 목소리가
다시 들리네
지워라 머리야
오 제발 내 마음아
지워라 머리야
오 제발 내 마음아
Obliviate
The lyrics to IU's song Obliviate reflect the feelings of someone who wants to forget a painful memory of love. The repeated line "Obliviate" carries the meaning of wanting to erase that memory completely, even though the memories keep resurfacing. The singer is uncertain of how far they need to keep moving away from their past to forget it altogether. They are also aware that even if they keep walking, the memory will remain and never completely disappear. Despite their efforts to forget the bad memories, the good ones keep lingering. The line, "I'll cast the spell that doesn't make sense, to make the bad memories disappear and only the good ones to remain," highlights their desperation to let go of the pain.
Throughout the song, the singer repeats the line "Obliviate" in hopes of casting a spell that will make them forget the painful memories. The use of "virus" as a metaphor for the memories that have spread throughout their mind and have become a burden is effective in showcasing the lasting effects of the memories. The use of this metaphor takes on a particularly poignant significance under the current pandemic and our need to vaccine and develop immunity/vaccines to eradicate a virus.
Overall, the song's lyrics express the hopelessness of the situation as the singer realizes that it may be impossible to forget entirely and move on from the past.
Line by Line Meaning
오 슬픈 기억을 다 모아
Collecting all the sad memories
Obliviate obliviate
Obliviate, obliviate
지금부터 기억을 지운다
From now on, erasing my memories
한 걸음 뒤로 갈 때마다 추억 하나씩
With every step I take back, one memory at a time
난 얼만큼을 더 걸어가야
How much farther should I walk
난 얼만큼 더 버려야 너와 남이 될까
How much more should I let go, to be without you
열 걸음은 턱없이 모자라
Ten steps are plainly not enough
천 걸음도 어쩜 부족할 거야
Even a thousand steps might not be enough
결국 난 나쁜 기억은
In the end, the bad memories
사라지고 좋은 기억만 남는다는
Disappearing, leaving only the good memories
말도 안 되는 그 주문을 건다
I cast that unbelievable spell
머리야 obliviate
Mind, obliviate
마음아 obliviate
Heart, obliviate
아파 얼마나 내가 더 무너져야 해
How much more pain and destruction must I endure
이건 아니야 그럴 리 없단 말이야
This can't be, it's impossible
더 선명해진 얼굴 그 목소리가
The face and voice becoming clearer
다시 귓가에
Once again in my ears
내 머리 속은 너무 비좁아
My mind is too small
전부 짐이 돼버린 네 흔적이 나에겐
Your traces have become a burden to me
너무 아픈 virus
Painful virus
약도 없는 virus
An incurable virus
오 말도 안 되는 이 사랑이 싫어
I hate this love that doesn't make sense
지워라 머리야
Erase it, mind
오 제발 내 마음아
Oh please, my heart
지워라 머리야
Erase it, mind
오 제발 내 마음아
Oh please, my heart
Obliviate
Obliviate
Lyrics © O/B/O APRA AMCOS
Written by: Eana Kim, Go Rilla
Lyrics Licensed & Provided by LyricFind