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.
Rain Drop
IU Lyrics
Jump to: Overall Meaning ↴ Line by Line Meaning ↴
내 머리위로 갑자기
말도 없이 젖어버리겠네
추억이 흘러 내린다
따라 눈물도 흐른다 바보처럼
집에가는길 아직도 멀기만한데
우산도 없이 감기걸릴것만 같아
돌아갈수 있는 길이면
젖어도 좋은데
Oh rain drop, oh rain drop
사랑이 참 모자라구나
Oh rain drop, oh rain drop
사랑은 저 빗방울처럼
모두 까맣게 잊어버리고
젖어 버리고선
아파하는 감기같은 걸까요 oh yeah yeah yeah ah ah
지난 여름날 햇살아래 짜증내고
뒤돌아 서버린 내 어리석음
예전처럼 우산을 들고
서있는 너를 본다면
참좋을 것같아
Oh rain drop, oh rain drop
사랑이 참 모자라구나
Oh rain drop, oh rain drop
사랑은 저 빗방울처럼
모두 까맣게 잊어버리고
젖어 버리고선
아파하는 감기같은 걸까요
쉽게 내쳐버린 말
야속했던 얘기로
많이 상처받았을 네가슴 이지만
오 아직도 내가 있다면
그안에 내가 있다면
젖은 발로 달려가고만 싶어
Oh rain drop, oh rain drop
사랑이 참 모자라구나
Oh rain drop, oh rain drop
사랑은 저 빗방울처럼
정말 까맣게 잊어버리고
젖어 버리고선
아파하는 감기같은 걸까요
그런 못된 감기같은 걸까요
내사랑은 항상 왜 이럴까요 yeah yeah yeah yeah
IU's song "Rain Drop" is a melancholic song that portrays the feelings of someone caught in the rain, which they symbolically associate with their sadness after a breakup. The first verse starts with the words "the downfall is coming," which may refer to the metaphorical downfall of the person's emotions. The raindrops are described as suddenly falling without any warning and getting one's head soaking wet. It is said that the memories have flowed down together with the raindrops, making them cry like a fool, while they feel like they are miles away from home and are bound to catch a cold without an umbrella. Nevertheless, if this road is the way back to the person they have broken up with, they say that they are fine with getting soaked.
The chorus consists of the repeated verse "Oh rain drop, oh rain drop, love is really inadequate." The song moves between the feeling of nostalgia and pain, contrasting with the hope and ease that the presence of a lover brings. The second verse refers to the time the singer was frustrated in the sun and going back, foolishly leaving something behind, but the old joy of carrying the umbrella with their lover will fill them again if they meet. The bridge highlights the hurtful words said to the lover and the damage inflicted upon them but states that they will still love the other person because they hold on to the hope that they still exist within the heart of their beloved.
Line by Line Meaning
소나기가 내려온다
A sudden heavy rainfall is pouring down.
내 머리위로 갑자기 말도 없이 젖어버리겠네
Without warning, my head is getting wet as if it has no voice to protect itself from the rain.
추억이 흘러 내린다
Memories are flowing down.
따라 눈물도 흐른다 바보처럼
Tears are following just like a fool without control.
집에가는길 아직도 멀기만한데 우산도 없이 감기걸릴것만 같아
Although the way home is still far, I'm afraid of catching a cold without an umbrella.
이 길이 너에게로 돌아갈수 있는 길이면 젖어도 좋은데
Even if I get wet, it doesn't matter as long as it leads back to you.
Oh rain drop, oh rain drop 사랑이 참 모자라구나
Oh rain drop, oh rain drop, love is really insufficient.
사랑은 저 빗방울처럼 모두 까맣게 잊어버리고 젖어 버리고선 아파하는 감기같은 걸까요 oh yeah yeah yeah ah ah
Like being soaked and catching a cold after forgetting everything in the heavy rain, is love like a painful cold?
지난 여름날 햇살아래 짜증내고
I was annoyed in the sunshine of last summer.
뒤돌아 서버린 내 어리석음
My foolishness that made me turn around.
예전처럼 우산을 들고 서있는 너를 본다면 참좋을 것같아
If I see you standing with an umbrella like before, it would be really nice.
쉽게 내쳐버린 말 야속했던 얘기로
The words that were easily dismissed were so cruel.
많이 상처받았을 네가슴 이지만
Although your heart has been hurt a lot,
오 아직도 내가 있다면 그안에 내가 있다면 젖은 발로 달려가고만 싶어
Oh, if I'm still there, I want to run towards you with my wet feet inside it.
정말 까맣게 잊어버리고 젖어 버리고선 아파하는 감기같은 걸까요
Is it really like being soaked, forgetting everything, and then catching a painful cold?
그런 못된 감기같은 걸까요
Is it such a bad cold?
내사랑은 항상 왜 이럴까요 yeah yeah yeah yeah
Why is my love always like this? Yeah yeah yeah yeah.
Lyrics © O/B/O APRA AMCOS
Written by: Hyun Ki Ko
Lyrics Licensed & Provided by LyricFind