For the first time, fans of South Korean singer Ji-eun Lee, known worldwide as IU, were able to see last week their favorite artist perform on United States soil, spurring a cross country trek for longtime devotees.
The moment IU announced her first-ever United States tour, Zunn Islam, 27, was ready to pack his bags from his home in Toronto and follow the artist on several of her concert stops. After being a supporter for over 15 years, and even traveling to across the globe to watch the singer/actress, he was finally able to see her at the Prudential Center in Newark, NJ on July 15.
Islam is one of millions across the world who are devout IU fans, affectionately known as Uaena, and communicate with each other via social media platforms like ‘X’ and Discord to plan their expeditions to support the singer. Together they coordinate ideas, such as creating banners with words of encouragement to hold up during a specific song.
“It’s something we traditionally do for every IU stop. All the fan clubs in the area gather and make banners for a specific fan song as a surprise to our artist for all the hard work she has done. It’s something every stop, every country’s respective fan clubs do,” Islam told amNewYork Metro.
Islam states that the fans use money from their own pockets as well as gathered during a fund-raising period to print the banners. This effort takes months of back-and-forth discussion. Like her hit song, “Love wins all,” Islam says the love the fans have for her pushes them to keep fighting so they want to pay their respects back. It is through these discussions that IU’s music encourages acquaintances to become lifelong friends, where they meet, go to concerts and events together.
Brooklynites Rosy Fung, 21, Leslie Hyunh, 27, and Annie Zeng, 28, joined Islam in this effort, together paying $1,000 for 1,000 paper hand fans imbued with IU’s face. Additionally, they printed a customized fabric banner with IU’s photo, which they used to welcome her to the Tri-State area, signing words of appreciation like “Welcome to New York.”
“Once the tour was announced we started planning a couple of events to celebrate and welcome the artist coming into town where we give away freebies and [fanmade] photocards and postcards to commemorate that she is finally visiting,” Fung said. “In the end it’s all worth it because it makes us happy, and we are able to give back positive energy to the artist. They make us happy so why not give back when they put so much effort to travel all over the world to meet us.”
Standing at just 5’4, IU has had a larger-than-life effect on those who listen to her music for almost 17 years. Her sweet angelic appearance radiated across the Prudential Center stage as the sound of thousands of adoring fans chanted her name. Despite her small stature, IU’s powerful vocals echoed throughout the arena, leaving many with tearful smiles on their faces.
For fans like sisters Monique Yu, 23, and Catherine Yu, 20, IU is a symbol of girl power. Yu moved to New Jersey from the Philippines where she studied to become a nurse. As the eldest sister, Yu says there is a lot of responsibility that has been thrust upon her, and yet in a way she feels that this journey is relatable to IU’s musical career.
Born in Songjeong-dong, Seoul, this ethereal singer and actress has tirelessly worked in the industry since 2008 as a soloist and comes from humble beginnings. With grit and determination fueling the fire in her career, IU has become an inspiration to young women around the world through her honest songwriting, dedication, and kindness. Yu believes that that IU’s career as both a musician and actress is both an inspiration and a source of comfort during her times in need.
“She’s the breadwinner of her family. And as the eldest daughter and eldest sister, I have a lot of responsibility and in that way, I relate to her. Her songs are really meaningful too, especially the song “Eight” that was produced by Suga of BTS. It talks about growing up and moving on from friends and family and getting older. That song comforts me. She is just a comforting and inspirational person,” Yu said.
While being a young nurse can be difficult at times, since her youthful looks make some take her less seriously, Yu says that IU has taught her that, in time, things will get better.
“She inspires me to just hang on, people will respect you and are going to keep getting better,” Yu said. “She did everything by herself. She just has herself and friends. I applaud her for doing everything by herself.”
Yu told amNewYork Metro, if there was anything she say to IU, it would be to thank her for breaking through racial and gender barriers in both the K-Pop industry and music industry as a whole.
“Thank you for breaking K-industry in terms of being an artist and how you interact with fans. When she released the song, ‘Celebrity,’ it was a way to show that [idols] are still humans. Sometimes we can be a people pleaser, and she taught me how to draw boundaries,” Yu said.
IU’s first performance in the United States left even those who call themselves casual listeners in awe of her sheer stage presence and powerful vocals. Akin to a fairy flittering around the stage, her magical aura made it impossible to look away, and when IU began her ballads, the audience listened aptly, many even sang along, all carried away by the beauty of the evening.
“Thank you for being my audience tonight,” IU told the crowd, “I had goosebumps listening to the crowd sing…You made me so happy today.”
