Elle Korea Magazine Interview with IU 211028
‘I feel Gucci’는 ‘나 지금 기분 너무 좋아’라는 의미죠. 오늘 그런 순간이 있었나요
스타일도, 사이즈도 잘 맞아서 자신감 있게 포즈를 취했어요. 말수 적고 승마를 좋아하는 젊은 비혼주의자 여성을 상상했답니다(웃음).
영화 〈브로커〉 촬영을 마쳤고, 〈드림〉은 내년에 해외 촬영을 이어간다고요. 음악가 아이유가 스스로 주도권을 확실히 쥐고 있다면 연기자로서는 자신을 기꺼이 재료로 제공한다는 느낌을 받습니다
앨범 프로듀싱을 맡은 이후부터 직접 이야기를 만드는 사람이 됐으니까요. 감독과 작가, 플레이어의 역할을 하다 보면 주체적으로 나를 표현할 자유가 주어지는 장점이 있는 동시에 내 안의 것 외에는 끌어오기 힘든 단점도 있지 않나 싶어요. 반면 연기자로서는 역할이 비교적 명확하죠. 감독, 동료 배우와 생각을 나누는 과정에서 기대치 않은 행운을 발견할 때도 있고요. 두 분야는 항상 각기 다른 방식으로 저를 자극하고 괴롭히곤 해요.
지금은 다양한 역량이 강조되지만 ‘3단 고음’이 아이유를 설명했던 적도 있었어요. 여전히 기술적인 노력에도 관심이 있을까요
5집 〈LILAC〉 앨범을 만들면서 그 지점을 놓치지 않으려고 애썼어요. 언젠가부터 소리보다 이야기에 더 중점을 두지 않았나 싶어서요. 가창자로서 소리에 대한 연구를 더 열심히 해야 하는 때가 아닌가 하는 생각에 트랙마다 많이 불러보고 고민했죠. 저다움을 잃지 않되 신선한 시도를 계속하려고요. 듣는 분도 그렇지만, 그래야 저도 저한테 안 질리고 음악을 재미있게 할 수 있을 것 같아서요.
아이유의 음악이 질릴 것 같지는 않은데요(웃음). 커리어적으로 확실히 변환점이 됐다고 느끼는 시기가 있다면
25세에 발표했던 4집 〈Palette〉요. 그때 기분이 딱, 비로소 쉽게 치워지지 않을 사람이 된 것 같았어요. 연예인 아이유가 일정 수준의 시험을 치르고 다음 단계로 갈 수 있는 티켓을 그때 얻었다고 생각해요.
시험이라고 표현했듯이 평가대에 오르거나 미움받은 시기도 있었죠. 지금은 모두가 인정하고 친근감을 느끼는 대상이 됐지만요. 아이유에게 대중이란
한 시대를 함께 살아가는 사람들이죠. 사람으로서 느낄 수 있는 감정과 변화에 대해 솔직하게 쓰고 나누다 보니 친근감도 자연스럽게 형성된 것 같아요. 물론 제 쪽에서 더 애틋한 것 같긴 해요. 대중이 대표성을 띠는 연령대에 따라 의견과 모습을 달리한다면 저는 13년째 쭉 저라는 한 사람으로 사람들 앞에 서고 있으니까요.
그럼에도 함께 자라온 특정 세대에게 아이유가 영향을 미쳤다는 사실은 명백해 보입니다. 아이유보다 어린 여자아이들에게 ‘그러지 않아도 돼’라고 말해 주고 싶은 게 있다면
남들 마음에 들기 위해 너무 애쓰는 일이요. 사회생활을 하다 보면 누구나 어느 기점으로 확 시니컬해지거나 터프해지는 시기가 오는 것 같아요. 내가 그토록 얻기 위해 애썼던 남들의 호의와 관심이라는 게 사실 내 인생에서 크게 중요한 게 아니라는 걸 깨닫는 순간이죠. 창피해지는 걸 너무 겁내지 말라는 말도 해줄래요. 저는 그래서 꽤 많은 재미를 놓쳤던 것 같거든요.
다른 뮤지션들과 꾸준히 교류하며 연결돼요. 특히 AKMU나 오마이걸 같은 후배 뮤지션도 살뜰히 챙기는데요. 어떤 마음에서 비롯되어서 할 수 있는 일 같나요
처음엔 저를 좋아해주는 마음이 고마워서 관심을 갖고 행보를 지켜 보게 돼요. 어차피 다 ‘날고 기는’ 분들이니까 볼수록 또 팬이 되고요. 저도 신인 때 선배 뮤지션들의 애정 어린 응원을 많이 받으며 동력을 얻었거든요. 그때 그 마음을 나도 돌려주는 사람이 되자고 생각했어요. ‘선배’라고 불리는 경력을 가지게 됐다는 게 여전히 믿기지는 않지만요.
20대의 마지막 앨범 〈LILAC〉 마지막 곡인 ‘에필로그’는‘어디에도 없지만 어느 곳에나 있겠죠’를 비롯해 노랫말이 주는 느낌이 굉장히 초연해요. 어떤 청자를 상상하며 썼나요
‘에필로그’의 청자는 단 한순간일지라도 저를 온전히 사랑했던 모든 사람이에요. 한 번이라도 저와 진심을 나눴던 사람들이죠. 곡 제목의 뉘앙스로 조금 희석시키긴 했지만 제가 이 세상을 떠날 때 남기고 싶은 말을 골라서 편지 형식으로 적은, 어찌 보면 유서 같은 글이었거든요. 그렇다고 쓸쓸하거나 외로울 때 떠올렸던 주제는 아니에요. 오히려 충만한 상태였을 거예요.
‘외로움’의 개념적 반대말이 없다고 말한 적 있어요. 혹시 지금은 답을 찾았을지
매번 오답 같아요. ‘들뜸’이 외로움과 가장 멀게 있지 않나 싶었는데, 저는 들뜨면 오히려 외로워지더라고요. ‘집중’은 어떨까요? 집중한 상태에서 외로움을 느낀 적은 없는 것 같아요.
한국 사람으로서는 아이유의 노랫말을 바로 이해할 수 있다는 것은 즐거운 일이기도 합니다. 아이유도 어떤 텍스트의 의미가 내게 여과없이 전달된다는 느낌을 받은 적이 있을지
지금 딱 떠오르는 곡이 있어요. ‘하림-사랑이 다른 사랑으로 잊혀지네’라는 곡인데요. 이곡을 처음 들었을 때 가던 걸음을 멈추고 들었던 기억이 나요. 그때 제가 15살 쯤이었으니까 제대로 된 사랑을 해본 적도 없는데 한 7년 만나다가 헤어진 연인이라도 있는 사람처럼 허한 슬픔을 느꼈어요. 그런 걸 보면 공감이라는 게 꼭 경험에서만 비롯되는 건 아닌 것 같아요.
수많은 사람이 당신의 노래에 웃고 울고 행복해하고 위로받는다는 사실이 본인에게는 어떻게 다가오나요
다른 것으로 대체될 수 없는 가장 소중한 훈장이죠. 듣는 이들의 긍정적인 피드백이 동력이 될 때가 있고, 스스로의 만족감이 동력이 될 때도 있어요. 두 가지 동력이 엎치락뒤치락하는 것 같아요. 자기만족이 좀 더 근본적인 희열이나 성취감이 되는 편이고요. 사람들의 피드백은 저를 좀 더 겸손하고 자기객관적으로 만들어요.
당신이 이해하는 감정의 폭이 깊고 넓을 것이라고 기대하는 사람도 많을 거예요. 타인의 진심이 넘치듯이 흘러들어올 때 어떤지
그럴 때면 저는 연약해져요. 왠지 모르게 미안하고, 울적한 기분도 들고요. 그래서 어릴 때는 부정적으로 받아들이기도 했던 것 같아요. 날 연약하고 슬픈 기분으로 만드니까요. 그런데 지금은 좋아요. 타인의 진심으로 내가 연약해지는 것도 좋고, 울 것 같은 기분이 드는 것도 좋고, 혹시라도 울게 되면 더 좋고요.
지금의 K팝 시장은 시각적으로 놀람을 선사하는 결과물이 주를 이뤄요. 아티스트 아이유의 존재가 특별하게 여겨지는 지점이기도 합니다
신기해요. 공유하는 언어가 다른 해외 관객들 입장에서는 퍼포먼스가 대단한 공연을 선호하는 게 어찌 보면 당연한 일인데, 제 공연은 아무래도 목소리와 서사 위주니까요. 해외 공연의 관객 수가 꾸준히 늘어나고 공연장이 점점 커지는 게 저와 공연 팀에게는 뿌듯한 일이에요. 관객 쪽에서 한국어를 공부하고, 제 노랫말을 제대로 이해하려고 애쓰는 모습은 늘 큰 감동이고요.
아이유의 음악적 조력자들, 같이 믿고 일하는 사람들은 재능 외에 어떤 것을 가졌나요
열다섯 살 때부터 제일 친한 친구이자 사고방식과 가치관에도 큰 영향을 준 이종훈 프로듀서를 예로 들게요. 그때나 지금이나 만나면 작업실에 둘이 앉아 맛있는 음식을 두고 이 이야기 저 이야기 한참 하다가 더 할 말 없으면 그제야 같이 끼적끼적 뭘 만들어요. 보잘것 없는 아이디어나 영양가 없는 ‘뻘소리’도 창피하지 않죠. 제 주변을 구성하는 오랜 조력자들의 공통점이기도 한데요, 저는 일 얘기를 제외하고도 그들과 하고 싶은 얘기가 많아요. 아주 매력쟁이들이거든요.
스스로 나이가 더 들면 꼬장꼬장한 사람이 될 것 같다고 말한 바 있어요. 영향력이 커지며 주변 사람들이 내게 직언이나 조언하는 걸 어려워할까 봐 걱정되기도 하나요
내 태도가 누군가에게 고압적이지는 않나, 의무적인 호응은 아닌가 계속 경계해요. 행여 완전히 반대되는 의견이더라도 일단 제대로 들어보자고 계속 되뇌이죠. 최근 의도를 가지고 발음을 디자인했다는 것은 알지만 가사가 큰 장점인 뮤지션인 만큼, 리듬감이 강한 곡에서도 예전처럼 또렷하게 가사가 전달되면 좋겠다는 말을 들었는데요.신곡 녹음과 믹스 과정에서 신경을 기울였더니 그 표현이 곡과 잘 어울리더라고요. 내게 애정 있는 사람들의 일리 있는 피드백이 이토록 중요하다는 걸 또 한 번 느꼈죠.
‘아이유의 집콕시그널2’에서 김이나 작사가와의 대화 중 ‘나만큼 다른 사람(팬)들도 복잡하고 입체적이라는 것’이란 말이 인상에 남았어요. 언제 이런 생각을 하게 됐나요
저만 해도 입체적이고 복잡한 사람이니까요. 그 사실을 인정하고 저를 제대로 이해해 주는 사람들 앞에서 숨통이 트이기에 저도 남들을 그렇게 바라보고, 이해하려고 노력해요. “남들도 다 너만큼 생각해. 네가 왜 저 사람 생각까지 생각해?” 그러면 화날 일도 줄고, 섣부른 기대도 덜 하고, 상대의 판단에 믿음도 생기는 것 같아요.
나를 향한 다른 사람들의 정말 깊은 애정, 사랑을 느낀 적 있다면
가끔 공연을 다섯 시간 넘게 진행할 때가 있어요. 즉석에서 신청곡을 받아 부르는 시간을 저희는 ‘앵앵콜’이라고 하는데, 관객들이 얼마나 예리한지 제가 조금이라도 무리한다 싶으면 그만해도 괜찮다고 소리 질러줄 때가 있거든요. “이제 그만 불러줘도 괜찮아요” ”너무 고생했어요” 하면서. 그때 객석에 앉아 있는 사람들이 나에게 갖는 마음이 대체 뭘까 생각하게 돼요. 무대 위의 나를 응원하고 사랑하고 자랑스러워하면서도, 한편으로는 안쓰러워하고 걱정하고 내가 너무 힘든 전투를 하지 않기를 바라는구나…. 그런 게 다 느껴져요. 그 마음이 고마워서 저는 더 노래하고요. 공연장에서는 별의 별 감정을 다 느끼는 것 같아요. 공연 끝내고 나면 절로 인류애가 샘솟아요.
스무 살에 부른 ‘하루 끝’의 가사처럼 순수한 마음은 나이가 들면서 갖기 어렵잖아요. 아이유는 소울메이트를 만날 수 있을 거라는 기대감을 갖고 있나요
오히려 저는 나이가 들수록 사랑의 미래에 대해 낙관하는 것 같아요. 어릴 때가 더 방어적이었던 것 같고, 요즘은 사랑에 좀 더 기대해요. 왠지 다 알 것 같은 사람을 만나서 서로에게 안전한 행복을 주면 좋겠다는 생각을 종종 하죠. 근데 뭐 너무 불같아서 초가삼간 다 태워 먹는 사랑도 좋아요.
언젠가 사람들이 아이유의 음악을 덜 듣게 된다면
‘잔소리’로 첫 1위를 하고 ‘좋은 날’로 곧바로 다시 1위를 하며 ‘어쩌면 지금부터 내 인생이 좀 달라지겠구나’라고 느꼈던 열여덟 살, 그때부터 지금까지 일종의 훈련처럼 해오던 상상이에요. 아주 잠깐 씁쓸할 수도 있겠지만 금방 받아들일 거예요. 제가 또 정 없을 정도로 적응이 빨라서(웃음). ‘솔직히 정말 오래 해먹었다’ 하면서 스스로 한 번 칭찬해 주고 그때 사람들이 가장 많이 찾아 듣는 음악을 들어볼래요.
“세상에 정나미가 떨어지더라도 사람끼리는 사랑하며 살았으면 좋겠어요.” 콘서트에서 했던 말로 기억해요. 세상과 사람을 향한 이런 기대와 애정은 어디에서 오나요
제가 살면서 받아본 온전한 형태의 사랑과 제가 누군가에게 주었던 사랑을 통해 사람이 사랑할 만한 대상이라는 확신이 생긴 것 같아요. 혹은 그렇게 믿고 싶은 것일 수도 있고요. 인간은 사랑할 가치가 없고, 산다는 것을 단순히 형벌 같다고 치부할 수도 있지만 저는 그렇게 시니컬하게 살고 싶지는 않아요. 사랑하고 사랑받으면서 살고 싶어요.
아이유의 사랑받는 노래 ‘이름에게’를 떠올리며, 아이유에게 이지은이라는 이름은
든든해요. 이번 생 같이 으쌰으쌰 잘 살아볼 수 있을 것 같아요.
‘I feel Gucci’ means I feel really good right now. Was there any moment today that you felt that way?
IU: The styling and size (of the photoshoot) suited me well, so I was able to pose confidently. I imagined myself to be a lady who wants to stay single and is quiet and loves riding horses (laughs).
I heard that you finished filming for the movie ‘Broker’ and the overseas shoot for ‘Dream’ has been postponed to next year. I get the sense that as a musician, you take the initiative without a doubt, but as an actress, you willingly offer yourself as a resource (for the film project).
IU: Ever since I took on the role as an album producer, I’ve become someone who tells stories on my own. I think taking on the producer, lyricist and performer roles gives me the benefit of the freedom to express myself independently. Yet, at the same time, the disadvantage is that it is hard for me to bring out something from within me. On the other hand, as an actress, my role is comparatively more defined. In the process of exchanging ideas with the director and other actors, there have been moments that I had unexpected strokes of luck. Both of the roles are always stimulating and tormenting me in their own different ways.
While you have emphasised the range of your abilities, there was a time when the 3-level high note defined who you were. Are you still concerned about improving your vocal techniques?
IU: As I was preparing for my 5th album ‘LILAC’, I put in effort to not neglect that aspect. I felt that at some point, I began to put more focus on conveying a certain message than on the vocals. Thinking that it’s high time that as a singer I should work harder to study vocals, I tried singing every track many times and thought hard about them. Without losing my identity, I plan to keep experimenting with new genres. Besides doing it for the listeners, it’s also something I have to do so that I myself would not get tired of it and can have fun doing music.
I don’t think we would get tired of listening to IU’s music though (laughs). Was there a definite turning point in your career?
IU: It was when I released ‘Palette’ at the age of 25. Back then, I felt that for the first time, I became someone who can’t be easily put aside. I think celebrity IU had taken an exam of a certain level and earned the ticket to be able to proceed to the next level.
You described it as an exam, so there were times when you had to be evaluated or when you received hate right? Although you’ve now become someone that people approve of and feel a sense of affinity towards. What does the public mean to you?
IU: They are people who lived through this era together with me. From writing and sharing honestly about the emotions and changes I felt as a person, I think I was able to naturally develop that sense of affinity. Of course, I think that my heart is more anxious though. The public is represented by different opinions and appearances, depending on the age group, but there’s only one of me standing in front of everyone throughout the past 13 years.
Even so, it is clearly true that for this particular generation, the IU impact is crazy. What’s something you want to tell girls younger than you that “it’s ok, they don’t have to be like that”?
IU: Trying too hard to make others satisfied. It seems that living in our society, at some point we would suddenly have this period when we become cynical or tough. It’s the moment when we realise that trying hard to receive that much favour and concern from others is honestly not that important in our lives. I also want to tell them to not be too afraid of embarrassing themselves. I think I missed out on quite a lot of fun because of that.
In the final song of the final album of your 20s, ‘Epilogue’, you wrote, ‘I won’t be anywhere, but perhaps my traces will be everywhere’. Your lyrics give the impression of being rather aloof. What kind of listeners did you have in mind as you wrote these lyrics?
IU: The listeners (I had in mind) for ‘Epilogue’ are all the people who loved me entirely, even if just for one brief moment. These are people who exchanged sincere feelings with me at least once. While the nuance of the song title might have watered it down slightly, it’s actually words I want to leave behind when I leave this world, which I selected and wrote as a letter, kind of like a final will.* It’s not a subject that came to my mind when I was feeling empty or lonely. Instead, I was in a ‘full’ mental state.
* (T/L note: An epilogue is a section or speech at the end of a book or play that serves as a comment on or a conclusion to what has happened. The meaning is slightly different from a will left behind by someone.)
You once said that there is no opposite to the concept of ‘loneliness’. Have you perhaps found your answer yet?
IU: I feel like my answer is wrong every time. I thought ‘elation’ would be the furthest in meaning from loneliness, but when I’m elated, I actually feel more lonely. What about ‘focus’ then? When I’m in a focused state, I don’t think I’ve ever felt lonely.
How do you feel about so many people laughing and crying and feeling happy and consoled by your songs?
IU: It’s a medal I cherish the most that cannot be replaced by anything else. There are times when I am motivated by the positive feedback of the listeners and also times when I am motivated by my own satisfaction (with my songs). It’s a close match between both types of motivation, I think. Self-satisfaction brings about a more fundamental happiness or sense of achievement. Feedback from others makes me more humble and objective.
Many people look forward to the depth and range of your understanding of emotions. What is it like when others are overflowing with sincerity towards you?
IU: In those moments, I become weak. For some reason, I feel sorry and melancholy as well. That’s why I received it negatively when I was young, since it made me weak and sad. I’m fine with it now though. I like the fact that someone else’s sincerity makes me feel weak and I like that it makes me feel like crying and if I do cry, that’s even better.
The current K-pop scene seems to be dominated by performances with strong visuals. One could say that artist IU’s position is specially regarded (in the K-pop scene).
IU: It’s fascinating. From the perspective of overseas audiences who don’t share the same language as us, it’s only natural that there’s a preference for concerts with amazing performances. My concerts are mainly my voice and narration, yet my concert team and I are proud that my overseas concert audience numbers keep increasing and the concert venues are getting larger. I’m always so touched by the effort that my audience put in to learn Korean and fully understand the lyrics to my songs.
What qualities do the people who assist you in your music and that you trust and work together with have, besides talent?
IU: Producer Lee Jong Hoon is one of my closest friends and who has had a big influence on my way of thinking and values since I was 15 years old, so I will use him as an example. Whether in the past or nowadays, when we meet, we would sit in the studio with delicious food in front of us and talk about this and that for a long time, until we have nothing else to talk about and only then would we start to craft something. We are not embarrassed about worthless ideas or meaningless ‘rubbish’. I think it’s something that is true across all the people around me whom I have worked with for a long time. Besides talking about work, there are many things I want to talk to them about. They are a bunch of very charming people.
[IU’s Homebody Signal 2 with Kim Eana, EP2-2
IU: “I’m sure there are people who do have wrong ideas about me, since there are so many people. But of those people (who like me), there is a good number of people who know about me. As complicated as my thoughts are when it comes to certain matter, other people have complex thoughts as well. So people don’t think that simple (they’re not naive/ one-dimensional creations). For instance, for the reasons that people like someone, they don’t just like that person for their kindness or their wits or smartness (just one aspect of that person). Everyone is complex (three-dimensional) enough to recognise someone/ thing that is complex (three-dimensional).”]
Q. In IU’s Homebody Signal 2, your conversation about “other people (fans) are as complicated and three-dimensional as I do” with lyricist Kim Eana was memorable. When did you begin having this thought?
IU: “Because I myself alone am someone who is three-dimensional and complicated (already). The majority of the people who understand me well also acknowledge that.* Because I feel less suffocating** facing these people, I work hard to look at them and try to understand them (three-dimensional creations) from (a three dimensional perspective) like they do. (IU asking herself) ‘Others think as deeply as I do. Why do you (I) ruminate on what they’re thinking as well?’*** If I think this way, I’ll have less matters to get mad about and less hasty anticipations. I’ll have faith / come to trust that person’s judgement, too.”****
(TL note:
*People in here refers to those who are three-dimensional and complicated. It takes a three-dimensional to recognise another.
**The original wording literally translates to ‘breathe easier’. IU’s trying to say that because these people understand her well, she doesn’t have to worry all the time that they will misinterpret / have wrong ideas about her action / words. When she’s with them, she’s in her comfort zone. (An example would be sharing her thoughts casually on fancafe 😆)
***IU’s trying to reassure herself that these people are not as one-dimensional as she thinks. Because they are three-dimensional, they think as far and complicated as she does, so there’s no need to worry about anything, let alone guessing what kind of ‘one-dimensional’ thoughts they might have.
****Judgement over the things that she worries other people may misinterpret of. Th judgements may also include stuff that she has to make decisions on. These people probably also take into account of all the things she can think of before arriving at a certain decision / choice like she does. She isn’t the only one who’s thought about this and that, weighed the pros and cons of certain matters to come to a certain decision.)
If you were to pinpoint a time when you experienced a really deep affection and love from others?
IU: Occasionally, my concerts last 5 hours. We call it en-encore when I take song requests from the audience and sing them. The audience is so sharp that if I slightly overdo it, they start yelling that it’s alright to stop (singing). They would be like “it’s fine to stop singing now”, “you’ve worked so hard”. During those moments, I would wonder exactly what the feelings of the people sitting in the audience are like. Even though they support me, love me and are proud of me who is standing on stage, they also feel bad for me, worry for me and wish that I don’t take on too tough a battle… I sense all of that. I feel grateful for their feelings, which is why I work even harder. When I wrap up my concert, I can’t help being filled with a love for mankind.
Just like the lyrics in ‘Spring of a Twenty Year Old’, which you sang at the age of 20, it’s hard to continue to have just innocent feelings as you get older. Do you anticipate that you will meet your soulmate?
IU: I’m actually optimistic about the future of (my) love (life) as I get older. I think I was more defensive when I was young, but nowadays, I’m filled with slightly more anticipation towards (my) love (life). I have occasional thoughts that it would be great if somehow I could meet someone who understands everything and we can give each other a safe sense of happiness. But, well, a really passionate and fiery romance that burns the whole house down would be fine too.
What if one day people don’t listen as much to IU’s music?
IU: At 18 years old, I topped the charts for the first time with ‘Nagging’ and right away with ‘Good Day’ again and I thought, “Perhaps my life is going to change from now on”, since then, I have been kind of training for this in my imagination. I’ll feel slightly bitter for a very short while, but I think I’ll be able to accept it soon after that. Since I’m someone who adapts so quickly that it’s like I have no feelings of affection (laughs). “To be honest, for a really long time I’ve taken what doesn’t belong to me*”, I’ll think as I praise myself once and then go and check out the most popular music that people are listening to.
* (T/L note: IU is being humble here and feels that she doesn’t deserve all her achievements, so she has ‘taken’ them without permission, so she is fine with letting go of them.)
I recall that you said during one of your concerts, “I hope that even if there is less affection in the world, people would still love each other as they live on.” Where does this expectation and affection for the world and people come from?
IU: From the flawless type of love that I have received in my life and the love I have given someone else before, I think I became convinced that people are worth loving. Or perhaps that’s what I would like to believe. One might regard humans as not worth loving and that life is purely a punishment, but I wouldn’t want to live my life being so cynical. I want to love and be loved.
Your popular song ‘Dear Name’ comes to mind, so to IU, the name ‘Lee Jieun’ is…?
IU: Reliable. Just like how I have lived, I think (a person with this name) will be able to fight on and lead a good life.
BONUS questions from Elle Korea’s online homepage
You have been constantly keeping in contact and connecting with other musicians. In particular, you’ve really been looking out for musicians who are your juniors, like AKMU and Oh My Girl. What did you have in mind which led to all this?
IU: Initially, I was grateful that they like me (as a singer), so I started paying attention to them and watching them progress. Anyway, they are great people, so as I watched them, I became fans of them too. When I was a rookie, I received a lot of love and support from senior musicians and that gave me motivation. I felt that I wanted to become someone who could pass those feelings on (to others). Even though until now I still don’t quite believe I have the career experience to be called a ‘sunbae’ (senior).
I’m happy that as a Korean, I can understand what IU’s lyrics mean right away. Have you ever felt like you completely understood the meaning of a text being conveyed, with no filter?
IU: A song comes to my mind right now. It’s the song ‘Harim – A New Love Helps You Move On’. When I first heard this song, I recall myself stopping in my tracks to listen to it. I was only about 15 years old then and had no real experience of being in love, yet I felt the empty sadness like someone who broke up with a lover after 7 years of seeing each other. Based on that, it seems that one does not necessarily need to have experienced something to be able to relate to it.
I’ve said that as we get older, we tend to become more stubborn. Do you feel worried that as your influence becomes stronger, it gets harder for people to speak to you frankly or give you advice?
My attitude is that I’m not domineering towards others and I keep watching out for whether the person is just giving me an obligatory response. Even if it might be a totally contrasting opinion, I would say let’s finish listening to it first. Recently, someone told me that even if I intend to add variety to my pronunciation, the person hopes that as a musician whose lyrics are to her advantage, even for a song with a strong rhythm, the lyrics should be conveyed clearly. I paid attention to that during the recording and mixing of my new song and I think what the person said fits this song well. Once again, I felt that the sensible feedback by people who care for me is that important.
Translated by IUteamstarcandy