IU

Singer and actor IU [EDAM ENTERTAINMENT] Singer and actor IU donated 100 million won ($67,600) to two organizations to mark Children’s Day, according to her agency EDAM Entertainment on Tuesday. The donation was made under the name IUaena — a portmanteau of the singer's stage name and her official fan club Uaena. Related Article IU, Byeon Woo-seok to star in Korea's royal makeover with 'Perfect Crown' IU, Byeon Woo-seok receive royal welcome at K-drama 'Perfect Crown' press event — in pictures IU donates $138,000 to four charities to mark the end of 2025 The Korea National Association of Child Welfare and the Korea Association of the Community Child Center each received 50 million won. The money will support medical care, cultural activities and birthday celebrations for marginalized children and others, according to her agency. The singer-actor donated 200 million won in December of last year to support single mothers, people with disabilities and older adults. She also contributed another 200 million won to support firefighters deployed to contain wildfires in the Gyeongsang region earlier that year. IU is currently starring in MBC’s ongoing drama “Perfect Crown” as Seong Hee-ju, a commoner from a wealthy conglomerate family who weds Prince I-an, played by Byeon Woo-seok. Certificates of IU's donations to the Korea Association of the Community Child Center, left, and the Korea National Association of Child Welfare [EDAM ENTERTAINMENT] BY LEE SOO-JUNG [lee.soojung1@joongang.co.kr]

In a twist that is rare for Korea’s fiercely competitive weekend TV slots, three rival dramas airing at similar times are all increasing — not splitting — viewership. Led by star names like IU, Go Youn-jung and Shin Hae-sun, the trio of series has simultaneously hit new ratings highs, creating an unusual “all boats rise” effect in the Saturday primetime battleground. The three shows — MBC’s Friday-Saturday drama “Perfect Crown,” JTBC’s Saturday-Sunday drama “We Are All Trying Here” and tvN’s Saturday-Sunday drama “Filing for Love” — air in overlapping weekend slots, traditionally a zero-sum game for TV ratings. Instead, each is building momentum. “Perfect Crown,” starring IU and Byun Woo-seok, has emerged as the most stable hit. After debuting at 7.8 percent, the drama climbed to 10.8 percent in its seventh episode and 11.2 percent in its eight, firmly establishing itself as a weekend leader. The show is also gaining traction overseas. It stayed in the Top 10 on Disney+ in the United States for 21 days and entered the Top 10 in 47 countries, highlightin

IU has once again drawn attention for her eating habits, with fans reacting to her minimalist meals and unusual routines — including chewing each bite up to 150 times. The singer appeared as a guest on “Yoo In Radio,” hosted by close friend Yoo In-na, on April 22, where she spoke about her daily diet. When asked what she had for lunch, IU replied, “I had an apple and blueberries today,” surprising listeners with her notably small portion. IU has previously said she maintains a body weight of around 44 kilograms (97 pounds), which continues to draw attention alongside her dietary habits. Her eating routines have also resurfaced through recent YouTube appearances. On a channel run by chef Ahn Sung-jae, IU introduced a simple dish she eats at night: a soft tofu pancake made with low-calorie ingredients. “I usually get home late at night, and if I have a schedule coming up, I try to avoid heavier foods,” IU said, explaining how she came across the recipe online. In a separate 2024 YouTube appearance with comedian Moon Sang-hoon, IU also spoke about how slowly she eats. “I chew

Singer and actress IU revealed a behind-the-scene story of her attending fellow artists’ concerts. On the 14th, IU appeared on the web variety show Salon Drip alongside actors Byun Woo...

Perfect Crown stars IU and Byeon Woo-Seok as a chaebol heiress and a Grand Prince. The K-drama, which sets an alternate Republic of Korea ruled by a constitutional monarchy in the 21st century, opened to great reviews.

The new Korean rom-com series “Perfect Crown,” starring singer-actress IU and actor Byeon Woo-seok, entered the top 10 in 43 countries and territories on Disney+. “Perfect Crown,” Kakao Entertainment’s latest production, has won the hearts of global audiences upon its premiere on April 10. According to FlixPatrol, it entered the top 10 in 43 countries and regions, including No. 1 in five, and placed fourth overall in the top TV shows chart on Disney+ Set in 21st-century Korea under a constitutional monarchy, the drama follows a chaebol heiress with everything but status, Seong Huiju (IU). who tries to take control of her future after crossing paths with a lonely prince with nothing but his title – Grand Prince I-an (Byeon Woo-seok). Together bound by a contract marriage, they begin a class-defying romance to rewrite destiny. The first two episodes depict the pair’s first encounter and how the prince ultimately decides to marry after Huiju’s bold flirting. “Perfect Crown” serves as a flagship case study for Kakao Entertainment’s integrated IP value chain, across its music, story, and media businesses, spanning drama, music, community, and web novels. With this strategy, Kakao Entertainment offers multiple ways to enjoy a single IP across different formats, allowing fans to move from one format to another. By amplifying the content experience, the company expands the overall fandom of an IP, making it a globally competitive player. **media[93296,93298]** Delving deeper, Kakao Entertainment has planned and produced a star-studded OST featuring prominent teams. Listed in the roster are artists from Kakao Entertainment’s music labels – Woodz (Edam Entertainment,) KiiiKiii (Starship Entertainment,) Hrtz.wav (Kakao Entertainment,) and RIIZE (SM Entertainment). In addition to these acts, a range of attention-grabbing stars have also joined the lineup, including BOYNEXTDOOR and BIBI. BIBI and KiiiKiii have released “The Pace” and “Go On” on April 10 and April 11, respectively, enhancing the drama\'s narrative and deepening its emotional impact. Other tracks will follow. “Perfect Crown” also launched an official fan community on Berriz, Kakao Entertainment’s global fan platform. There, fans can watch the drama and share their reviews in real time, enjoying a new space for communication. They can also get a glimpse into the behind-the-scenes cuts and highlights of each episode, further elevating their viewing experience. Berriz’s AI comment reports will provide an at-a-glance summary of key fan reactions, showcasing which moments or scenes drew the most engagement. The synergy will get an extra lift with the upcoming launch of the web novel “Perfect Crown in Royal Academy of Korea” (produced by ROKMEDIA) which shares the same fictional universe with the drama. The 30-part novel will be unveiled exclusively on Kakao Page on May 16, allowing fans to hold onto the lingering emotions even after the series wraps up. Penned by the drama’s writer Yoo Ji-won, the novel explores previously unreleased behind-the-scenes stories, following the characters during their time as students at the Royal Academy of Korea. It offers a glimpse into the past lives of Huiju, Grand Prince I-an, and other characters. The story centers on how Huiju encounters the prince and others, revealing how each of them came to develop their distinct personalities. Following “Perfect Crown,” Kakao Entertainment plans to roll out more webtoon-based works like “Mousetrap” and “A Bona Fide Killer,” as well as the drama adaptation of the popular web novel “Solo Leveling.” **media[93299,93295]**