K-pop star IU is back with her fifth studio album, ‘Lilac’ – and more of her famed generosity
- The music video has more than 5 million hits on YouTube within 24 hours
- Her agency, Edam Entertainment, shared on Instagram that she had made a generous donation to charity
There's definitely a movie vibe to IU's new video. Photo via YouTubeIU dropped the music video for her latest song, Lilac, on March 25, and her fans, Uaenas, are thrilled: the music video for the title track had been viewed 5.9 million times within the first 22 hours. The full album, of the same name, was released on the same day.
In the language of flowers, a lilac represents memories of youth. That inspired the concept of the album, which was written both to bid farewell to her 20s and to welcome her 30s, as well as to thank her fans who have followed her throughout her career.
In an interview with the magazine W Korea last year, IU said, “While I reflect on my 20s, part of me wants to take it easy during the last moments of it, but I also think, ‘I have to live even more intensely than ever’.”
The singer also mentioned that she was interested in creating “big” music and stories, and it’s clear from this video that she’s doing that.
There’s a cinematic quality to Lilac – the story takes place on a train and switches between cheerful montages, club scenes and a gritty fight.
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IU is known for her generosity, and her agency, Edam Entertainment, shared on Instagram that the star made two donations to celebrate the release of the album. She gave 50 million won (approximately HK$343,000) each to two organisations: Linker, which supports single-parent families, and Snail of Love, which provides cochlear implants hearing aids to those in need.