IU appeared in the latest episode of tvN's variety program, You Quiz on the Block. The South Korean singer-songwriter and actress candidly talked about her past struggles during her younger years, how she copes up with them, as well as learning to love herself.
IU guest-starred in the 100th episode of You Quiz on the Block. She revealed that she's a big fan of the variety program and even watched the BTS episode, which recorded the highest ratings. She said that she's watching the re-run even though she missed the show when it first aired.
In her own episode, the singer opened up how she had a hard time accepting herself when she was young despite being a successful celebrity. She said that she had a lot of self-hatred before, and even if her works brought good outcomes, she still finds it hard to love herself.
IU, whose real name is Lee Ji Eun, revealed that the turning point of her life was when she turned 25 years old. At the time, she released her hit song "Palette," which was also the title of her fourth studio album that was released in 2017.
Referring to the chorus of "Palette," the singer shared that she knows herself a little now and there's nothing left that could disappoint or surprise her. After several years of questioning herself, she admitted that she finally accepted both her strengths and shortcomings.
Her fourth album also has a ballad song "Through the Night," something that she wrote because she's having a hard time sleeping. The singer said that she feels sad when someone falls asleep before her back then. However, her perspective towards this matter eventually changed.
IU said that she wrote the lyrics of "Through the Night" for the people she really loves. She wishes them to have a good sleep, regardless of whether she's having a hard time sleeping. After this realization, the singer noted she started using the words "sleep well" very sparingly in the song.
Aside from sharing her past struggles in accepting and loving herself, she talked about her relationship with her younger brother, who had just enlisted in the military. She said that her brother keeps his identity a secret and hides the fact that his sister is a superstar.
IU said that only a few of his brother's friends know about her. Now that he is in the military, he's still keeping it a secret. Yet, some tend to notice him since their faces look similar and his name is Lee Jong Hoon. The singer shared that her brother pretends not to notice when people start to get suspicious of him.
