Lee Ji-Eun Skipped College to Pursue Singing Career, for Love of Music
Fans and followers of the K-POP phenomenon are very likely to be familiar with Korean singer/actress Lee Ji-Eun, popularly known as IU. However, what most of these may not know is that it was not a stroll up to fame for the beloved pop idol.
Lee Ji-Eun is a famous South Korean singer, songwriter, and actress. Her family’s financial situation dwindled after she finished elementary school. Because of this, she lived in her grandmother’s studio room together with her brother and a few cousins. One of these cousins even said of her: “I’d be a millionaire before she becomes a celebrity.”
Thankfully, her parents were able to train her early in the entertainment field; before their financial problems, she attended some acting classes. Later on, she found her passion in music. Which caused her to start recording declining rates in her academic studies. She loved it so much she decided to skip college to pursue a singing career. She auditioned, again and again, but despite her effort, she was rejected 20 times.
To make things worse, she even experienced scam in the hands of frauds posing as entertainment companies. She finally got her break through the Korean music program M! Countdown, wherein she performed her first single Lost Child.
It was in 2009 that Growing Up, her first album, was released, but it was the single Nagging that triggered her popularity. 2 years after, her acting skills are put to use as she starred in Korean tv show You’re the Best, for which she was nominated Excellence in Acting Award (Best Actress in a Serial Drama) at the 2013 KBS Drama Awards.
Despite the doubts and rejections, IU proved to be a valuable artist in the Korean entertainment field, both in music and film.
