IU was chosen as Korea’s No. 1 artist in Billboard’s “Global No. 1s” series, alongside other artists like Dua Lipa and KUN.
“From composing music to performing on screen, IU can seemingly do it all — and she’s garnering unprecedented love and support from K-pop fans and the broader Korean music community,” Billboard said Tuesday.
“The massive hit single ‘Love Wins All‘ topped Melon’s weekly Top 100 chart for four consecutive weeks, topped the monthly chart for February and achieved a perfect 339 all-kills on iChart,” Billboard said.
The term “all-kill” refers to a song simultaneously topping iChart’s real-time, daily, and weekly charts.
“These achievements helped IU become Korea’s representative for Billboard’s World No. 1 Artist series,” Billboard added.
IU debuted in 2008 and has since become one of Korea’s most successful solo artists. She is known for hits like “Good day” (2010), “You&I” (2011), “The red shoes” (2013), “Through the night” (2017), “Lilac” (2021), and more.
“It’s a little humbling, a little surreal, and honestly, it’s really special,” IU said of the recognition in a video released by Billboard on Tuesday.
“Without wanting to belittle myself, I think I look relatively ordinary and less distinctive in my appearance and personality compared to other notable stars in Korea. This might make me seem more approachable and relatable.”
IU kicked off her world tour on March 2, visiting Japan, Europe, and North America. The singer performed in front of approximately half a million fans, setting a new record for a Korean female solo artist.
On September 21 and 22, IU held concerts at the Seoul World Cup Stadium, attracting 107,000 spectators, marking the largest concert engagement ever by a Korean solo artist.
Alongside IU, Dua Lipa was selected as the No. 1 artist in Britain, rock band Creepy Nuts was selected for Japan, solo artist KUN was selected for China, and singer-songwriter Ana Castela represented Brazil.
Journalist: Shawn
Translator: Shawn
Source: Billboard
