In an industry saturated with idols trying to cross over as actors, IU has proven her acting skill by starring in various Korean dramas and making a name for herself while she’s at it.
As an actress, she appeared in the hit drama Dream High in a smaller capacity, before graduating to lead roles in dramas like You Are The Best!, Bel Ami and her most recent drama, Hotel Del Luna.
In 2019, she was named as the Most Popular Actress at the 55th BaekSang Arts Awards, a prestigious awards ceremony held annually in South Korea awarding the best in film and TV industry.
IU was also nominated in the Best Actress (in a TV series) category for her performance in the drama My Mister that year.
With her popularity as an actress growing, little wonder then, in February, it was announced that IU will be starring in Japanese director Hirokazu Kore-eda’s first Korean feature currently titled Broker.
Kore-eda is best known for his 2018 film Shoplifters that won Cannes Film Festival Palme d’Or in 2018. Broker also stars Sang Kang-ho (Parasite), Bae Doona (Kingdom) and Kang Don-won (Train To Busan: Peninsula).
Here are five of K-drama starring IU that is worth catching.
IU makes her acting debut in this K-drama playing a supporting role.
Since the show is about a bunch of youngsters trying to make it as idols while training at an academy, IU – who plays a sweet, shy girl with an amazing voice – fit right in with the main cast comprising Kim Soo-hyun, Suzy Bae and TaecYeon.
The best thing about the show for IU probably is, she’s gained two best friends in Kim and Bae.
In this one, IU nabs the second female lead role after actress Gong Hyo-jin.
And, most of her scenes here are opposite her Dream High buddy, Kim Soo-hyun.
As the title suggests, the show centres on a group of producers at a network handling variety shows involving celebrities.
One of the celebs signed on as a participant of a variety show is Cindy, a young woman who comes off arrogant initially.
Her diva attitude also means no producer wants to work with her. As the story develops, Cindy reveals her true self to the producers – it turns out she’s actually a sensitive artiste with a vulnerable disposition.
Cindy learning that she actually has friends and people she can count on, strangely makes for the most touching arc in the show.
This show boasts of big talents including the ever-reliable Lee Joon-gi and Kang Ha-neul as the two male leads and, of course, IU as the main female lead.
It centres on a depressed girl in present day Korea body-swapping with a person living in the Joseon era.
If time-travelling isn’t bad enough for this young woman, she then becomes the centre of attention of two competitive princes eyeing the throne.
There are quite a few problems in Moon Lovers, but this mostly lies with its story especially how the plot takes way too many liberties.
Credit goes to IU who conveys her character’s growth as she faces every challenge that comes her way, first with pluckiness then later with grace and quiet strength.
Thanks to this project, IU gets a best friend with actor Lee. The two often send each other coffee/food truck, and support one another in their respective work.
Watch the video below where Lee accompanies IU during her appearance on a variety programme.
Now this is a must-watch, not only because IU is just amazing in it but also because the drama is so poignant.
Absorbing from start to finish, My Mister explores the simple idea that a small act of kindness can go a long way.
IU plays Ji-an, a tough young woman despite her petite frame.
She’s so street smart that she could make a gangster bend to her will.
Sadly though, Ji-an is also a person who is trying to survive in a cruel world so much so that she makes questionable decisions and keeps getting hurt – emotionally and physically – in the process.
However, the difficult path she’s on becomes a little less treacherous when a kind fellow worker befriends her and ultimately manages to get through her impenetrable shell.
Ji-an says very little, so the actress has the tough job of getting the character’s emotions across with small expressions and gestures.
Well, IU pulls this off astoundingly.
My Mister was awarded Best TV Drama and Best Screenplay at the 2019 BaekSang Arts Awards, besides multiple nominations in the acting category.
IU gets to wear lots of gorgeous outfits, be a mean girl (and boy does she throw a lot of temper tantrums) and say really odd (somewhat humorous) dialogues.
With this fantasy-drama, IU really gets to show her range as an actress... not only because her character has mood changes as quick as her wardrobe change, but also, because it is IU who carries the whole show.
Hotel Del Luna centres on Man Wol, a woman who’s sentenced to run a supernatural hotel that serves as a pit stop for the dead with unfinished business before they move on to the afterworld.
The series is told in the present day while detailing Man Wol’s past, revealing the back story of how and why she gets stuck with the thankless job of running the hotel, and becoming an extremely jaded individual.
What makes the show interesting, too, is how it chooses to portray Man Wol – despite her tragedy, she is vain and materialistic; so much so, she’s always scheming to make a lot of money so she can buy even more stuff.
This strikes a good balance between the dramatic and comedic moments.
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