A Veteran Korean Artist's Advice "Guided" IU's Life

BTS‘s Suga released his latest Suchwita episode, and this time, he was joined by second-generation soloist IU.

IU (left) and BTS’s Suga (right) | *BANGTANTV/YouTube*

During their Suchwita episode, IU and Suga shared their experiences with writing music, working with some of the artists who inspired their own careers, and more.

Suga wanted to know more about IU’s collaborations, naming “great masters” who have worked with IU, such as Yang Hee Eun, Choi Baek Ho, Seo Taiji, Hyukoh, former HISTORY‘s Jang Yi Jeong (also known as El Capitxn), 2AM‘s Seulong, AKMU and himself.

Suga pointed out that the artists IU has worked with have specialized in many different genres and have been of varying ages, showing IU’s depth as an artist.

Suga added that he believed veteran singers acknowledged IU’s gifts as an artist, not only because she’s talented but because she’s also “pleasant to work with.”

He wanted to know, among the many collaborations she’s had, if there were any moments that stayed with her, and she answered that her duet with Yang Hee Eun had led to an epiphany.

When working with the veteran singer-songwriter, Yang Hee Eun told her not to “count on her voice too much.”

At the time, IU interpreted it as a statement about her singing technique and wondered if she was so excited to work with Yang Hee Eun that she didn’t convey her sincerity during the collaboration.

Reflecting upon her role model’s advice, she realized she had heard singers who may not have been vocally talented but still moved her with the emotional delivery of the song.

On the other hand, she had heard songs by artists who had “sung so well vocally” but maybe hadn’t had the same emotional delivery. Realizing this, she worked on a way to sing with emotion instead of relying on her voice.

Suga added that Yang Hee Eun must have meant for IU to find a middle ground between the two and praised her for being able to do so.