IU finds chart success once more with 'Winter Sleep'

Singer-actor IU put out her new EP “Pieces,” Dec. 29 / Courtesy of EDAM Entertainment

By Dong Sun-hwa

Singer-actress IU has again conquered the streaming charts with her latest release, “Winter Sleep,” just two months after topping the charts with her digital single, “Strawberry Moon.”

“Winter Sleep,” the lead single off IU's new EP “Pieces” that dropped Dec. 29, is at the top of the major Korean music streaming services Melon, Genie and Bugs' real-time charts as of Monday morning. According to IU, “Winter Sleep” is a piano-driven song, in which she talks about the feeling of loss that hits people when a loved one passes away.

“I was hit by a wave of loss after having a farewell with people around me,” the EDAM Entertainment star said, explaining the track. ”But I realized that flowers still bloom and stars rise in the sky regardless of how I feel… Now, my heart does not break when I sing this song.”

Four other tracks rounding out the EP are also performing strongly on the music charts, with “Drama” and “Next Stop” nabbing the No. 8 and No. 13 spots on Melon, respectively. “Pieces” also ranked first on iTunes album charts in 13 countries.

Prior to its release, IU, who turned 30 this year, revealed that “Pieces” features self-written tracks that she didn't release in her 20s.

“These tunes can be thought of as pieces of my 20s,” she said.

IU, whose real name is Lee Ji-eun, debuted with the ballad "Mia" in 2008 at the age of 15 and has rolled out a countless hits including "Good Day" (2010), "Palette" (2017) and “Celebrity” (2021). In 2011, she started acting, appearing in the KBS drama "Dream High” and has since starred in several TV series including "Moon Lovers: Scarlet Heart Ryeo" (2016) and "Hotel Del Luna" (2019).