On the HEREH tour, singer IU gives fans the gift of her past and present
The singer makes her long-awaited debut in the U.S. after years in the industry
(Photo credit: EDAM Entertainment)
At the age of 31, IU has become a dominant force in the South Korean entertainment industry.
Since making her debut in 2008 at the age of 15, the singer has been dubbed the “Nation’s Sweetheart”, selling 31 number one hits in her native South Korea. And thus, making her one of the country’s most successful soloists ever.
But despite the accolades she has received over her 16-year career, IU has never gone on a world tour. That’s because she hasn’t always had a good grasp on what her fandom was like overseas. Though in 2024, something shifted. Earlier this year, she told Marie Claire in an interview (translated by a fan on Reddit) that she would take on the challenge of an international tour.
“It’s alright even if all the seats don’t get filled, or the audience is not that enthusiastic,” she said. “I think 2024 will be a great turning point for me.”
But despite IU’s tempered expectations for herself, anticipation was high the moment she announced in February that she would be coming to the U.S. on tour. By the time tickets went on sale in March, they sold out within minutes.
That demand alone is proof of just how widespread her fandom has gotten over the years. And during her recent performance in Rosemont, Illinois, the enthusiasm from her fans—also known as UAENA—was certainly felt from across the venue.
(Photo credit: EDAM Entertainment)
While Allstate Arena has a capacity of 18,500, entering the venue felt intimate, and gave the vibe of entering IU’s living room. A small gift was placed on each seat in the arena, with each ticket holder receiving a magnet, keychain, photocards and a tin box. The tradition of giving fans a gift was actually started by IU’s mother. In the past, she would purchase cushions for her UAENA so they could feel more comfortable at her daughter’s shows. But as IU recently noted at a show in Singapore, the cushions ended up being too bulky to ship abroad.
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The thoughtfulness for her fans was indicative of what was to come during IU’s show. Because the moment IU came on stage, she sang, danced and entertained at 100 per cent for three hours straight. Not to mention, she also frequently rewarded fans with finger hearts and a thumbs up of approval for singing loudly along with her.
Paying tribute to Rosemont, each of IU’s outfits also came with a rose theme.
“Seriously, today I am wearing all the rose patterned clothes in my closet,” she said, followed by loud cheers in the crowd. And when it was time to sing her hit song “Blueming”, she noted how perfect it felt to sing it live in Rosemont.
(Photo credit: EDAM Entertainment)
IU has often drawn comparisons to Taylor Swift as her gift of songwriting and discography feel like a glimpse into her diary as she goes through different life stages.
Whether it’s coming of age (heard in songs like “Twenty Three”), finding confidence (as explored in “Palette”) to marching to the beat of your own drum (a theme she alludes to in “Holssi”), fans have grown up with IU over the years. And like Swift’s current Eras tour, IU’s HEREH concert follows a somewhat similar theme, playing songs from her expansive track list over the course of her career.
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In the early stages of the concert, child dancers join IU on stage, representing the joyfulness of youth. And at one point in the show, a young girl in a white dress nervously appears on stage, entering a magical forest-like environment and unsure of what awaits her. As she runs across the stage waving to the crowd, the audience cheers. Then IU appears in front of her. The image on stage feels as though the singer is giving her younger self a message of encouragement and support.
Sentimental moments like the above were also accompanied by a lot of fun and sass. During her third costume change, IU comes out in a pink dress with pouffey skirt made of roses. And during the last section of the show before her encore stage, she delivered an edgier side, donning leather shorts and combat boots. Her outfits were a key part to IU’s presence on stage, and also played a role in showing off her versatility.
(Photo credit: EDAM Entertainment)
Having attended K-pop shows of bands like ATEEZ, BTS and ITZY, it’s clear just how much effort and energy goes into these concerts. Though while these acts have band members to rely on, IU only had herself to keep people’s spirits up. To do that over the course of three hours is exhausting in itself.
And yet, during her encore performance, IU still took requests from the crowd. She sang crowd favourites including “LILAC”, “Someday” and “dlwlrma”. Though the big surprise was the power ballad “Love Poem”, in which IU noted that she “was not in my best condition” to sing it. But despite the fatigue, she would try her “best” because she has four days of rest after the show. As expected, the performance was flawless.
(Photo credit: EDAM Entertainment)
Though the true healing moment for me came at the end of the show, when IU closed off with her hit song “Palette.” That’s because the song, which was written for a 25-year-old IU, isn’t often sung live much anymore. The singer graduated the track two years ago from her future set lists in order to find more songs that represent her current stage in life.
As a woman in my early 30s like IU, I was glad to see that the singer had not entirely given up on songs from her past. To me, it felt like she was looking back fondly at her youth now that she is wiser and older. And as we both explore the uncharted territories of growing older in our 30s, this felt particularly comforting.
Seeing IU command the stage for three hours, it’s clear why she is such a household name in her native South Korea. While she is no doubt a generational talent, her hard work, determination and passion for singing is what got her this far. And judging by her interactions with the crowd, you can tell she truly just loves to perform.
Stunned by the enthusiasm that met her in Rosemont, IU ended the show with gratitude.
“Today has been the perfect day. I love you.”
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