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On Thursday, March 30, IU and Park Seo-joon attended a press conference for their upcoming sports-comedy film Dream, wherein the former officially announced that she will be using her stage name "IU" as an actress too. Earlier, the hit idol used her real name Lee Ji-eun when she stepped into the world of acting, but now she will only be addressed as IU everywhere.
The announcement came as a surprise to the 29-year-old's fans everywhere. The idol clarified on the stance and stated that the usage of two different names confused her fans, adding:
"Since everybody called me IU anyways, so I think it caused a bit of confusion”
“Actress IU I’m soooo excited for your new era”: Fans are supportive of the idol’s decision of changing her name from Lee Ji-eun
Till now, the name Lee Ji-eun has been used in the ending credits of the dramas and movies the idol has starred in. She has also received and been nominated for various awards in the acting sphere in the said name. The artist further stated that she did not want to confuse fans and reporters regarding her different names, adding:
“Originally, I used the name Lee Ji-eun when I act and IU when I sing but I thought reporters and fans could be confused, so I decided to unify all the names of the activities into IU from today.”
As soon as the idol revealed that she won’t be using her birth name Lee Ji-eun for movies and dramas anymore, fans flooded social media with their thoughtful opinions. Some stated that they would miss her older name while others showcased complete support. Take a look at how fans are reacting to the idol changing her name on Twitter below:
Meanwhile, Park Seo-joon and other Dream cast members also attended the same press conference and shared their thoughts about the upcoming film. It will delve around the life of a professional soccer player who meets with an unfortunate incident and is then assigned to guide a team who are going to lead South Korea in a yearly international soccer event called the Homeless World Cup.
The Eight singer is set to play the role of producing director Lee So-min, while Park Seo-joon will be portraying the character Yoon Hong-dae. The upcoming film will be helmed by director and screenwriter Lee Byung-hun.
More about the Eight singer
As an actress, the 29-year-old has been very active, appearing in a number of dramas, including My Mister, Hotel Del Luna, The Producers and others. She is also known for her melodious and captivating vocals and is one of the most highly acclaimed soloists in South Korea.
The artist has also been confirmed to star in the upcoming historical drama You Have Done Well alongside Park Bo-gum.
The upcoming film Dream is slated to premiere on April 26, 2023 in South Korean theaters.
