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On March 31, 2025, Sports Kyunghyang reported that EDAM Entertainment's 2024 audit report unveiled IU's annual income. Lee Ji-eun, popularly known as IU, earned an impressive $20.4 million in annual income in 2024.
The audit report was published on March 28, and it noted that as of December 31, 2024, EDAM's total payment fees to artists were 33.62 billion KRW (around $22.9 million). In 2024, EDAM generated over 6.1 billion won (around $4.15 million) in operating profit, and 74.9 billion won (around $51 million) in sales only through IU's activities.
Additionally, the actress owns 22.5% of EDAM Entertainment, while 52.5% of the agency's shares are owned by Kakao Entertainment. Furthermore, the singer-turned-actress is the only active artist under the agency. The other artist, WOODZ, is currently serving in the military.
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The publication reported that EDAM Entertainment listed the majority of the singer-turned-actress's earnings as "fees paid" or settlement fees. Reportedly, the When Life Gives You Tangerines star's settlement fees amounted to $20.4 million.
"Fee Dues" refers to all the fees paid to celebrities, including settlement payments and appearance fees, which are all part of the cost of sales. It also applies to additional costs specifically paid to performers. It is generally the case that the majority of fee dues will be paid out as settlement payments to the artists.
Attorney Noh Jong-eon of the law firm Jongni Law explained to Sports Kyunghyang:
“The payment fee can be understood as the sum of not only the settlement amount paid to IU but also various other fees such as promotional fees, legal fees, accounting fees, event agency fees, etc. However, since these parts usually do not take up a large portion, it seems desirable in the long term for the agency to transparently disclose the amount of the settlement amount to the artist for the sake of operational transparency.”
IU's When Life Gives You Tangerines earns global success through its realistic story and nuanced characters
The Netflix original series When Life Gives You Tangerines, starring IU and Park Bo-gum, was first released on March 7, 2025. The drama aired its finale on March 28, 2025.
When Life Gives You Tangerines is set against the beautiful backdrop of Jeju Island and tells the story of Ae-sun (IU) and Gwan-sik (Park Bo-gum) as they pursue their dreams while navigating a rapidly changing South Korea from the 1950s to 2024.
Ae-sun is presented as a passionate young woman who wants to be a poet, while Gwan-sik is an unwavering and loyal friend who remains devoted to the traditions of his island roots. The series captures their journey through the complexity of life that comes with joy, tragedy, and resilience.
Geum-myeong (also played by IU), the daughter of Ae-sun and Gwan-sik, embarks on her own journey of self-discovery and love. The series's finale chapter shows her wedding to Park Chung-seob (Kim Seon-ho).
Meanwhile, Eun-myeong faces a tumultuous relationship with his mother, Ae-sun. Their journey from Eun-myeong feeling estranged from his mother to finally understanding the sacrifices made by Ae-sun and Gwan-sik in raising them is another important closure added in the end.
Gwan-sik dies at the age of 56 in 2006 due to blood cancer, leaving behind a devastated Ae-sun and a distraught family. Even in his last few days, he tries to provide for his family as much as he could.
Gwan-sik also fills Ae-sun's dressing table drawers with new hairpins so that she can wear new hairpins every day. He also fixes the house windows with extra tape so that they will not break during a storm. Gwan-sik adds new door locks so that Ae-sun will be safe living alone in their house and quietly rearranges the kitchen cabinets for her convenience.
Gwan-sik also speaks to Bu Sang-gil (Eun-myeong's father-in-law) and buys a Mercedes with his help for Eun-myeong. The car is delivered after Gwan-sik's death.
Gwan-sik also maintains a separate bank account where he saves all the 100,000 KRW that Geum-myeong sends him every month. He asks his mother to hand the bank book to Geum-myeong after his death so that his daughter knows that her father provided even from the afterlife.
The series also pays homage to the late actress Kang Myung-joo, who portrayed Bu Yong, Yeong-bum's mother. In a subtle yet poignant tribute, the production incorporates Marcello: Oboe Concerto in D minor – 2. Adagio during a scene featuring Bu Yong. This musical choice serves as a funeral mass, honoring Kang's memory and her contributions to the series.
The series secured the No. 1 spot in countries such as South Korea, Indonesia, Hong Kong, and Singapore. It also achieved top 10 placements in 37 other nations, including the Philippines, Japan, and India.
The drama recorded six million views in its second week, positioning it at No. 2 in Netflix's Global TOP 10 Series (Non-English) category. Its popularity spans continents, resonating with audiences in Brazil, Mexico, Turkey, and Vietnam.
Fans can watch When Life Gives You Tangerines on Netflix.
