title: Democracy

text: Some democratic governments have experienced sudden state collapse and regime change to an undemocratic form of government. Domestic military coups or rebellions are the most common means by which democratic governments have been overthrown. (See List of coups and coup attempts by country and List of civil wars.) Examples include the Spanish Civil War, the Coup of 18 Brumaire that ended the First French Republic, and the 28 May 1926 coup d'état which ended the First Portuguese Republic. Some military coups are supported by foreign governments, such as the 1954 Guatemalan coup d'état and the 1953 Iranian coup d'état. Other types of a sudden end to democracy include:


title: Democracy

text: Democratic backsliding can end democracy in a gradual manner, by increasing emphasis on national security and eroding free and fair elections, freedom of expression, independence of the judiciary, rule of law. A famous example is the Enabling Act of 1933, which lawfully ended democracy in Weimar Germany and marked the transition to Nazi Germany.


title: Democracy

text: Temporary or long-term political violence and government interference can prevent free and fair elections, which erode the democratic nature of governments. This has happened on a local level even in well-established democracies like the United States; for example, the Wilmington insurrection of 1898 and African-American disfranchisement after the Reconstruction era.


title: Democracy

text: The theory of democracy relies on the implicit assumption that voters are well informed about social issues, policies, and candidates so that they can make a truly informed decision. Since the late 20'th century there has been a growing concern that voters may be poorly informed because the news media are focusing more on entertainment and gossip and less on serious journalistic research on political issues.


title: Democracy

text: The media professors Michael Gurevitch and Jay Blumler have proposed a number of functions that the mass media are expected to fulfill in a democracy:


title: Democracy

text: This proposal has inspired a lot of discussions over whether the news media are actually fulfilling the requirements that a well functioning democracy requires.


title: Democracy

text: Commercial mass media are generally not accountable to anybody but their owners, and they have no obligation to serve a democratic function.


title: Democracy

text: They are controlled mainly by economic market forces. Fierce economic competition may force the mass media to divert themselves from any democratic ideals and focus entirely on how to survive the competition.


title: Democracy

text: The tabloidization and popularization of the news media is seen in an increasing focus on human examples rather than statistics and principles.


title: Democracy

text: There is more focus on politicians as personalities and less focus on political issues in the popular media. Election campaigns are covered more as horse races and less as debates about ideologies and issues. The dominating media focus on spin, conflict, and competitive strategies has made voters perceive the politicians as egoists rather than idealists. This fosters mistrust and a cynical attitude to politics, less civic engagement, and less interest in voting.


title: Democracy

text: The ability to find effective political solutions to social problems is hampered when problems tend to be blamed on individuals rather than on structural causes.


title: Democracy

text: This person-centered focus may have far-reaching consequences not only for domestic problems but also for foreign policy when international conflicts are blamed on foreign heads of state rather than on political and economic structures.


title: Democracy

text: A strong media focus on fear and terrorism has allowed military logic to penetrate public institutions, leading to increased surveillance and the erosion of civil rights.


title: Democracy

text: The responsiveness and accountability of the democratic system is compromised when lack of access to substantive, diverse, and undistorted information is handicapping the citizens' capability of evaluating the political process.


title: Democracy

text: The fast pace and trivialization in the competitive news media is dumbing down the political debate. Thorough and balanced investigation of complex political issues does not fit into this format. The political communication is characterized by short time horizons, short slogans, simple explanations, and simple solutions. This is conducive to political populism rather than serious deliberation.


title: Democracy

text: Commercial mass media are often differentiated along the political spectrum so that people can hear mainly opinions that they already agree with. Too much controversy and diverse opinions are not always profitable for the commercial news media.


title: Democracy

text: Political polarization is emerging when different people read different news and watch different TV channels. This polarization has been worsened by the emergence of the social media that allow people to communicate mainly with groups of like-minded people, the so-called echo chambers.


title: Democracy

text: Extreme political polarization may undermine the trust in democratic institutions, leading to erosion of civil rights and free speech and in some cases even reversion to autocracy.


title: Democracy

text: Many media scholars have discussed non-commercial news media with public service obligations as a means to improve the democratic process by providing the kind of political contents that a free market does not


title: Democracy

text: The World Bank has recommended public service broadcasting in order to strengthen democracy in developing countries. These broadcasting services should be accountable to an independent regulatory body that is adequately protected from interference from political and economic interests.


title: Democracy

text: Public service media have an obligation to provide reliable information to voters. Many countries have publicly funded radio and television stations with public service obligations, especially in Europe and Japan, while such media are weak or non-existent in other countries including the


title: Democracy

text: Several studies have shown that the stronger the dominance of commercial broadcast media over public service media, the less the amount of policy-relevant information in the media and the more focus on horse race journalism, personalities, and the pecadillos of politicians. Public service broadcasters are characterized by more policy-relevant information and more respect for journalistic norms and impartiality than the commercial media. However, the trend of deregulation has put the public service model under increased pressure from competition with commercial


title: Democracy

text: The emergence of the internet and the social media has profoundly altered the conditions for political communication. The social media have given ordinary citizens easy access to voice their opinion and share information while bypassing the filters of the large news media. This is often seen as an advantage for democracy.


title: Democracy

text: The new possibilities for communication have fundamentally changed the way social movements and protest movements operate and organize. The internet and social media have provided powerful new tools for democracy movements in developing countries and emerging democracies, enabling them to bypass censorship, voice their opinions, and organize protests.


title: Democracy

text: A serious problem with the social media is that they have no truth filters. The established news media have to guard their reputation as trustworthy, while ordinary citizens may post unreliable information. In fact, studies show that false stories are going more viral than true stories.


title: Democracy

text: The proliferation of false stories and conspiracy theories may undermine public trust in the political system and public officials.


title: Democracy

text: Reliable information sources are essential for the democratic process. Less democratic governments rely heavily on censorship, propaganda, and misinformation in order to stay in power, while independent sources of information are able to undermine their legitimacy.


title: Kareena Kapoor

text: Kareena Kapoor Khan (; "née" Kapoor; born 21 September 1980) is an Indian actress who appears in Hindi films. She is the daughter of actors Randhir Kapoor and Babita, and the younger sister of actress Karisma Kapoor. Noted for playing a variety of characters in a range of film genres—from romantic comedies to crime dramas—Kapoor is the recipient of several awards, including six Filmfare Awards, and is one of Bollywood's highest-paid actresses.


title: Kareena Kapoor

text: After making her acting debut in 2000 in "Refugee", Kapoor established herself with roles in the dramas "Aśoka" and "Kabhi Khushi Kabhie Gham..." (both 2001). This was followed by a series of commercial failures and negative reviews for her repetitive roles. In 2004, a turning point happened in Kapoor's career when she played against type as a sex worker in the drama "Chameli". She earned critical recognition for her portrayal of a riot victim in the 2004 drama "Dev" and a character based on William Shakespeare's heroine Desdemona in the 2006 crime film "Omkara". Further praise came for her performances in the romantic comedies "Jab We Met" (2007) and "Ek Main Aur Ekk Tu" (2012), the thrillers "Kurbaan" (2009) and "" (2012), and the dramas "We Are Family" (2010), "Heroine" (2012) and "Udta Punjab" (2016). Her highest-grossing releases include the action film "Singham Returns" (2014), the comedy "Good Newwz" (2019), and the dramas "3 Idiots" (2009), "Bodyguard" (2011) and "Bajrangi Bhaijaan" (2015).


title: Kareena Kapoor

text: Kapoor is married to actor Saif Ali Khan, with whom she has two sons. Her off-screen life is the subject of widespread coverage in India. Known for being outspoken and assertive, she is recognised for her contributions to the film industry through her fashion style and film roles. Beside film acting, Kapoor participates in stage shows, hosts a radio show and has contributed as a co-writer to two autobiographical memoirs and two books of nutrition guides. She has started her own line of clothing and cosmetics for women, and has worked with UNICEF since 2014 to advocate for the education of girls and an increase in quality based education in India.


title: Kareena Kapoor

text: Born on 21 September 1980 in Bombay (now Mumbai), Kapoor (often informally referred to as 'Bebo') is the younger daughter of Randhir Kapoor and Babita ("née" Shivdasani); her elder sister Karisma is also an actress. She is the paternal granddaughter of actor and filmmaker Raj Kapoor, maternal granddaughter of actor Hari Shivdasani, and great-granddaughter of filmmaker Prithviraj Kapoor. The actor Rishi Kapoor is her uncle, and his son, actor Ranbir Kapoor, is her cousin. According to Kapoor, the name "Kareena" was derived from the book "Anna Karenina", which her mother read while she was pregnant with her. She is of Punjabi Hindu descent on her father's side, and on her mother's side she is of Sindhi Hindu and British descent.


title: Kareena Kapoor

text: Describing herself as a naughty, spoilt child, Kapoor's exposure to films from a young age kindled her interest in acting; she was particularly inspired by the work of actresses Nargis and Meena Kumari. Despite her family background, her father disapproved of women entering films because he believed it conflicted with the traditional maternal duties and responsibility of women in the family. This led to a conflict between her parents and they lived separately before reconciling in October 2007. She was raised by her mother, who worked several jobs to support her daughters until Karisma debuted as an actress in 1991. Although her father was not present for most her childhood, Kapoor remarked that he played an important role in her life.


title: Kareena Kapoor

text: Kapoor attended Jamnabai Narsee School in Mumbai, followed by Welham Girls' School in Dehradun. She attended the institution primarily to satisfy her mother, though later admitted to liking the experience. According to Kapoor, she wasn't inclined towards academics though received good grades in all her classes except mathematics. Upon graduating from Welham, she returned to Mumbai and studied commerce for two years at Mithibai College. Kapoor then registered for a three-month summer course in microcomputers at Harvard Summer School in the United States. She later developed an interest in law, and enrolled at the Government Law College, Mumbai; during this period, she developed a long-lasting passion for reading. However, after completing her first year, she decided to pursue her interest in acting, though she later regretted not having completed her education. She began training at an acting institute in Mumbai mentored by Kishore Namit Kapoor, a member of the Film and Television Institute of India.


title: Kareena Kapoor

text: While training at the institute, Kapoor was cast as the lead in Rakesh Roshan's "Kaho Naa... Pyaar Hai" (2000), opposite Hrithik Roshan. Several days into the filming, however, she abandoned the project since more prominence was given to the director's son than her. She debuted later that year alongside Abhishek Bachchan in J. P. Dutta's "Refugee". Set during the Indo-Pakistani War of 1971, Kapoor was introduced as Naaz, a Bangladeshi girl with whom Bachchan's character falls in love. Dutta cast her for the combination of youthfulness and innocence he found in her, and Kapoor considered their collaboration to be a learning experience that helped her personally and professionally. Taran Adarsh of "Bollywood Hungama" noted "the ease with which she emotes the most difficult of scenes", and "India Today" reported that she belonged to a new breed of Hindi film actors that breaks away from character stereotypes. "Refugee" was a moderate box-office success in India and Kapoor's performance earned her the Filmfare Award for Best Female Debut.


title: Kareena Kapoor

text: Kapoor was paired opposite Tusshar Kapoor in Satish Kaushik's box-office hit "Mujhe Kucch Kehna Hai" (2001). A review in "The Hindu" noted that based on her first two films, she was "definitely the actress to watch out for". She next starred in Subhash Ghai's flop "Yaadein", followed by Abbas–Mustan's moderately successful thriller "Ajnabee". Later that year, she appeared in Santosh Sivan's period epic "Aśoka", a partly fictionalised account of the life of the Indian emperor Ashoka. Featured opposite Shah Rukh Khan, Kapoor found herself challenged playing the complex personality of her character Kaurwaki with whom Ashoka falls in love. "Aśoka" was screened at the Venice and 2001 Toronto International Film Festivals, and received generally positive reviews internationally but failed to do well in India, which was attributed by critics to the way Ashoka was portrayed. Jeff Vice of "The Deseret News" commended her compelling screen presence, but Rediff.com believed that she was primarily used for aesthetic purposes. At the 47th Filmfare Awards, "Aśoka" was nominated for five awards including a Best Actress nomination for Kapoor.


title: Kareena Kapoor

text: A breakthrough in Kapoor's career came when she was cast by Karan Johar as Pooja ("Poo", a good-natured, superficial girl) in the 2001 melodrama "Kabhi Khushi Kabhie Gham...". She found little resemblance between herself and her "over-the-top" character, and modeled Poo's personality on that of Johar. Filming the big-budget production, alongside an ensemble cast was a new experience for Kapoor, and she recalls it fondly as a dream come true. "Kabhi Khushi Kabhie Gham..." was an immensely popular release, finishing as India's second highest-grossing film of the year and Kapoor's highest-grossing film to that point. It became one of the biggest Bollywood success of all time in the overseas market, earning over worldwide. Taran Adarsh described Kapoor as "one of the main highlights of the film", and she received her second Filmfare nomination for the role—her first for Best Supporting Actress—as well as nominations at the International Indian Academy (IIFA) and Screen Awards.


title: Kareena Kapoor

text: Box Office India reported that the success of "Mujhe Kucch Kehna Hai" and "Kabhi Khushi Kabhie Gham..." established Kapoor as a leading actress of Hindi cinema, and Rediff.com published that with "Aśoka" she had become the highest-paid Indian actress to that point earning per film. During 2002 and 2003, Kapoor continued to work in a number of projects but experienced a setback. All six films in which she starred—"Mujhse Dosti Karoge!", "Jeena Sirf Merre Liye", "", "Khushi", "Main Prem Ki Diwani Hoon", and the four-hour war epic "LOC Kargil"—were critically and commercially unsuccessful. Critics described her performances in these films as variations of the character she played in "Kabhi Khushi Kabhie Gham...", and expressed concern that she was becoming typecast. She later spoke positively of this period, recalling it as a beneficial lesson which taught her to work harder, and has confessed to accepting these roles for financial gain rather than artistic merit.


title: Kareena Kapoor

text: By 2004, Kapoor was eager on broadening her range as an actress and thus decided to portray more challenging roles in addition to the archetypical glamorous lead. Under the direction of Sudhir Mishra, Kapoor starred in "Chameli" as a golden-hearted prostitute who meets with a widowed investment banker (Rahul Bose). When Kapoor was first offered the part, she passed on it, explaining that she would be uncomfortable in the role. She relented when Mishra approached her for the second time, and in preparation for the role, visited several of Mumbai's red-light districts at night to study the mannerisms of sex workers and the way they dressed. With a production budget of , the independent film marked a departure from the high-profile productions Kapoor previously starred in. "The Times of India" praised her for having exceeded all expectations; Rediff.com, however, found her portrayal unconvincing and excessively stereotypical, comparing her mannerisms to a caricature. "Chameli" marked a significant turning point in Kapoor's career and she received a special jury recognition at the 49th Filmfare Awards.


title: Kareena Kapoor

text: Kapoor next co-starred in Mani Ratnam's "Yuva", a composite film about three youngsters from different strata of society whose lives intersect by a car accident; she featured as Vivek Oberoi's romantic interest. Despite not having "much of a role", she agreed to the project due to her desire to work with Ratnam. Film critic Subhash K. Jha concurred that her role was insubstantial, but further stated that Kapoor uses her "character traits to her ... advantage to create a girl who is at once enigmatic and all-there". She then appeared alongside Amitabh Bachchan and Fardeen Khan in Govind Nihalani's critically acclaimed film "Dev", which revolved around the 2002 Hindu-Muslim riots in Gujarat. Kapoor starred as a Muslim victim and contributed in the soundtrack by providing the vocals. Nihalani was initially hesitant to cast a mainstream commercial actress but found that Kapoor displayed a level of intelligence and sensitivity beyond her years. She was eager to work with him, as his films "Ardh Satya" (1983) and "Tamas" (1988) gave her a deeper appreciation for cinema, and identified with her character's ability to be strong yet simple. It earned her critical acclaim and a Filmfare Critics Award for Best Actress.


title: Kareena Kapoor

text: Kapoor was cast for the first time as a villain in "Fida" (2004), a thriller about an online heist. Critics noted a distinct progression from her earlier roles. That same year, she starred in Abbas–Mustan's thriller "Aitraaz" and Priyadarshan's comedy "Hulchul". "Aitraaz" follows the story of a man (Akshay Kumar) accused of sexual harassment by his female superior (Priyanka Chopra). Kapoor was offered Chopra's part, but decided to play Kumar's wife, knowing that Indian women would better identify with her character. Jitesh Pillai of "The Times of India" found Kapoor to have a small role, but noted that she "shines through brightly earning her big moment in the courtroom sequence". Meanwhile, "Hulchul" became Kapoor's first commercial success in three years. Her next film, "Bewafaa", in 2005, was panned by critics. Nikhat Kazmi believed that to become a serious actress Kapoor was embodying a maturer, more-jaded character beyond her years in "Bewafaa". Her final two releases of the year included the romantic dramas "Kyon Ki" and "", both of which underperformed at the box office. In her next two releases—the thriller "36 China Town" and the comedy "Chup Chup Ke" (both 2006)—she starred opposite Shahid Kapoor. "36 China Town" was a commercial success and "Chup Chup Ke" performed moderately well.


title: Kareena Kapoor

text: The filmmaker Vishal Bhardwaj saw Kapoor in "Yuva", and was sufficiently impressed to cast her in his next project, "Omkara", an adaptation of William Shakespeare's tragedy "Othello" set against the backdrop of the political system in Uttar Pradesh. Kapoor featured as Desdemona and was challenged on portraying the character's inner turmoil, which she believed was much more subtle and subdued. She subsequently attended several script-reading sessions with the entire cast, and described the project as a special one for her. "Omkara" premiered at the 2006 Cannes Film Festival and was screened at the Cairo International Film Festival. "Filmfare" praised her ability to convey the various emotions her character went through, and her portrayal earned her a fourth Filmfare and first Screen Award. Kapoor considers it to be a favourite among her roles and compared her portrayal of Dolly with her own evolving maturity as a woman.


title: Kareena Kapoor

text: Kapoor next teamed with Shahid Kapoor for a fourth time in the romantic comedy "Jab We Met" (2007), in which she portrayed Geet Dhillon, a vivacious Sikh girl with a zest for life. Director Imtiaz Ali was not a well-known figure before its production, but Kapoor agreed to the film after being fascinated with his script. She collaborated closely with Ali to build her character and was challenged on effectively portraying Dhillon's exuberant personality without making it caricaturish. "Jab We Met" was received favourably by critics and became successful at the box office. The BBC commented that the role required a mixture of naivety and spontaneity, and was impressed with Kapoor's effort; Rajeev Masand labelled her the film's "biggest strength". Kapoor was awarded the Filmfare Award for Best Actress and her second Screen Award. While shooting for "Jab We Met", Kapoor and Shahid ended their four-year relationship. She admitted to being heartbroken by the split and hoped that they would reconcile their friendship in the future.


title: Kareena Kapoor

text: The following year, Kapoor co-starred in Vijay Krishna Acharya's "Tashan", where she met her future husband in actor Saif Ali Khan. Although highly anticipated by the audience before release, the film underperformed at the box office. After providing her voice for the character of the love interest of a street dog in the Yash Raj Films and Walt Disney Pictures animated film "Roadside Romeo", Kapoor played a mistrustful wife who believed her husband was unfaithful in Rohit Shetty's comedy "Golmaal Returns". A sequel to the 2006 film "", the film had an ambivalent reception from critics. "The Indian Express" believed the screenplay was derivative, concluding that her character and performance lacked originality. "Golmaal Returns" was a financial success with global revenues of .


title: Kareena Kapoor

text: In 2009, Kapoor was cast as Simrita Rai, a surgeon who moonlights as a model, in Sabbir Khan's battle-of-the-sexes comedy "Kambakkht Ishq". Set in Los Angeles, it was the first Indian film shot at Universal Studios. The film was poorly received by critics but became an economic success. The box-office flop "Main Aurr Mrs Khanna" came next, following which she played the leading lady in the dramatic thriller "Kurbaan". Starring Kapoor as a woman confined to house arrest after discovering that her husband is a terrorist, she found the film to be an emotionally draining experience due to how difficult it was to disconnect from her character. Kapoor received her fourth Filmfare Best Actress nomination. Gaurav Malani of "The Economic Times" commented that after a long time the actress was given a substantial role with a potential to boost her career, while Subhash K. Jha described it as her "most consistently pitched performance to date" played with sensitivity.


title: Kareena Kapoor

text: Kapoor's second Filmfare nomination that year came for Rajkumar Hirani's "3 Idiots", based on the novel "Five Point Someone" by Chetan Bhagat, co-starring Aamir Khan, R. Madhavan and Sharman Joshi. Her role is that of Pia, a medical student and Khan's love interest. The film emerged as the highest-grossing Bollywood film of all time up until then, grossing in India. It also did well internationally, earning over , the second biggest Bollywood success ever in the overseas market. "Deccan Herald" opined that Kapoor "brings a dollop of sunshine and feminine grace to an otherwise masculine tale", taking note of her spontaneity while playing her character. "3 Idiots" received several Best Film recognitions at major Indian award functions, and Kapoor was awarded the IIFA Award for Best Actress, among others.


title: Kareena Kapoor

text: Kapoor began the new decade with a leading role in the poorly received romantic comedy "Milenge Milenge" (2010). Critics found the film to be outdated with stereotypical characters. A supporting role in "We Are Family", an official adaptation of the Hollywood tearjerker "Stepmom" (1998), proved more rewarding. In an attempt to bring her interpretation to the part originally played by Julia Roberts, Kapoor refrained from watching "Stepmom" again and was drawn to the complexity of her character. Priyanka Roy of "The Telegraph" criticised it for being melodramatic, but praised Kapoor for enhancing the whole film. "We Are Family" emerged a moderate success and Kapoor was awarded the Best Supporting Actress at the 56th Filmfare Awards. She reunited with director Rohit Shetty for "Golmaal 3", which received mixed reviews but earned more than domestically. For her performance, Kapoor received Best Actress nominations at various award ceremonies including Filmfare.


title: Kareena Kapoor

text: Further success came to Kapoor in 2011 when she starred as the love interest of Salman Khan's character in "Bodyguard", a remake of the 2010 Malayalam film of the same name. The film was not well received by critics, though became a financial success, with a domestic total of —India's highest-earning film of the year. A review in "Mint" dismissed Kapoor's role as ornamental; "Mid-Day" argued she "actually manages to bring her caricature of a role alive". She next appeared in the Anubhav Sinha-directed sci-fi film "Ra.One", revolving on a villainous videogame character (Shah Rukh Khan) who escapes into the real world. Made on a budget of , the film became one of the biggest earners of the year with a worldwide total of over —despite negative media coverage of its box-office performance—and Kapoor's fourth major commercial success in three consecutive years.


title: Kareena Kapoor

text: Kapoor followed her success in "Bodyguard" and "Ra.One" with a role in Shakun Batra's "Ek Main Aur Ekk Tu" (2012) opposite Imran Khan. Set in Las Vegas, the romantic comedy follows the story of two strangers who get married one night after getting drunk. She played Riana Braganza, a carefree young woman, and was particularly drawn to the qualities of her character. The film received positive reviews and was an economic success, grossing a total of in India and abroad. "The Hollywood Reporter" found her "endearingly natural"; Sukanya Verma of Rediff.com complimented her for playing a non-ornamental role since that in "Jab We Met". She next appeared in "Agent Vinod", an espionage thriller directed by Sriram Raghavan. Kapoor was enthusiastic about the project, but it met with a tepid response and she was described as miscast. Asked why she took the role, Kapoor described it as an opportunity to attempt something she had never done before.


title: Kareena Kapoor

text: For her next feature, Kapoor was cast as a fading movie star in Madhur Bhandarkar's "Heroine". Initially skeptical about taking on the part whose personality she felt to be far removed from her own, she agreed after Bhandarkar enforced his faith in her. Although not a method actor, Kapoor believed that the intense role had left her on edge in her personal life and refrained from taking on any other projects. Reviewers found the film monotonous, but noted that it was watchable primarily due to Kapoor's performance. Rajeev Masand described it as "a deliciously camp performance" that was played "with utmost sincerity". Bollywood Hungama opined that it was her best work to date and concluded that despite an inconsistent character, Kapoor embellished it "with a rare vulnerability and an exceptional inner life". At the annual Stardust Awards, Kapoor garnered the Editor's Choice for Best Actress, and received additional nominations at Filmfare, IIFA, Producers Guild, Screen and Stardust.


title: Kareena Kapoor

text: On 16 October 2012, Kapoor married actor Saif Ali Khan in a private ceremony in Bandra, Mumbai, and she gave birth to their sons in 2016 and 2021 respectively. Kapoor stated that despite adding Khan to her name she would continue practising Hinduism after marriage. "", in which she played the prostitute Rosie, was Kapoor's final release of 2012. The film is set against the backdrop of Mumbai's red-light districts and follows the travails of a police officer (Aamir Khan) who is assigned the duty of solving a mysterious car accident. "The Telegraph" found Kapoor a standout among the other performers, adding that "she brings an unseen mix of oomph and emotion". With global revenues of , the film emerged as a box office hit, and earned Kapoor Best Actress nominations at the Screen, Stardust and Zee Cine award ceremonies.


title: Kareena Kapoor

text: In 2013, Kapoor collaborated with Ajay Devgn for the fourth time in Prakash Jha's "Satyagraha", a socio-political drama loosely inspired by social activist Anna Hazare's fight against corruption in 2011. The film received little praise from critics and underperformed at the box office earning domestically. Following an appearance in the poorly received romantic comedy "Gori Tere Pyaar Mein" (2013), Kapoor decreased her workload for the next two years to focus on her marriage and family. She took on smaller parts where she played the love-interest of Ajay Devgn in the action film "Singham Returns" (2014) and Salman Khan in the drama "Bajrangi Bhaijaan" (2015). The former, in which Kapoor had a role written specifically for her, met with mixed reviews and Kapoor received criticism for taking a role of minimal importance. Conversely, the film was a financial success with a revenue of over . Kabir Khan's "Bajrangi Bhaijaan" emerged as India's highest-earning film of the year grossing a total of , and earned the National Film Award for Best Popular Film Providing Wholesome Entertainment.


title: Kareena Kapoor

text: In 2016, Kapoor took on a starring role in "Ki & Ka", about gender stereotypes, to which she was particularly drawn for its relevance. Critics were divided in their opinion of the film, but it emerged a financial success grossing over worldwide. Meena Iyer of "The Times of India" mentioned Kapoor as remarkable, and Sukanya Verma considered the actress to be the film's prime asset. She next featured in "Udta Punjab" (2016), a crime drama that documents the substance abuse endemic in the Indian state Punjab. Kapoor was initially reluctant to do the film due to the length of her role, but agreed after reading the completed script and partially waived her fees to star in it. "Udta Punjab" generated controversy when the Central Board of Film Certification deemed that the film represented Punjab in a negative light. The Bombay High Court later cleared the film for exhibition with one scene cut. Rediff.com stated that the film relies on her character, and Mehul S. Thakkar of "Deccan Chronicle" wrote that she was successful in delivering such a strong performance. For her performance, Kapoor received a nomination for Best Supporting Actress at the Filmfare and Zee Cine award ceremonies.


title: Kareena Kapoor

text: Following the birth of her first child, Kapoor was persuaded by her husband to return to acting. She was keen to work on a project that would accommodate her parental commitments and found it in Shashanka Ghosh's female buddy film, "Veere Di Wedding" (2018). Initially approached for the project in 2016, the makers rewrote Kapoor's role to accommodate her pregnancy, but the lack of maternity insurance in India led filming to begin after she gave birth. She liked the idea of telling a story of friendship and love from a female perspective, which she believed was rare in Hindi film, and was pleased to work with three other leading ladies. Anna M. M. Vetticad praised the film for portraying women with "agency, flaws, humanity and, above all, a sense of humour", and took note of Kapoor's restrained performance. With a worldwide gross of over , "Veere Di Wedding" emerged as one of the highest-grossing female-led Hindi films.


title: Kareena Kapoor

text: Kapoor reteamed with Akshay Kumar in "Good Newwz" (2019), a comedy about two couples' tryst with in vitro fertilisation. "Mint" Udita Jhunjunwala wrote that it is "hard to keep your eyes off Kapoor". She received Best Actress nominations at Filmfare, IIFA and Zee Cine Awards, and the film earned over to emerge as the fifth highest-grossing Hindi film of the year. She next took a supporting role in "Angrezi Medium" (2020), a spiritual sequel to "Hindi Medium". According to her, it was a deliberate attempt to move away from her comfort zone; she filmed her role in 10 days while she was accompanying her husband on his film shoot in London. The feature released in India amid the COVID-19 pandemic and its commercial performance was affected due to the closing of the cinemas. Nandini Ramnath of Scroll.in commended her "ability to glitter in a handful of moments", but Vinayak Chakravorty for "Outlook" thought the portions involving Kapoor were inessential to the story.


title: Kareena Kapoor

text: In 2022, Kapoor starred in Advait Chandan's adaptation of "Forrest Gump", titled "Laal Singh Chaddha". She received generally good reviews, with Devesh Sharma of "Filmfare" indicating that her performance "filled with angst and grit" was one of the best in her career. Kareena indicated that she was looking for a role in a "really good thriller" and subsequently signed on for two murder mysteries directed by Hansal Mehta and Sujoy Ghosh respectively. Kapoor will also star in a female buddy film set in the airline industry, which will be directed by Rajesh Krishnan.


title: Kareena Kapoor

text: Alongside her acting work, Kapoor has established a career as a designer. During her five-year association with the retail chain Globus, Kapoor became the first Indian actress to launch her own line of clothing for women; she described the collaboration as being "special" and "reflective of my personal sense of style". Her collection made its debut several months later in stores across India, and was well received. Following the end of her contract with Globus, she expressed a desire to work with a design house to release her clothing line internationally, but later explained that those plans were on hold. In August 2018, Kapoor collaborated with Lakmé Cosmetics to launch her own line of cosmetics.


title: Kareena Kapoor

text: In 2009, Kapoor worked with nutritionist Rujuta Diwekar on "Don't Lose Your Mind, Lose Your Weight", a book on the principles of healthy eating habits. Published by Random House, the book was well received by critics, and sold 10,000 copies within its first twenty days. A follow-up, "Women and The Weight Loss Tamasha", was released two years later. It addressed the weight loss concerns and eating habits of women in various parts of their life, and featured Kapoor in a voice-over for the audiobook. In 2013, Kapoor released her autobiographical memoir, "The Style Diary of a Bollywood Diva", which was criticised by "Mint" for its "too-breezy" writing. Co-written alongside Rochelle Pinto, it became the first book to be launched under the Shobhaa De imprint of Penguin Books—a set of series that included celebrity memoirs, guides and biographies. Later that year, she collaborated with Diwekar for the third time on "The Indian Food Wisdom and The Art of Eating Right", a documentary film about nutrition. In 2021, she released "Pregnancy Bible" (co-authored with Aditi Shah Bhimjani), which became a commercial success.


title: Kareena Kapoor

text: During her years in the film industry, Kapoor has been actively involved in promoting children's education and the safety of women. In June 2010, she took part in the international campaign 1GOAL Education for All, and was appointed ambassador for the Shakti Campaign—a project launched by NDTV to combat violence against women—in commemoration of the 100th anniversary of International Women's Day. Two years later, Kapoor launched Channel V's anti-rape mobile app 'VithU'; she stated that with an increasing amount of violence against women in India, "[i]t [was] important for actors to stand up for issues because they can reach out to a lot of people."


title: Kareena Kapoor

text: In January 2014, Kapoor began working with UNICEF to advocate the education of girls and increase quality based education in India. Speaking of her association, she expressed hope in creating places "where children feel safe and secure, and where interactive and creative tools are used to ensure that children are happy and learning." During the first year, Kapoor visited schools in the states of Rajasthan and Maharashtra where she interacted with students and participated in fundraising events hosted by the Kasturba Gandhi Balika Vidyalaya organisation in the Jalna district. Along with UNICEF India's Goodwill Ambassador (Sharmila Tagore), Kapoor hosted a charity dinner to help raise awareness for the development of underprivileged kids, and launched the 'Child-Friendly School and Systems' (CFSS) package. She later donated an equivalent amount of the funds raised during a joint initiative by UNICEF and Groupon for a higher-quality learning environment in Indian schools.


title: Kareena Kapoor

text: The following year, she awarded 31 students and 5 teachers for their contribution towards the field of education in Chhattisgarh at the concluding ceremony of Child Rights Protection week. Also that year, Kapoor provided a voice-over for the documentary film "Girl Rising: Woh Padhegi, Woh Udegi" [She will learn, she will fly] for the organisation of the same name, and produced a documentary on women's empowerment. In June 2016, she spoke at an event organised by UNICEF in Lucknow to promote menstrual hygiene management. Following the birth of her son, Kapoor wrote an article published in "The Times of India" titled "Let's save our newborn babies", discussing infant mortality, and launched the "Every Child Alive" campaign to promote affordable and quality health care for mothers and their newborn. In May 2018, she was invited as a keynote speaker for a Mother's Day event in New Delhi organised by UNICEF.


title: Kareena Kapoor

text: Additionally, Kapoor has made public appearances to support other charitable organisations. She performed at a fundraiser for the World Youth Peace Summit in November 2003, and participated in a concert to raise money for victims of the 2004 Indian Ocean earthquake and tsunami. She visited Indian "jawans" (troops) in Rajasthan, for a special Holi weekend episode of NDTV's reality show "Jai Jawaan". In 2010, Kapoor adopted the village of Chanderi in Madhya Pradesh as part of NDTV's Greenathon Campaign, to provide the village with a regular supply of electricity. Four years later, she participated in a campaign to raise awareness on hunger and malnutrition in the world and made donations to the Kashmir flood relief. In September 2016, Kapoor attended the inaugural of Global Citizen India—a joint initiative by the music festival of the same name and The Global Education and Leadership Foundation. The following year, Kapoor became the brand ambassador for Swasth Immunised India, a campaign launched by the Network18 Group and Serum Institute of India to promote immunisation for children.


title: Kareena Kapoor

text: Kapoor has participated in several stage shows and world tours since 2002. Her first tour (Heartthrobs: Live in Concert (2002) with Hrithik Roshan, Karisma Kapoor, Arjun Rampal and Aftab Shivdasani) was successful in the United States and Canada. At the end of that year, she performed with several other Bollywood stars at Kings Park Stadium in Durban, South Africa in the show Now or Never.


title: Kareena Kapoor

text: Four years later, Kapoor returned to the stage with six other Bollywood celebrities in the successful Rockstars Concert world tour. The concert was originally scheduled to commence in April 2006, but was postponed due to the arrest of Salman Khan. It later began the following month and was staged in 19 cities across the United Kingdom, the United States and Canada. In 2008, Kapoor performed in Shah Rukh Khan's Temptation Reloaded 2008, a series of concerts in a number of countries. The show (which also featured Arjun Rampal, Katrina Kaif, Ganesh Hegde, Javed Ali and Anusha Dandekar) debuted at the Rotterdam Ahoy venue in Rotterdam, the Netherlands. Several months later she again joined Khan, Rampal and Kaif to perform for an audience of 15,000 at Dubai's Festival City Arena.


title: Kareena Kapoor

text: In 2018, Kapoor collaborated with Ishq FM to host a radio show "What Women Want". The show was well-received, earning Kapoor a nomination at the New York Festivals Radio Awards for "Best Talk Show Host", and later renewed for two more seasons. The following year, she featured as a talent judge for the seventh season of the dance reality show "Dance India Dance".


title: Kareena Kapoor

text: Known for her nonchalant relationship with the media, Kapoor has gained a reputation for discussing her private life with no reservations. As a child she regularly attended award ceremonies and events with her family, and would also accompany Karisma on-set during filming. In an interview with "Filmfare", she explained that growing up in a film family helped her develop a sense of professionalism and dedication towards her craft. Kapoor's private life has been the subject of media attention in India, with frequent press coverage of her weight and relationship with actor Saif Ali Khan. The couple—dubbed "Saifeena" by the entertainment media—has been one of the country's most-reported celebrity stories since 2007, and Kapoor gave birth to their sons in 2016 and 2021, respectively.


title: Kareena Kapoor

text: While a segment of the press has described Kapoor as friendly and extremely close to her family, others have criticised her for being arrogant and vain—an image she gained in the wake of her superficial character, Poo, in "Kabhi Khushi Kabhie Gham..." (2001). She subsequently featured in films portraying similar characters, and this further established her off- and on-screen personae. Before the release of "Chameli" (2004), in which she played a sex worker, Kapoor stated that "there is a certain image that people identify you with [and] [i]t always follows you whichever role you play. I am trying to transgress this image and become more screen-friendly than image-friendly." "Chameli" helped Kapoor reinvent her on-screen persona, and she later explained that her honesty and openness was often perceived by the media as arrogance.


title: Kareena Kapoor

text: Kapoor is also known for her assertive and moody nature, and her outspoken views and independence have been singled out for making major contributions to her career. In an early interview, she confessed to being an introvert yet blunt, reasoning: "Total faith and complete belief in myself is my attitude towards life, films and virtually everything else. I am all about doing what I feel is right. It is not easy to pin me down as I can be a bundle of contradictions." Journalist Subhash K. Jha explained that while this approach has sometimes been at the cost of professional opportunities, it "makes her such a favourite among the generation that believes in self regard being the highest form of creativity [...] She lives for the moment and crams all her intensity into it, not sparing a single thought for what is gone and what is waiting around the corner." Meanwhile, Anu Ahuja suggested that Kapoor's demeanour is an act; she is "cold and unapproachable so that no one will act funny with her".


title: Kareena Kapoor

text: Kapoor is considered one of the most popular Bollywood celebrities in India. Her look and performances have established her as a style icon for young women. In a 2009 poll conducted by "Daily News and Analysis", Kapoor was voted one of India's most popular icons; with her partner Saif Ali Khan, she was listed amongst the top celebrity endorsers for brands and products worldwide. She became the only Indian actress to be featured on CNNGo's list of "Who Mattered Most in India", and was later selected by "Verve" for its list of the country's most powerful women from 2008 to 2013 and in 2016. In June 2010, Kapoor was named "India's Most Beautiful Woman" by the Indian edition of "People" magazine; "Eastern Eye" and "Indian Maxim" named her as "Asia's Sexiest Woman" and "India's Hottest Woman" in 2011 and 2012 respectively. The following year, she was selected by "India Today" for its list of the country's most influential women. From 2012 to 2018, Kapoor has featured on "Forbes India"s "Celebrity 100", a list based on the income and popularity of India's celebrities, peaking at the seventh position in 2012 with an estimated annual earning of .


title: Kareena Kapoor

text: Kapoor relies on her instincts and spontaneity as an actor. She is known to commit heavily to each role, and refrains from rehearsing for a project. Commenting on this, director Rajkumar Hirani said "I usually have a habit of conducting rehearsals for my actors, but she insisted on not having them as it would affect her spontaneity. She really surprised me with a couple of emotional scenes which we canned in just one take." Karan Johar described Kapoor as a "natural", explaining that "she has no craft, grammar or process attached to her acting [...] It is a great sense of cinema that can keep her going." According to Rensil D'Silva (who directed her in "Kurbaan"), "Kareena [..] is instinctive and has emotional intelligence. She absorbs the situation and performs accordingly. Discussing the scene, in fact, harms her."


title: Kareena Kapoor

text: In 2010, Rediff.com noted: "[E]ven though a lot of her starring roles have been forgettable, [a] look at her filmography now, however, would show a more thoughtful selection of roles [...] playing to her strengths." Her portrayal of a series of superficial characters at the start of her career were criticised; film historian Gyan Prakash explained that these roles "tended to infantilise her, packaging her as daddy's little girl, all bubble and no fizz". Critics noted "Chameli" (2004) as her coming of age, claiming that "a new actor in her was discovered". Following her portrayal of a variety of character types in "Chameli", "Dev" (2004), "Omkara" (2006) and "Jab We Met" (2007), Kapoor was noted for her versatility. In 2010, "Filmfare" magazine included two of her performances—from "Omkara" and "Jab We Met"—in its list of "80 Iconic Performances". "India Today" labelled her "the most versatile female lead in the industry", noting that she "play[s] her roles with trademark spunk".


title: Kareena Kapoor

text: Manjula Sen of "The Telegraph" wrote although she has the worst success ratio among her contemporaries, it does not affect her marketability. Sen believed Kapoor's strength lies in her being versatile; she is "effortlessly honest in her performances. It is a candour that spills over in her personal conduct." Writing for News18, Rituparna Chatterjee spoke of her transformation to date: "[A]fter 40 films and 10 years of fighting off competition from some of the most versatile actors of her generation, Kareena has matured into a bankable actor reinventing herself with surprising ease." In 2004, Kapoor placed third on Rediff's list of "Top Bollywood Female Stars". She was later ranked seventh and fifth in 2005 and 2006 respectively, and returned to third place in 2007. In January 2011, Kapoor placed fourth on Rediff's list of "Top 10 Actresses of 2000–2010".


title: Kareena Kapoor

text: Kapoor has received six Filmfare Awards out of fifteen nominations. For her role in "Refugee", Kapoor was awarded the Best Female Debut in 2000. She earned a special jury recognition for "Chameli" (2003), and two Critics Award for Best Actress for "Dev" (2004) and "Omkara" (2006). Kapoor later received the Best Actress and Best Supporting Actress for "Jab We Met" (2007) and "We Are Family" (2010) respectively.


title: IU (singer)

text: Lee Ji-eun (; born May 16, 1993), also known by her stage name IU (), is a South Korean singer-songwriter, record producer and actress. She signed with LOEN Entertainment (now Kakao Entertainment) in 2007 as a trainee and debuted as a singer at the age of fifteen with her first extended play (EP) "Lost and Found" (2008). Although her follow-up albums, "Growing Up" and "IU...IM", brought mainstream success, it was only after the release of "Good Day" (), the lead single from her 2010 album "Real", that she achieved national stardom. "Good Day" went on to spend five consecutive weeks at the top of South Korea's Gaon Digital Chart, and in 2019, it was ranked number one on "Billboard"s "100 Greatest K-Pop Songs of the 2010s" list.


title: IU (singer)

text: With the success of her 2011 albums, "Real+" and "Last Fantasy", IU established herself as a formidable force on the music charts of her native country and further cemented her girl next door image as Korea's "little sister". 2011 also saw her first foray into songwriting with "Hold My Hand", which was written for the television series "The Greatest Love". IU's third studio album, "Modern Times" (2013), showcased a more mature musical style that marked a departure from her earlier girlish image, with several tracks reaching the top 10 on the Gaon Digital Chart. The album was ranked number two on "Billboard"'s "25 Greatest K-Pop Albums of the 2010s" list. IU subsequently exerted more creative control over her music; "Chat-Shire" marked the first time she was credited as the sole lyricist of her own album. IU's fourth studio album, "Palette" (2017), became her first to reach number one on "Billboard"'s World Albums chart. While her following records "Love Poem" and "Lilac" continued to deviate from mainstream K-pop styles, exploring and mixing various music genres, IU consistently retained her dominance on South Korean music charts.


title: IU (singer)

text: Her 2020 single "Eight" became her first to reach number one on the "Billboard" World Digital Song Sales chart.


title: IU (singer)

text: Aside from her music career, IU has ventured into acting and hosting radio and television shows. Following her supporting role in teen drama "Dream High" (2011) and minor appearances in several television series, she was cast in leading roles in television drama series "You Are the Best!" (2013), "Pretty Man" (2013–14), "The Producers" (2015) and "" (2016). IU's role as a desperate office worker in "My Mister" (2018) received critical acclaim, and she earned her first Best Actress in Television nomination at the 55th Baeksang Arts Awards. In 2019, she starred in anthology film series "Persona" and fantasy television series "Hotel del Luna", the latter of which led to her second Best Actress nomination at the Baeksang Arts Awards. In 2022, IU starred in Hirokazu Kore-eda's film "Broker" alongside Song Kang-ho, Bae Doona and Gang Dong-won. She is set to star in Lee Byeong-heon's upcoming film "Dream."


title: IU (singer)

text: IU has released a total of five studio albums and nine EPs thus far, five of which have reached number one on the Gaon Album Chart, and thirty number-one singles, making her the artist with the most number-one songs in South Korea. One of the best-selling solo acts in the group-dominated K-pop industry, IU became the first solo female K-pop act to perform at the Olympic Gymnastics Arena during the Seoul leg of her 2019 "Love, Poem" concert tour and also the first Korean female artist to hold a solo concert, The Golden Hour, at Seoul Olympic Stadium in Seoul on September 17 and 18, 2022. She has been included five times in the top ten of "Forbes" magazine's annual Korea Power Celebrity list since 2012 and attained a peak ranking of number three that year. In 2014, "Billboard" recognized IU as the all-time leader of its K-pop Hot 100 with the most number-one songs and the artist with the most weeks at the number-one position on the chart. She was named Gallup Korea's Singer of the Year in 2014 and in 2017.


title: IU (singer)

text: IU was born Lee Ji-eun on May 16, 1993, in Songjeong-dong, Seoul, South Korea. At an early age, IU showed interest in pursuing a career in the entertainment industry and began attending acting classes. Following her elementary school years, her family's financial situation deteriorated, and they eventually moved to the nearby Uijeongbu, in Gyeonggi Province. She and her younger brother lived apart from their parents in a studio room with their grandmother and cousin for over one year in conditions of great poverty. IU had little contact with her parents over this period of time, but felt reassured under her grandmother's care.


title: IU (singer)

text: During her middle school years, IU found her passion for singing and decided to become a singer after being applauded for a performance she gave at her school's sports competition. She attended 20 auditions but failed to succeed in any of them, and was also scammed by fake entertainment companies. She later trained at Good Entertainment with Uee, Yubin, Heo Ga-yoon, and Jun Hyo-seong. After signing with LOEN Entertainment in 2007, she moved to Bangbae, Seoul. Due to her poor living conditions at the time, IU stated that she "loved being at the studio", where she could eat as much as she wanted and had a place to sleep.


title: IU (singer)

text: Her burgeoning career led to her decreased attendance at school and declining grades, with the exception of Korean literature. After graduating from in 2012, IU decided not to pursue post-secondary education in tandem with her singing career.


title: IU (singer)

text: After training for ten months, IU made her debut in 2008 under her stage name, conceived by LOEN to mean "I and You become one through music." She performed her debut single, "Lost Child" (), live for the first time on the music program "M Countdown" on September 18, 2008, making it her debut performance as a professional singer. IU recalled the crowd had hurled insults at her during the performance and initially felt discouraged by it, although she now considers it a beneficial experience. "Lost Child" is the lead single from her debut extended play (EP) "Lost and Found", which was released on September 24, 2008. For the album, IU was awarded the "Rookie of the Month" by South Korea's Ministry of Culture, Sports and Tourism in November that same year. However, the album did not do well commercially. During an interview in 2011, IU said, "My first album failed, but I'm grateful for that. If I had become successful as soon as I made my debut, I wouldn't appreciate my staff members and the popularity that I'm enjoying now."


title: IU (singer)

text: On April 23, 2009, IU launched her first studio album, "Growing Up", with the lead promotional single, "Boo". She began her album promotion the next day, performing "Boo" on KBS2's "Music Bank". The song was noted for its stark contrast in musical style to "Lost Child", which was described as a "heavy" and "dark" ballad compared to the 1980s "retro sound" of "Boo". Deemed as a "strategic" transformation, the dance choreography, stage costume and hairstyle shown in live performances were used to emphasize her youthfulness and project a "cute" image. Although it drew a favorable response from the public, IU, who was fifteen years old at the time, admitted that the image made her feel awkward. Several songs from "Lost and Found" were featured on her debut studio album "Growing Up", including "You Know" (); a new rock-style arrangement of the song was released as the follow-up single to "Boo". Towards the end of 2009, IU released her second EP, "IU...IM". She began promoting its lead single, "Marshmallow" (), on music programs from November 13, 2009. Recalling the performances, IU stated on a 2013 episode of "Happy Together" that she disliked having to wear the girlish costumes and hairstyle fashioned for the song promotions. The performances were well-received and were once again labelled "cute", reminiscent of reviews for "Boo".


title: IU (singer)

text: As her popularity began to rise, IU made more frequent appearances on variety shows, performing on "Star Golden Bell", "Kim Jung-eun's Chocolate", and "You Hee-yeol's Sketchbook". Her acoustic covers of other artists' songs such as Girls' Generation's "Gee", Super Junior's "Sorry, Sorry", and Big Bang's "Lies" featured in these live performances gained tremendous interest online. In late 2009, she became a television presenter for the first time, hosting a weekly music chart show on Gom TV, while appearing as a fixed guest on multiple radio programs such as "Kiss the Radio", "Volume Up", MBC Standard FM's "Starry Night" and MBC FM4U's "Best Friend Radio".


title: IU (singer)

text: On June 3, 2010, IU released "Nagging" (), a duet which she recorded with 2AM's Lim Seul-ong. The single debuted at twelve on the Gaon Digital Chart and shot up to the number-one position the following week, where it remained for three weeks. Written by Kim Eana and composed by Lee Min-soo, the pop ballad duet was used as one of the theme songs for the second season of the variety show "We Got Married". Soon after, IU released "Because I'm a Woman" (), one of the theme songs of MBC's historical drama, "Road No. 1". The song peaked at number six on the Gaon Digital Chart. IU's collaboration with Sung Si-kyung on "It's You" () for his album, "The First", debuted at number one on the Gaon Digital Chart.


title: IU (singer)

text: IU's third EP, "Real", was released on December 9, 2010. Produced by Jo Yeong-cheol and Choi Gap-won, "Real" debuted at number four on the Gaon Album Chart. The lead single, "Good Day" (), reunited IU with lyricist Kim Eana and composer Lee Min-soo after "Nagging", whom she would work with again on the lead singles of her next two studio albums. The uptempo song, as explained by Kim Eana, is about "a shy girl who is nervous about expressing her feelings to the boy she likes." During the album's promotional period, IU also topped the charts on the music programs "M Countdown", "Music Bank", and "Inkigayo". Both Kim Eana and Lee Min-soo considered the main factors of the song's success to be the use of the word "oppa" () in the chorus, as well as the three high-pitched notes that IU sings in semitone increments during the climax of the song. In addition to receiving praise for her vocal abilities, IU's fan base also expanded to a more varied demographic as compared to other K-pop groups. "Billboard" magazine ranked "Good Day" at number one on their list "100 Greatest K-pop Songs of the 2010s".


title: IU (singer)

text: To maintain public visibility, IU joined the cast of the variety show "Heroes", which aired from July 18, 2010, to May 1, 2011. Speaking fondly of the show, IU recalled the camaraderie she built with the other regular cast members despite the hectic two-day shooting schedules which only allowed them two-three hours of sleep. Shortly after joining "Heroes", IU was cast in teen drama "Dream High". Filming ran from December 2010 to February 2011, during which time she remained committed to "Heroes" and her existing promotions for "Good Day". In her first acting role, IU played Kim Pil-sook, a shy and overweight school girl who dreams of becoming a professional singer. Admitting that she was doubtful about her readiness to take on acting, IU remarked that she gained confidence in learning that the part would require singing and would later describe the experience as a tremendously enjoyable one. For the series' soundtrack, she released the single, "Someday", which achieved number-one position on the Gaon Digital Chart on the week of January 30 – February 5, 2011. By the end of 2011, the single had sold 2,209,924 digital copies and is one of IU's best-selling singles for a soundtrack.


title: IU (singer)

text: A follow-up extended play to "Real" was released on February 16, 2011, with the title, "Real+", containing three songs. The lead single, "Only I Didn't Know" (), was composed by singer-songwriter Yoon Sang with lyrics written by Kim Eana. Yoon Sang wrote the song for IU after spotting her momentary sad expression on a television broadcast. The ballad's tone was a departure from her more recent releases, with IU describing it as dark, sad and sentimental, which is closer to her music preference. The song performed well commercially, debuting at number one on the Gaon Digital Chart.


title: IU (singer)

text: IU took on various side-projects after the end of "Dream High". On March 10, 2011, IU performed as the opening act for British singer-songwriter Corinne Bailey Rae's first solo concert in Seoul with two songs, before joining Bailey Rae during her performance of "Put Your Records On". Bailey Rae, whom IU described as her role model, said of IU, "It's incredible that her voice is so soulful even though she's young." In the same month, IU was appointed as one of the new hosts of the music program, "Inkigayo", a position which she held until July 2013. In May 2011, IU recorded her first self-composed song, "Hold My Hand" (), for the romantic-comedy television series, "The Greatest Love". The song peaked at number two on the Gaon Digital Chart and sold 2,031,787 digital copies in 2011. Between May and July 2011, IU took part in the reality ice-skating competition series, "Kim Yuna's Kiss & Cry", as a celebrity contestant until she was eliminated in the eighth episode. During this time, she also participated in "" but eventually withdrew after recording one episode due to her overwhelming schedule. On her wide-ranging activities in entertainment, IU remarked that while singing, acting, and variety are all difficult, she finds variety to be the most tiring.


title: IU (singer)

text: IU's second studio album, "Last Fantasy", was released on November 29, 2011. The "Korea JoongAng Daily" described the album as one that would "suit all kinds of musical tastes and fans", while "Billboard" noted the "cinematic feel" of the album as set by the opening track, "Secret". Produced by Jo Yeong-cheol, whom IU worked with on "Real", the album contains collaborative works with singer-songwriters such as Yoon Sang, Lee Juck and Ra.D. The total number of download sales made from the album's tracks exceeded 10 million within the first two weeks. Eight out of the album's thirteen songs debuted in the top ten on the Gaon Digital Chart, while the album debuted at number one on the Gaon Album Chart. The main single, "You & I" (), became IU's most commercially successful single with almost 5.5 million digital copies sold by the end of 2012. It topped the Gaon Chart as well as the newly established "Billboard" K-pop Hot 100 chart at the time of release.


title: IU (singer)

text: Shortly before the release of "Last Fantasy", IU signed with EMI Music Japan (now part of Universal Music Japan) as a precursor to her entry into the Japanese market. A selection of her previously released songs was compiled into an extended play called "I□U" that was released in Japan on December 14, 2011.


title: IU (singer)

text: As promotions for "Last Fantasy" and its main single "You & I" continued into 2012 in South Korea, IU began preparations for her debut in Japan by playing two shows at the Bunkamura Orchard Hall in Shibuya, Tokyo to an audience of about 4,000 people on January 24, 2012. She performed six songs including her debut single, "Lost Child", and the Japanese version of "Good Day" with the support of either a live orchestra or her own acoustic guitar accompaniment. Subsequent to the concert, both "Good Day" and "You & I" were released as new singles in Japan with translated lyrics to moderate success. According to Japan's Oricon Singles Chart, the single album of "Good Day" sold 21,000 physical copies on the first week of release with the single debuting on the chart at number six. On the "Billboard Japan" Hot 100, "Good Day" peaked at number 5. "You & I" peaked at number four on the Oricon Singles Chart and number eleven on the "Billboard Japan" Hot 100. In support of her Japanese single releases, IU toured five cities—Tokyo, Sapporo, Nagoya, Osaka and Fukuoka—in a mini-concert series called IU Friendship Showcase - Spring 2012.


title: IU (singer)

text: IU embarked on her first concert tour, Real Fantasy, in June 2012. She played shows in six different cities across South Korea, starting with two shows in Seoul. The opening shows on June 2–3 were sold out within 30 minutes of the tickets going on sale on April 17. It was reported that 43.8% of ticket purchasers were between the ages of 20 and 29, while 71% were male, which was considered uncommon for a K-pop concert. The tour continued to Ulsan, Jeonju, Suwon, Busan and Daegu, before returning to Seoul with two encore concerts that ended on September 23, 2012. Guest performers included Ra.D, Lim Seul-ong and Lee Seung-gi.


title: IU (singer)

text: Due to her commitments towards preparing for her first solo tour, IU was unable to make broadcast promotions for her fifth Korean extended play, "Spring of a Twenty Year Old" (), which was released on May 11, 2012. The album, named to celebrate IU turning the Korean age of 20, contains three songs with the lead single being "Peach" (). Self-composed by IU, "Peach" peaked at number two on the Gaon Digital Chart and number three on the "Billboard" K-pop Hot 100. The second single released from the album was "Every End of the Day" (), which topped the Gaon Digital Chart for two weeks and the "Billboard" K-pop Hot 100 for four weeks. In place of the usual 4–5 minute music video that usually accompanies a single release, a 26-minute-long documentary-style music film was shot in Venice and Burano and released alongside the album, featuring both "Peach" and "Every End of the Day".


title: IU (singer)

text: IU returned to Japan on September 17, 2012, to perform one show, titled IU Friendship Special Concert — Autumn 2012, at the Tokyo International Forum to a crowd of over 5,000 people. With Sunny Hill as a guest act, IU performed a mixture of her own songs and covers of Korean and Japanese songs such as "Juliette" by Shinee, "Friend" by Anzen Chitai and "Aishiteru" from the "Natsume's Book of Friends" anime series. Live recordings of "Friend" and "Aishiteru" from the event were later released as promotional digital singles. Nearing the end of her Real Fantasy tour and promotions in Japan, IU resumed her hosting duties on "Inkigayo" after taking a three-month leave due to concert commitments. She also became the host of MBC's short-lived television quiz show, "Quiz Show Q", alongside Park Myeong-su and Sun Bom Soo. On December 29, IU hosted the 2012 "SBS Gayo Daejeon", an annual music program, alongside Bae Suzy and actor Jung Gyu-woon. She was selected by the program's producer for her MC skills that she demonstrated on "Inkigayo".


title: IU (singer)

text: For her accomplishments over the past year, IU won two awards at the 2012 Seoul Music Awards; "Last Fantasy" was named Record of the Year, while she was among the ten musical acts who were awarded the Main Prize. At the Korean Music Awards, "Good Day" was named Song of the Year and Best Pop Song, while she was named Female Musician of the Year (Netizen Vote). "Billboard" magazine named IU as one of the hottest musicians under 21 years old in 2012 for her "unique charm and undeniable hits [that] have made her into a bona fide superstar".


title: IU (singer)

text: IU started 2013 by taking on her first leading role in a television series, playing the title role in "You're the Best, Lee Soon-shin". Her character was described as a "loser" who is seemingly average in every way except for her daring and bright personality, which helps her to overcome hardships. Despite the worries of casting someone who is better known as a singer in the role, director Yoon Sung-sik decided to cast IU after seeing her performance in "Dream High" and thought that she suited the image he had envisioned for the character. Her co-stars Go Doo-shim and Lee Ji-hoon, as well as the production crew, praised her performance, especially during emotional scenes. As the series progressed, IU's performance garnered positive critical reviews despite early reservations shown about her casting, with the viewership ratings reaching a peak of 30.8%. She was nominated for the Excellence in Acting Award (Best Actress in a Serial Drama) at the 2013 KBS Drama Awards. For the drama, she released a recording with her co-star Jo Jung-suk of her self-composed duet, "Beautiful Song" (), which was not included on the official soundtrack.


title: IU (singer)

text: In the same period, IU released her second Japanese extended-play album, "Can You Hear Me?", featuring her first original Japanese songs. Two tracks from the album were released as singles; "Beautiful Dancer" and "New World" peaked at number 66 and 76 respectively on the "Billboard Japan" Hot 100, ranking significantly lower than her Japanese-translated versions of "Good Day" and "You & I", which were top 10 releases. "Rolling Stone Japan" gave the album a positive review, highlighting "Beautiful Dancer" and "Truth" as stand-out tracks. In an interview with Oricon, IU recalled how shocked and touched she was to receive "Beautiful Dancer" and "Truth" from R&B producers Jimmy Jam and Terry Lewis. Her next Japanese single, "Monday Afternoon", was released on September 11, 2013, debuting at number 27 on "Billboard Japan" Hot 100 chart and number 9 on Japan's Oricon Daily Chart.


title: IU (singer)

text: Almost two years after "Last Fantasy", IU released her third studio album, "Modern Times", on October 8, 2013. It was described to be "a big shift from the young singer's K-pop roots" that showcased a "more mature and sophisticated sound and image" than her previous work. IU composed and wrote two out of the album's 13 tracks, which ranged from swing to jazz, bossa nova, Latin pop and folk genres. The diversity of jazz styles and the mix of collaborative tracks were highlighted in reviews by "Billboard" and "The Korea Herald". "Billboard" described the album as one that features "throwback vibes with a modern twist a la Christina Aguilera's "Back to Basics" record", with IU proving to have "musical sensibilities well beyond a typical 20-year-old". "The Korea Herald" wrote: "...vintage sounds and modern effects are put together artfully, forming a fresh but familiar compilation of songs. "Modern Times" has a distinct carefree feel that is reminiscent of jazz during the Roaring Twenties." "Modern Times" debuted at number one on the Gaon Album Chart, while seven of its tracks achieved top ten positions on the Gaon Digital Chart with the lead single, "The Red Shoes" (), placing in the number one position. Similarly, the album debuted number four on "Billboard"s World Albums Chart, with twelve tracks in the K-pop Hot 100 chart. The album was ranked number two on "Billboard"'s "25 Greatest K-Pop Albums of the 2010s" list.


title: IU (singer)

text: On the second week of her promotional activities for "Modern Times", IU decided to join the romantic-comedy series "Bel Ami". She played the "quirky" and "playful" role of Kim Bo-tong, a carefree girl in her twenties who has had an unrequited crush on the male protagonist since high school. For her performance, IU was nominated in the Outstanding Korean Actress category at the 2014 Seoul International Drama Awards. In support of "Modern Times", IU held her second concert tour with three shows which took place on November 23–24, 2013, at Kyung Hee University's Peace Hall in Seoul and ended on December 1, 2013, at KBS Hall in Busan. Promotions for "Modern Times" progressed into 2014 with IU performing in Hong Kong for the first time in a solo concert. A repackaged version of "Modern Times", titled "Modern Times — Epilogue", was released on December 20, 2013, with two additional tracks: "Friday" () and "Pastel Crayon" (). Her self-composed track, "Friday", was originally intended to be included in "Modern Times" but was later released as the lead single of "Modern Times — Epilogue". Described as a "mid-tempo, bossa nova number", "Friday" held the number one position on the "Billboard Korea" K-pop Hot 100 chart for two weeks after release. The lead single was successful on the Gaon Digital Chart, peaking at number one, and became the tenth best-selling digital single of 2014.


title: IU (singer)

text: IU released her sixth Korean extended-play and first cover album, "A Flower Bookmark" (), on May 16, 2014. The album contains seven renditions of tracks that hailed from the 1980s and 1990s with a mixture of genres that included ballad, dance, folk and rock. The album came about at the request of fans and due to the positive feedback she had previously received for her cover songs. Three tracks debuted in the top ten of the Gaon Digital Chart on the week of release, with the main single, "My Old Story" (), ultimately peaking at number 2. However, it was her collaboration with Kim Chang-wan on the remake of his 1984 song, "The Meaning of You" (), that became the best-selling track from the album and also her best-selling single of 2014. The album was well received by "The Korea Times" for providing "a pleasant, calming respite from the mainstream music of today's times", and praised IU for her reinterpretations: "For every track, IU keeps a careful balance between preserving the song's original sentiments and altering the original with her own color and arrangements." "Billboard" highlighted the track, "Pierrot Smiles at Us" (), as the "most ambitious tune she tackled" and one that proved her diversity as a singer.


title: IU (singer)

text: IU's wish to conduct a more intimate and smaller scale concert was fulfilled in her third solo Korean concert series, "Just One Step... That Much More". The concert series took place over eight nights from May 22 to June 1 at Sogang University's Mary Hall, which had a capacity of 450 people. Tickets to all eight shows were sold out within 10 minutes of release on May 7, 2014. As well as playing the keyboard for the first time on stage, IU performed all the seven songs from "A Flower Bookmark" among various new arrangements of her earlier songs. Guest acts included Kim Jong-hyun, Jung Yong-hwa, Hwang Kwanghee, Kim Bum-soo, Lim Seul-ong, Jo Jung-suk, Ha Dong-kyun and Akdong Musician. Profits made from the concerts were donated to the victims of the Sewol Ferry Disaster.


title: IU (singer)

text: Two months after her solo concerts ended, IU made her debut performance in the United States at the KCON music festival held in Los Angeles on August 9–10. IU was the only female act to perform on the first day of KCON and for the event, she performed "The Red Shoes", "You & I", "Friday", and "You Know". In their review, "Los Angeles Times" opined that IU had a "sprightly stage presence, and as a solo female singer, she's breaking the molds for K-pop stardom." IU expressed her anxiety performing at the event in her interview with "Billboard": "I always get nervous when I'm performing at international shows... I think I need to study English for the next visit to the U.S. It's suffocating not being able to communicate with fans..."


title: IU (singer)

text: Throughout 2014, IU's collaborations with other artists spawned top-ten hits: "Not Spring, Love, or Cherry Blossoms" (), the debut single of High4, which featured IU as lyricist and vocalist, reached number one on both the Gaon Digital Chart and "Billboard Korea" K-pop Hot 100; "Anxious Heart" (), recorded by Ulala Session and IU in 2012 but was released more than a year later out of respect for the death of Ulala Session's lead vocalist, peaked at number four on the Gaon Digital Chart; "Sing for Me" (), which was released as part of g.o.d's eighth studio album, peaked at number nine on the Gaon Digital Chart; "Sogyeokdong" (), written by Seo Taiji for his "Quiet Night" album and sung by IU in the October 2 release version, debuted at number four on the Gaon Digital Chart; and "When Would It Be" (), a duet with her labelmate Yoon Hyun-sang for his debut album, "Pianoforte", which also peaked at number nine on the Gaon Digital Chart. After "Not Spring, Love, or Cherry Blossoms" topped "Billboard Korea" K-pop Hot 100 chart, IU became its "all-time chart leader" with five number-one songs and the artist who has spent the most weeks at number one since the chart's creation in September 2011.


title: IU (singer)

text: In 2015, two years after her last acting role, IU starred alongside Kim Soo-hyun, Cha Tae-hyun, and Gong Hyo-jin in "The Producers" , which was named as one of the most anticipated TV series of the year in South Korea. She played Cindy, a diva-like singer who decides to participate in a variety show to improve her public image. Analysing her character's perceived icy demeanor, IU commented that she could relate to her character's "biting attitude" and how similar her character was to herself. The series and IU's portrayal of Cindy were met with lukewarm reviews at the premier but both the viewership and critical response improved over the course of the series, peaking at 17.7% viewership for the last episode. She performed two songs in character, "Twenty Three" and "Heart" (), both of which were later included as bonus tracks on her 2015 album, "Chat-Shire". While she wrote the lyrics for both songs, she also composed the music for "Heart", which was released as a digital single on May 18. "Heart" topped the charts upon its release and went on to become the tenth best-selling digital single of 2015 in South Korea. "Heart" was among a slew of K-pop songs used by South Korea's Defense Ministry in its propaganda broadcasts to North Korea during the two countries' tense standoff in August 2015, with the aim of advertising the "South Korean youth culture". Through "The Producers", IU's popularity in China soared—reportedly receiving offers for several projects from Chinese companies.


title: IU (singer)

text: After the completion of "The Producers", IU participated in the biennial music festival event hosted by the variety show, "Infinite Challenge", in which each participating singer-songwriter is partnered with one of the six hosts to create a song for the festival. The preparation process and festival event were aired over the course of seven episodes. She was partnered with Park Myeong-su, with whom she recorded and performed the song, "Leon" (as inspired by the film ""). The live performance event on August 13, 2015, attracted an estimated crowd of 40,000 at Alpensia Ski Jumping Stadium as shown in the final episode, which achieved a 21.1% viewer's rating on its August 22 airdate. Subsequent to the final episode's broadcast, "Leon" was released along with the other songs from the festival as a digital track and on the official festival album. "Leon" reached number one on all of South Korea's music charts upon release.


title: IU (singer)

text: IU's seventh Korean extended play, "Chat-Shire", was released digitally on October 23, 2015, prior to its physical release on October 27. IU asserted greater creative control on the album, writing the lyrics for all seven tracks (as well as the physical album's two bonus tracks) and composing the music for five tracks either individually or collaboratively. She was also credited as the album's executive producer. The lead single, "Twenty-Three" (), topped the national music charts upon release with several of the album's tracks also ranking in the top ten. The album reached a peak position of number four on "Billboard"s World Albums chart. "Billboard" described the album as a "must-hear" release, containing "some of [IU's] most personal music yet", and named "The Shower" () as its stand-out track.


title: IU (singer)

text: Despite positive critical reviews and success in the music charts, the album became controversial due to the lyrics of "Zezé" and the audio samples used in the bonus track "Twenty Three" (not to be confused with the similarly titled lead single). On November 4, the Korean publisher of the novel "My Sweet Orange Tree", from which IU drew inspiration for the song "Zezé", stirred debate in the entertainment industry on freedom of interpretation when it leveled criticisms at IU for her interpretation of the five-year-old protagonist as a "sexual object". Two days later, IU issued a public statement: "I did not mean to turn Zeze into a sexual object... but I realize that my lyrics have offended many, and for this I apologize." On November 10, the publisher released an apology for its failure to acknowledge "diversity of interpretation." For the bonus track "Twenty Three", voice samples from Britney Spears' "Gimme More" were allegedly used without permission. "Billboard" ranked "Chat-Shire" the sixth best K-pop album of 2015, explaining that "IU knows how to take the sounds of yesterday and update them to stunning results."


title: IU (singer)

text: Prior to the release of "Chat-Shire", LOEN announced that IU would not be partaking in broadcast promotions for the album and would instead be holding a national tour from November to December 2015. The Chat-Shire tour began in Seoul on November 21 and continued to Busan, Daegu and Gwangju, before returning to Seoul, where it ended on December 31. In the midst of her concert tour for "Chat-Shire" in South Korea, IU also increased promotional activities in Hong Kong, China and Taiwan, hosting fan-meetings and concerts in various cities as well as releasing a compilation album, "Smash Hits", to the Taiwanese market on December 11, 2015. Containing 16 previously released songs, "Smash Hits" was published by Warner Music Taiwan and topped the K-pop album chart of Taiwan's leading online music store, KKBOX, on its first week of release. Tickets to her concert of January 10, 2016, in Taiwan also sold out within two minutes of going on sale. Towards the end of 2015, IU hosted SBS's annual end-of-year music program, "Gayo Daejeon", with Shin Dong-yup. The program's producers said of their host selection, "IU has been deeply acknowledged for her musical talents, moving beyond the image of 'Korea's cute younger sister'." For her accomplishments in 2015, "Ize" listed IU as one of the "Persons of the Year", while "GQ Korea" named her as the "Woman of the Year".


title: IU (singer)

text: In September 2016, IU starred as the lead role, Hae Soo, in "", a Korean adaptation of the Chinese novel "Bu Bu Jing Xin".


title: IU (singer)

text: IU published her fourth studio album, "Palette", on April 21, 2017, of which she served as the primary lyricist and executive producer. Three singles from the album were released earlier; the lead single of the same name featuring G-Dragon from Big Bang; as well as two pre-release tracks "Through the Night" () and "Can't Love You Anymore". "Palette" () debuted atop "Billboard" World Albums chart, a first for the singer, and topped local charts in both album sales and downloads. "Billboard" highlighted and complimented IU's stronger creative control on the album, saying that it successfully allowed listeners to learn more about her and ultimately paving way for greater success both in Korea and internationally. "Palette" was a commercial success, with all three singles from the album peaking at the top of the Gaon Digital Chart, with the main single, "Palette" spending a total of two weeks at number 1. However, it was her first pre-release track, "Through the Night" that became the best-selling track from the album and also her best-selling single of 2017.


title: IU (singer)

text: "Palette" was also critically acclaimed and received multiple accolades, including "Best Pop Album" at the 15th Korean Music Awards, "Album of the Year" at the Melon Music Awards, and "Record of the Year (Album)" award at the 27th Seoul Music Awards; IU herself was awarded the Best Female Artist at the Mnet Asian Music Awards. The album also earned IU a "Best Songwriter" award at the Melon Music Awards, a "Lyricist of the Year" award at the seventh Gaon Chart Music Awards and a "Producer of the Year" award for herself and her production team. IU also received the "Song of the Year" award at the 32nd Golden Disc Awards for her hit song "Through the Night". "Billboard" magazine listed "Palette" at number six on its list of "Best K-Pop Songs of 2017", explaining "The mellow-dy belies a topsy-turvy world of self-satire, idiosyncratic sound effects and throwbacks to older eras." "The New York Times Magazine" also featured "Palette" on its list of "25 Songs That Tell Us Where Music Is Going", making IU the only Asian artist to make the list while appreciating IU's ability as a singer-songwriter to project authenticity in K-pop. Furthermore, "Billboard" ranked "Palette" the best K-pop album of 2017, explaining that "An album as impressive and sonically diverse as "Palette" proves why injecting an artist's personal experiences into their music can lead to their greatest work yet."


title: IU (singer)

text: IU released her second cover album, "A Flower Bookmark 2" on September 22, 2017. Like its predecessor, the album contained renditions of tracks released from the 1960s to the early 2000s with a mixture of genres such as folk, retro, ballad and nu-disco. Prior to the album's release, a single titled "Autumn Morning" was released without prior notice on September 18 to mark the singer's ninth anniversary. The album was originally intended to include Kim Kwang-seok's track "With the Heart to Forget You", however, due to recent events surrounding the singer's family, it was ultimately decided that the track would be removed out of respect for the ongoing investigations. She later went on a tour in various cities around Korea as well as Hong Kong from November to December 2017 to promote the album. IU was also featured in the title song, "Love Story", of Epik High's ninth album, "We've Done Something Wonderful", which was released on October 23, 2017. Gallup Korea ranked her the most popular K-pop artist of 2017 (she previously topped the ranking in 2014) and also the most popular K-pop idol of the year.


title: IU (singer)

text: In March 2018, IU starred in tvN's "My Mister", playing the character Lee Ji-an. The series was commercially and critically successful with peak audience ratings of 7.3% making it one of the highest rated Korean dramas in cable television history, and positive reviews for IU's performance. IU then contributed her vocals to Zico's "Soulmate", which was released on July 23, 2018. Upon release, the single topped the daily and real time charts of all 6 major Korean music sites and claimed the number-one position on the Gaon Digital Chart.


title: IU (singer)

text: To commemorate her tenth debut anniversary, IU released a single titled "Bbibbi" in October 2018. The music video was released alongside the single on October 10, 2018. The following day, Kakao M confirmed that "Bbibbi" had surpassed one million unique listeners on Korea's largest music site, Melon, only 16 hours after its release. They stated that by 23 hours in, it had already broken the previous 24-hour unique listener record set by her duet "Leon" with Park Myung-su in 2015. "Bbibbi" went on to record a total of 1,462,625 unique listeners in the first 24 hours of its release. The single peaked at number one on the Gaon Digital Chart, and at number five on the "Billboard"'s World Digital Songs Chart. "Billboard" magazine listed "Bbibbi" at number 87 on its list of "Best Songs of 2018", explaining "The single not only comments on IU's experiences in the public life, but it doubles as a universal empowerment anthem, knowing and acknowledging one's worth and personal rights." The single was also listed at number 4 on "Billboard"'s list of "The 20 Best K-pop Songs of 2018". IU began her first Asian tour, titled IU 10th Anniversary Tour Concert, on October 28, 2018. Two months later, IU featured on Kim Dong-ryul's "Fairytale", which peaked at number four on the Gaon Digital Chart.


title: IU (singer)

text: On April 11, 2019, IU made her film debut in the Netflix anthology series "Persona". She portrayed different characters in each of the four short films which were written and directed by the critically acclaimed directors Lee Kyoung-mi, Yim Pil-sung, Jeon Go-woon and Kim Jong-kwan. It was the sixth most popular program on Netflix in Korea in 2019. During the summer, IU starred in the fantasy mystery drama "Hotel del Luna", written by the Hong Sisters. She also sang one of the songs on the soundtrack, "Happy Ending". The drama was a commercial success, recording the highest ratings in its timeslot throughout its run. IU was set to release her ninth extended play, "Love Poem", on November 1. However, she decided to postpone the EP's release to November 18 following her close friend Sulli's death. Her single "Peach" (2012), inspired by Sulli, re-entered charts as a tribute to the late singer. The EP's eponymous lead single was released as planned, subsequently peaking at number one on the Gaon Digital Chart, and at number nine on "Billboard"s World Digital Songs Chart. On November 2, 2019, IU began her second Asian tour, titled Love Poem, in Gwangju. Nearly 90,000 fans attended her two-month tour during which she visited 10 cities.


title: IU (singer)

text: On January 3, 2020, it was announced that IU would star in the film "Dream" alongside Park Seo-joon. Directed by Lee Byeong-heon, it will tell the story of people participating in the Homeless World Cup. For the first time in nine years, IU participated in a soundtrack album with the song "Give You My Heart" for the hit romantic comedy "Crash Landing on You". Released on February 15, 2020, it debuted at number 71 on South Korea's Gaon Digital Chart, 2020, rising and reaching number one the following week. On May 6, 2020, IU released the single "Eight" featuring and produced by BTS's Suga. It follows IU's previous singles "Twenty-Three" (2015) and "Palette" (2017) which together comprise her "coming-of-age" series. The song's title derives from the last digit of the Korean age "twenty-eight" of both artists. On June 19, 2020, IU released the song "Into the I-LAND" as the signal song for the survival reality show "I-Land".


title: IU (singer)

text: On January 9, 2021, IU won Song of the Year at the 35th Golden Disc Awards for "Blueming", becoming the first female soloist to win two grand prizes in the award show's history. While onstage accepting her award, she hinted that she would be soon returning with a new single titled "Celebrity" and that the new song would have a refreshing and cheerful pop sound. Two days later, Edam Entertainment confirmed her return with the pre-release single "Celebrity" on January 27, 2021. On March 3, she announced her fifth studio album, "Lilac", which was released on March 25 to immediate commercial success; the album debuted atop the Gaon Album Chart, and all tracks had simultaneously charted in the top 30 of the Gaon Digital Chart. In October, IU announced that her digital single "Strawberry Moon" would be released on October 19. IU later teased a special album titled "Pieces", which was released on December 29.


title: IU (singer)

text: IU's first project of 2022 was the collaborative single "Ganadara" with Jay Park, which peaked at number one on both the Gaon Digital Chart and the "Billboard" K-pop Hot 100. Her first documentary, "Pieces:29th Winter", was scheduled to release on March 16 but was later postponed to March 23. On April 13, IU completed the filming of her first feature film "Dream" in Hungary. Commenting on her experience shooting the film, she said, "It was my first feature film shooting. It has accumulated more memories than any other work, so I think it will remain in my memory for a long time."


title: IU (singer)

text: The following month, IU starred in the film "Broker", playing single mother So-young, who initially decides to leave her newborn at a baby box but later changes her mind and tries to retrieve her child. Director Hirokazu Kore-eda choose to cast IU after seeing her moving performance in "My Mister" (2018), as he felt that she was the only actress who could embody So-young's character. "Broker" was chosen to compete for the Palme d'Or, and its premiere was held at the 75th Cannes Film Festival. Film critic Ben Rolph praised IU's performance, writing that "it is K-pop singer-turned actor Lee Ji-eun who leads the ensemble down its path of brilliance as she performs her heart out, she is the soul of the film." The performance earned her a nomination for Best New Actress at the 27th Chunsa International Film Festival.


title: IU (singer)

text: On July 27, 2022, it was announced that IU would hold a concert, , at the Seoul Olympic Stadium on September 17 and 18, becoming the first Korean female artist to perform there.


title: IU (singer)

text: IU has been credited for writing over seventy-two songs over the course of her career, including music for her career as a solo artist, songs for other performers and various songs for film or drama. The first two songs for which she received songwriting credit were Yoo Seung-ho's "Believe in Love", which she featured on, for the compilation album "Road for Hope", and "Alone in the Room" from her third extended play (EP) "Real". Her first self-composition was "Hold My Hand" for "The Greatest Love" in 2011. Considering the fact that she wrote the song not for herself but at the behest of the drama's producers, IU found the experience difficult as she had to match the drama's cheerful tone. On her second studio album "Last Fantasy", IU began to take more creative control over her music, writing six of the thirteen total tracks. Her following studio album "Modern Times" and its re-release "Modern Times – Epilogue" was also mostly written by IU and South Korean lyricist Kim Eana, who had previously wrote multiple tracks on "Last Fantasy". IU wrote the lyrics to each track on her subsequent releases, "Chat-Shire" and "Palette," with the exception of one song on the latter, and served as executive producer of both. The lyrics on her fifth EP "Love Poem" were entirely self-written, and she received composition credits on two tracks, "The Visitor" and "Blueming". IU wrote lyrics to all the tracks on her fifth studio album, "Lilac". Additionally, she helped compose two of the album's singles, "Coin" and "Celebrity". IU has also written and performed multiple songs for various South Korean films and dramas, including "The Producers", "My Mister", "Bel Ami" and "Hotel Del Luna". Sixteen of the tracks written by IU have been released as singles, with eleven of those reaching the top of the Gaon Digital Chart, including "Through the Night" and "Friday", the third and fifth best-selling singles in South Korea, with more than six million and five million sales, respectively.


title: IU (singer)

text: According to "The Korea Herald", consolation is one of the core themes explored in IU's music, most notably in "Through the Night" and "Dear Name", both songs both from "Palette".


title: IU (singer)

text: IU possesses a soprano vocal range, with acoustician and professor Myung-jin Bae expressing her range also has mezzo-soprano qualities when writing an article comparing her voice to Hyun Bin. Her vocal ability is often met with positive reception. Monique Danao of "South China Morning Post" noted that IU could quickly transition from a "sweet" voice to "hit powerful notes". On his 2011 academic paper co-written by Doo-heon Kyon at Soongsil University, Bae used "Good Day" as the basis for his vocal analysis, stating that when IU reached the highest note (F♯) in the three-note increment, her stability in frequency showed a lengthy duration with abundant lung capacity, and commenting that she "expresses well beyond the highest range required by the soprano [voice type]".


title: IU (singer)

text: Since her debut in 2008, IU has received over 200 award nominations, winning over 100 of them. She has won twenty-one Melon Music Awards, sixteen Gaon Chart Music Awards, five Korean Music Awards, eleven Mnet Asian Music Awards, seven Seoul Music Awards, and eight Golden Disc Awards. IU has also won several awards for her work as an actress, earning the title "Best New Actress" at the 2014 KBS Drama Awards for her performance in "You're the Best, Lee Soon-shin".


title: IU (singer)

text: IU has received ten Daesang (grand prize) awards from various award shows, including five from the Melon Music Awards and three from the Golden Disc Awards. In 2012, she was named to the "Forbes" Korea Power Celebrity list as one of the most influential people in South Korea, and has since been mentioned five times. Additionally, IU was honored at the 2015 Korean Popular Culture and Arts Awards, held by the Korean Ministry of Culture, Sports and Tourism, for her influence and success in the music industry.