IU sparks speculation with Chang Kiha song choice after breakup

Singer and actress IU is drawing significant attention after choosing a song by her former partner Chang Kiha as background music in her first recent update following her breakup with actor Lee Jong-suk. Although no explanation was provided, the unexpected song choice has led to various interpretations from netizens.

On the 6th, IU shared several photos of her daily life on her SNS, accompanied by captions such as "Hello, it's been a while," "Living life diligently," and "A very late birthday meal."

The photos include natural selfies taken before and after makeup, shots taken inside a vehicle, and moments of relaxing in comfortable attire. She also shared glimpses of spending friendly time with actress Lee Yeon, delivering a welcome update to her fans.

However, what first caught the eyes of fans was not the photos, but the background music of the post.

IU selected "Living Without Incident," the representative song by Kiha & The Faces released in 2009, as the background music. Since it is a song by her former partner with whom she had a public relationship in the past, reactions online have described the song choice as unexpected.

Chang Kiha and IU first connected through the SBS Power FM program "Jang Kiha's Great Radio" in 2013 and subsequently developed a romantic relationship. The two officially acknowledged their relationship in 2015, drawing massive attention as a couple with an 11-year age difference, and continued their public relationship for about two years before breaking up in 2017.

Later, in 2022, IU began a public relationship with actor Lee Jong-suk. At the time, Lee mentioned "that person who has supported me for a long time" during his award acceptance speech, and the relationship was officially confirmed once it was revealed that the person was IU. IU also expressed her affection to fans, describing him as "a reliable and cute person who has supported me for a long time and always tells me I'm wonderful."

However, the two broke up last month, approximately four years after starting their public relationship. On July 10, Lee's side stated, "It is true that the two have broken up," adding, "They have decided to remain good colleagues."

Coincidentally, Chang Kiha previously admitted to a relationship with actress Yoon Gai this past June. It is known that the two met through Coupang Play's "SNL Korea Season 4" in 2023 and developed a relationship based on their shared interests in music and film.

Regarding IU's song choice, various reactions have emerged online.

Some netizens commented, "She seems cool enough to post a former boyfriend's song so casually after a breakup," "Even the title 'Living Without Incident' feels strangely significant," and "Isn't this a meaningful song choice?"

On the other hand, many opinions suggested, "It's been almost 10 years since they broke up, so it's probably just music now," "She just chose a song she likes; there's no need to overinterpret," and "Attributing meaning to every song choice is an excessive interpretation."

In reality, IU has offered no explanation regarding why she chose that specific song. Therefore, the various interpretations surrounding this song choice are strictly the speculations of netizens.

Recently, as her chronic symptoms of patulous Eustachian tube worsened, IU canceled her Goyang concert scheduled for this September and postponed the release schedule for her 6th regular album. She is currently taking a temporary break from activities to focus on treatment and recovery.