IU explains why her Europe trip photos with Yoo In Na are blurry

An unexpected secret was hidden within the photos documenting the 15-year friendship between IU and Yoo In Na. IU personally revealed the truth behind the Europe travel photos that many fans had questioned, asking, "Why is the image quality so poor?" The reason is so simple it brings a smile to one's face.

During a recent chat event with fans, IU received questions regarding a video capturing her memories with Yoo In Na. In particular, photos taken during their trip to Europe approximately 10 years ago became a hot topic. The image quality was so blurry that it was difficult to compare them to photos taken with today's cutting-edge smartphones. Curiosity among fans even led to requests to "release the original files."

However, IU's explanation was unexpected. The original photos remain on Yoo In Na's old mobile phone, and she hasn't been able to transfer them to a recent smartphone. Ultimately, the method IU chose was surprisingly simple: she displayed the old photos on Yoo In Na's phone screen and filmed the screen itself to include in the video. It wasn't that the quality was inherently bad, but rather that it was a "copy of a mobile phone screen."

What makes it even more interesting is that these photos are not just simple travel proofs. IU recently released a video collecting 15 years of memories with Yoo In Na. It carefully captures everything from their youthful days to traveling together and visiting each other's events. Among them, the two looking at the camera in Europe 10 years ago with much younger faces has been embraced by fans as a "friendship time capsule."

The special relationship between IU and Yoo In Na is already well-known in the entertainment industry. The two have maintained their friendship over a long period by appearing at each other's broadcasts and events, and this time, IU expressed her feelings for Yoo In Na through a new song. Even the title, "Dear my crazy soulmate," is unique. IU participated in writing the lyrics herself and clearly identified the protagonist of the song by writing "To Yoo In Na" in the music video description.

As a result, some reactions suggest that these "low-quality photos" feel even more special. In an era where old photos can be perfectly restored through AI restoration or high-definition conversion, IU chose not to use a perfectly restored image, but instead brought out the memories sleeping inside Yoo In Na's old phone exactly as they were. While the clarity was lacking, the photos felt more vivid by the very amount of time they had passed.

"From This Star," the digital single released by IU on the 10th, includes "Dear my crazy soulmate." IU participated in writing the lyrics for both songs. If there is something that cannot be revived even with the latest technology, it is likely these kinds of memories. The photos were blurry, but the 15-year friendship was clearer than anyone else's—this is why fans found the scene so touching.