IU Confesses Her Feelings to Senior Actor 17 Years Older

On April 18, actress and singer IU appeared on the YouTube channel “Baek Eun-ha’s Exchange” and opened up about her co-stars in the Netflix series “When Life Gives You Tangerines.“

Speaking about Park Bo-gum, IU praised him as “a genuinely good and clear person.” She recalled a moment on set when, despite being unwell himself, Park Bo-gum gently guided a young actor who had used inappropriate language by saying, “Do you know what that word means? Promise uncle you won’t say it again.” IU admired this side of him, saying, “Watching him take on the role of a responsible adult made me think he’s really cool. I often asked him things like, ‘How was that scene? Which one felt more like Ae-soon?’ He always gave honest feedback, which made me feel supported.”

IU also shared warm memories of actor Park Hae-joon, with whom she has now worked on three projects—”My Mister,” “Broker,” and “When Life Gives You Tangerines.” “We didn’t have any scenes together in Broker, but we still took a selfie,” she said with a smile. “I’ll definitely take another one when we meet again. I really like him in my heart—he’s bold, considerate, and funny.” She admired his professionalism, saying he kept smiling even after waiting for 8–9 hours.

IU expressed deep affection for veteran actress Yeom Hye-ran as well, saying, “On set, she’s very quiet and doesn’t talk much. But once filming starts, she immerses herself in the role so deeply that just watching her brought tears to my eyes.” IU confessed, “I never managed to tell her how much I like her. I never imagined I’d get to share the screen with her so soon. She’s amazing. I really like you.”

Finally, she highlighted actress Chae Seo-an, who played young Yeong-ran in the drama, as her personal pick for a rising star, “I was surprised during the script reading. She handles such a wide range of roles—from childhood to old age—with such creativity and depth.” IU revealed that Seo-an was nervous about acting alongside her, so she reached out first to ease the tension, “I felt bad for already being someone that could make others nervous. But after she relaxed, her performance really came alive. I think she’ll receive even more love in the future.”

In 2025, IU has once again proven her prowess as an actress through her role in the Netflix original series “When Life Gives You Tangerines.” The drama, which chronicles the life of a woman over four decades, showcases IU’s remarkable ability to embody a character from her teenage years through to her 40s. This performance has earned her a nomination for Best Actress (TV Division) at the prestigious 2025 Baeksang Arts Awards.