During a tribute to the late Wheesung, whom she looked up to in the music industry, IU expressed her gratitude.

On the morning of the 2nd, an interview with IU, the lead actress of Netflix's When Life Gives You Tangerines, took place at the Ambassador Seoul Pullman Grand Ballroom.

The Netflix original series When Life Gives You Tangerines unfolds the adventure-filled life of the 'feisty rebel' Aesoon (played by IU) and 'clumsy tough guy' Gwansik (played by Park Bo-gum), born in Jeju in the 1960s, over the four seasons. Scriptwriter Im Sang-chun, known for her uniquely heartfelt stories in works like 'When the Camellia Blooms' and 'Fight for My Way', collaborated with director Kim Won-seok, who has conveyed empathy, comfort, and encouragement through pieces like 'My Mister', 'Signal', and 'Misaeng'. The production cost totaled approximately 600 billion won, featuring stellar performances by IU, Park Bo-gum, Mun So-ri, Park Hae-jin, Yeom Hye-ran, Oh Jung-se, Kim Sun-ho, Lee Joon-young, and Kang Mal-geum.

The remarkable scheduling stood out compared to Netflix's usual practice of releasing entire series at once. Starting with the first act (episodes 1-4) on the 7th of last month, a total of 16 episodes were showcased weekly in increments of 4 episodes over 4 weeks. In its 3rd week of release, the series topped the global TOP 10 series (non-English) category and after the release of the 4th act, it recorded 6,000,000 viewers (the value obtained by dividing the viewing time by the show's total running time), landing 3rd in the global TOP 10 series (non-English) category, achieving great success.

IU took on dual roles as the young Aesoon in her teens, a married woman alongside Gwansik in her twenties, and as middle-aged Aesoon's daughter, Geum-myeong. Most notably, in the first act, the charming chemistry between IU and Park Bo-gum garnered explosive responses; however, while IU appeared throughout the 4th act, Park Bo-gum's presence dramatically diminished after the 2nd act, leading to discussions about 'missing parts.'

This year, IU is actively working not only as a singer but also as an actress, filming the MBC drama '21st Century Noblewoman' (tentative title), in addition to When Life Gives You Tangerines, alongside Byun Woo-seok.

IU, known for valuing personal relationships and taking good care of those around her, personally visited the wake of the late Wheesung, who sadly passed away last month. It turns out that IU had performed as a guest at Wheesung's concert during her rookie days and has a connection through her remake of Wheesung's 'Rain Drop.'

In regard to this, IU said, "Wheesung sunbaenim (senior) has truly complimented me since my trainee days. He had deep connections with the producers and songwriters we both knew. He often visited the practice studio I went to, and sometimes he would listen to the trainees sing and provide advice, leaving me with many good memories. I am still grateful for that."

Additionally, IU stated, "In fact, I didn't frequently communicate with him or have many conversations, but I have a lot of thankful memories from when I was a rookie. To perform as a guest at such a significant senior's concert means a lot and signifies that he was giving me an opportunity. I am sincerely grateful to him in that regard," continuing to express her admiration and gratitude.

Meanwhile, the late Wheesung was found in a state of cardiac arrest at his home in Gwangjin-gu, Seoul, at around 6:29 p.m. on the 10th of last month. He was 43 years old. The police reported that no signs of external intrusion or indications of homicide were found, referring the case to the National Forensic Service for an autopsy, and verbally received an initial opinion of 'cause of death unknown.'

Recently, during a press conference held at the Cheongsa in Mihwa-dong, Seodaemun-gu, a spokesperson from the Korean National Police Agency stated regarding the death of the late Wheesung, "We have received the autopsy results from the National Forensic Service. So far, no indications of criminal activity have been confirmed," adding, "However, I will not disclose specific details considering the dignity of the deceased and the family's concern over secondary victimization."

Numerous colleagues, including IU, visited the funeral to pay their respects, and Wheesung's family decided to donate all condolence money in his name.

[Photo provided by Netflix]

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