A report of singer IU being spotted in China drew unexpected malicious comments that made people frown.
Recently a netizen posted on their SNS, "I actually met IU on Nanjing East Road in Shanghai. I thought, could that really be IU? but it really was IU. It was truly a movie-like coincidence. I never imagined something like this would happen in Shanghai," and released a short video.
The video captured a chance sighting of IU on Nanjing East Road in Shanghai. Wearing a burgundy cap, a gray knit, and denim shorts, IU added points with a shoulder bag and burgundy shoes. When IU appeared, a large crowd gathered, and she waved in response to the fans' support.
Netizens reacted explosively to the unexpected sighting. Some netizens, saying "she's more petite than I thought," were surprised by IU's petite appearance, while others left comments worrying about her health, such as "she looks very thin; I hope she's eating well."
Among them, malicious comments directed at IU continued and made people frown. It was shocking to see outrageous malicious rumors openly claiming that IU's nationality was "Chinese" or that she was an "agent of Chinese capital."
On the post, as if asserting that IU is Chinese or an agent of Chinese capital, commenters wrote things like "local," "welcome back to your hometown," "now you don't even hide it," "China's proud woman," "even saying she's sick seems like a lie. Sue these commenters too," "IU looks Chinese," "suspected IU of being Chinese. She speaks Cantonese like a native to the point locals are surprised and I'm shocked when she writes in Korean," "why go to China at a time like this?" and "going back to her homeland to rest."
Although IU appeared to have traveled to China to attend a schedule, some netizens poured out absurd rumors as if they were facts, saying she was Chinese and had gone back to her homeland to rest. In response to such comments, one netizen clicked their tongue and said, "Reading the comments, it's scary how politically sick people are. I don't know what benefit they get by leaving comments like this."
It is especially shocking that such malicious comments persist despite IU's recent tough response to malicious commenters, including requesting identity checks from U.S. courts over these malicious rumors.
IU is achieving meaningful results through her war against malicious commenters. In 2024, she won a defamation ruling and was awarded 30 million won in damages against a commenter who raised plagiarism allegations, and last year she filed criminal complaints and civil suits against 96 commenters, resulting in seven fines, one order to complete a sexual violence treatment program, three prosecutions suspended on condition of education completion, and one suspended prison sentence with probation and protective supervision.
Meanwhile, IU postponed a concert scheduled for September and the release timing of her sixth full album due to worsening of her chronic illness, eustachian tube dysfunction.
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