IU Reaction - Deep Dive Album #11 - CHATshire Part 1

[@lilly1437]

IU 16th Anniversary today 🎉 Thank you for IU reactions

[@SylverReacts]

Happy Anniversary Uaena & IU!

[@nk6781]

Zeze had opened the discussion around the sexualization of minor idols by the industry and fans (more specifically the ones called “uncle fans”). I’m of the opinion that she used the song and the book (my sweet orange tree) to subtly speak about her experience in the industry since the age of 15. The following is an excerpt from a comment that I think summaries it well “IU was pulling out some of the qualities of Zeze that she recognized in herself and constructing a song around it. She described it as both the duality of the character and as the way that some people would call Zeze wicked while others saw him as innocent. She knew that it was about perspectives. This is not dissimilar to how she's been simultaneously sexualized and infantilized both as a minor and an adult. She used the motif of duality in Zeze to explore how people (through the pov of the tree) will see her as both innocent and cunning. IU was talking about how people attacked her for being sexual (the photo scandal) when she had an innocent image, yet she was fetishized for her innocent image too.” The song garnered so much discussion and caused controversy by people accusing IU of sexualizing a child when the subject of the song is clearly not a child, because a simile is used comparing the subject to a child. Anyway I loved how IU was very mature in the way she handled it. This was her response when asked about the issue: “Q: Due to the ‘Zeze’ controversy, there’s been a lot of talk right? How do you feel seeing the many awful things they say and sometimes the deep and lengthy things they write? IU: Lots of thoughts came to mind. I saw a lot and thought a lot as well. There’s always been criticism and swear words that are unrelated to the issue, so I’ll leave that part aside, but I saw some posts that were amazingly logical. Within that, there were both criticisms and replies in defense. Seeing the discussions arising from this song, the many opinions about it and the topic of the discussion gradually widening in scope, honestly, I felt grateful. Amidst the noise judging me as a ‘person’, to the people who were calmly focusing on the ‘issue’ at hand and politely voicing their thoughts about it, whether they were criticisms or replies in defense, no matter what, I’m thankful for that. I was thankful and startled and thought it was really cool. Being at the center of it all, I was starting to feel a bit embarrassed. When interpreting a song, you don’t want to come to a conclusion that ‘that is correct and this is wrong’. To me, my freedom is important, so to maintain that, I think I should allow others to have their freedom to interpret. Just like before I released the album, I still like this song. If someone doesn’t like me as a person just because of the lyrics in ‘Zeze’, I’ll wholly accept that. Since that person’s interpretation and that person’s feelings clearly exist. But it’s not good to draw conclusions about me being pedophilic. I think there’s a need to separate one’s interpretation of a song and their criticism towards a person.”

[@arjo5513]

The official last song of Modern Times (Wait) ends with the final line "I'm waiting". Then, the opening song of Chat-shire (New Shoes) starts the entire album with "Have you been waiting long?". I love cool details like this.

[@SylverReacts]

That's such a fun little easter egg, love it

[@iTransfiguration]

This was the first album that IU fully produced and wrote the lyrics to all the songs. Also side note her favorite song of this album is "Knees", which she wrote thinking of her grandma when she could not sleep due to insomnia.

[@BluebonnetU]

23 is an absolute banger and a huge milestone moment for IU ❤

[@mikeduplessis8069]

To further confuse you, there's another IU song from this period also named "Twenty Three" that comes from a TV series she was in. She plays a sexualized Britney Spears-type pop celebrity named Cindy. It came out 6 months before her own song. It aired in the K-drama mocumentary 'The Producers'.

[@qn1605]

In Infinity Challenge, where she collab to comedian to create a song, she come up with 2 song, the ballad is the shower and the other one is Leon

[@fauziahmohd8826]

IU is the best❤Chatshire masterpiece album❤❤❤

[@sherylk2302]

the guitarist in the zeze acoustic performance is Jehwi, who goes on to be a musician with his own songs and producing many of IU's songs in her future albums

[@Brett-ca2ma]

Jewhi is very close friends with IU and was the composer of Through the Night. She wrote the lyrics for his debut song, 'Dear Moon' which was featured in her drama, My Mister (arguably the greatest drama of all time by the way - on Netflix). They also have a great couple IU TV episodes called 'sloppy live' (filmed during the pandemix) - where they perform live requests from fans. It's a great little show. She sings the Moana theme song, a BTS song, and many others...

[@adreamer826]

Hi sylver Thanks for reaction 23 is probably the most popular song on this album. And her drama the producer also has its own version of this song. My favourite songs on this album are zeze and knees. Zeze has some wonky and fun vibes and knees is just wow. It's sometimes sad but also heartwarming. She wrote it for her grandmother you will know it later. Glasses is good too. In shower special clip 3 IUs are harmonising and it makes it most unique song. This album was controversial because of misinterpreted lyrics so she could not promote it. Even at this young age( she must be 21 or 22 as this time) she is genius for creating a small garden in her album and giving each character a song. Will be waiting for the 2nd part coz Red queen live performances are my favourite.

[@wisnuslullaby1590]

The big context here is ... iu is a super big celeb with innocent "national little sister" image. What she went for 23, and the narration in zeze, red queen, and glasses are the opposite of that. Its like she want to grow from that image. This is very risky thing. Another important thing : this was right after public know she's dating in oct 2015, n with someone quite older (many fans are dissapointed). Shortly, chatshire, with all its boldness, is a very brave move. Remember, she was just 22 years (23 in korean age) old that time. 😮

[@Luna_Lui]

The period immediately after releasing this album was probably the most difficult in IU's career. Unfortunately, the promotion of songs from the album was almost non-existent at that time because of the negative public opinion about the controversy of the song Zeze. This naturally affected the whole album and IU in particular. At the time, social hatred poured over her like a waterfall. Before the scandal broke out, IU said that she was very proud of the album because it was the first album that she had produced and written entirely by herself. She expressed in it everything she wanted and how she wanted it. But as is often the case, creators are sometimes misunderstood by the general public. 23 is her first song in a cycle of age songs. I think IU perfectly expressed how one feels at that age. 23 is a period of doubt, of searching and trying to know yourself better and finding answers to the questions of what you really want. If the word freshness were to be expressed in a song, it would definitely be The Shower. It feels like you're out in the morning forest and you're surrounded by crystal dew and clean forest air. Zeze - well demonstrates the inner conflict of good and bad in personality and how these contradictions can be fascinating. The attractiveness of duality.

[@qn1605]

In the last live performance of the shower, She forgot the lyrics of the song. You will see her forgot lyrics a lot (because she write so much song and she change the lyrics a lot to the final result that we hear)

[@Brett-ca2ma]

amazing it doesn't happen more often given all the songs she does in the concert Encores without rehearsing... In this particular concert encore, there is also a clip of her singing a cover of the song 'Grown Ups' (from My Mister) - and it's a great song...and IU's performance is incredible

[@jiedragonhub]

In this case, I don't think she forgot the lyrics. Instead she forgot the order of the parts of the song. She sang the the end of the first chorus going to the 2nd verse instead of cutting the post chorus and proceeding to the bridge. I don't know why a lot of people think she forgot the lyrics in this case. Though it's true, that she sometimes forgot the lyrics of here song while performing lol

[@jiedragonhub]

'The Shower' is the biggest collab ever in the korean music industry. Note: She's laughing at the last The Shower live stage because she made a mistake and forgot she was supposed to sing the bridge.

[@SylverReacts]

Wow really, The biggest? but somehow that doesn't surprise me that IU's involved in the biggest collab in Korean music lol

[@jiedragonhub]

@@SylverReacts yeah. Imagine IU collabing with Lee Ji Eun and Lee Ji Geum. I mean, how did she managed to make that happen. Unbelievable. 👏

[@SylverReacts]

🤦‍♂️ I just realized which one you were referring to 🤣

[@jiedragonhub]

@@SylverReacts lmaoooooo

[@wisnuslullaby1590]

Also the most powerful girlgroup 😂 1 member as songwriter, 1 as visual, and one venture as actress 😅

[@Brett-ca2ma]

that commentary before 23 live version by one of her dancers is tied into 'mockumentary' she filmed with her IU team, which included her manager and others on the team talking about how tough it is working with IU on the IU team (all joking)...and IU plays along. Very silly. There is an IU TV episode where they show the filming, and all the staff was having a lot of fun with this. This is the stage of her career where IU TV really starts to become 'must watch' for her fans. You get to know IU and her team. It's really nice.

[@richard6025]

My favorite album

[@mkoose]

Nicely done, thank you. What is better than one IU in an MV ?

[@SylverReacts]

Thank you 😊 and Three IU?