2017-2018: Palette, A Flower Bookmark 2 and My Mister: IU at Her Palette Concert In, South Korea, On December 10, 2017

2017–2018: Palette, A Flower Bookmark 2 and My Mister[edit]
IU at her Palette concert in Seoul, South Korea, on December 10, 2017.

IU published her fourth studio album, Palette, on April 21, 2017, of which she served as the primary
lyricist and executive producer.[188][189] Three singles from the album were released earlier; the lead
single of the same name featuring G-Dragon from Big Bang;[190] as well as two pre-release tracks
"Through the Night" and "Can't Love You Anymore".[191][192] Palette (팔레트) debuted
atop Billboard World Albums chart, a first for the singer,[193] and topped local charts in both album
sales and downloads.[194] Billboard highlighted and complimented IU's stronger creative control on the
album, saying that it successfully allowed listeners to learn more about her and ultimately paving
way for greater success both in Korea and internationally.[189] Palette was a commercial success, with
all three singles from the album peaking at the top of the Gaon Digital Chart,[195][196][197] with the main
single, "Palette" spending a total of two weeks at number 1. However, it was her first pre-release
track, "Through the Night" that became the best-selling track from the album and also her best-
selling single of 2017.[198]
Palette was also critically acclaimed and received multiple accolades, including "Best Pop Album" at
the 15th Korean Music Awards,[199] "Album of the Year" at the Melon Music Awards,[200] and "Record of
the Year (Album)" award at the 27th Seoul Music Awards;[201] IU herself was awarded the Best
Female Artist at the Mnet Asian Music Awards.[202] The album also earned IU a "Best Songwriter"
award at the Melon Music Awards,[200] a "Lyricist of the Year" award at the seventh Gaon Chart Music
Awards and a "Producer of the Year" award for herself and her production team. [203] IU also received
the "Song of the Year" award at the 32nd Golden Disc Awards for her hit song "Through the Night".
[204]
Billboard magazine listed "Palette" at number six on its list of "Best K-Pop Songs of 2017",
explaining "The mellow-dy belies a topsy-turvy world of self-satire, idiosyncratic sound effects and
throwbacks to older eras."[205] The New York Times Magazine also featured "Palette" on its list of "25
Songs That Tell Us Where Music Is Going", making IU the only Asian artist to make the list while
appreciating IU's ability as a singer-songwriter to project authenticity in K-pop.
[206]
Furthermore, Billboard ranked Palette the best K-pop album of 2017, explaining that "An album
as impressive and sonically diverse as Palette proves why injecting an artist's personal experiences
into their music can lead to their greatest work yet."[207] During the promotional period of Palette, IU
joined the reality program Hyori's Homestay.[208]
IU released her second cover album, A Flower Bookmark 2 on September 22, 2017. Like its
predecessor, the album contained renditions of tracks released from the 1960s to the early 2000s
with a mixture of genres such as folk, retro, ballad and nu-disco.[209][210] Prior to the album's release, a
single titled "Autumn Morning" was released without prior notice on September 18 to mark the
singer's ninth anniversary.[211][212] The album was originally intended to include Kim Kwang-seok's track
"With the Heart to Forget You", however, due to recent events surrounding the singer's family, it was
ultimately decided that the track would be removed out of respect for the ongoing investigations.
[213]
She later went on a tour in various cities around Korea as well as Hong Kong from November to
December 2017 to promote the album.[214] IU was also featured in the title song, "Love Story", of Epik
High's ninth album, We've Done Something Wonderful, which was released on October 23,
2017. Gallup Korea ranked her the most popular K-pop artist of 2017 (she previously topped the
ranking in 2014) and also the most popular K-pop idol of the year.[18][215]
In March 2018, IU starred in tvN's My Mister, playing the character Lee Ji-an.[216] The series was
commercially and critically successful with peak audience ratings of 7.3% making it one of
the highest rated Korean dramas in cable television history, and positive reviews for IU's
performance.[217][218] IU then contributed her vocals to Zico's "Soulmate", which was released on July
23, 2018. Upon release, the single topped the daily and real time charts of all 6 major Korean music
sites and claimed the number-one position on the Gaon Digital Chart. [219]
To commemorate her tenth debut anniversary, IU released a single titled "Bbibbi" in October 2018.
[220]
The music video was released alongside the single on October 10, 2018. The following day,
Kakao M confirmed that "Bbibbi" had surpassed one million unique listeners on Korea's largest
music site, Melon, only 16 hours after its release. They stated that by 23 hours in, it had already
broken the previous 24-hour unique listener record set by her duet "Leon" with Park Myung-su in
2015.[221] "Bbibbi" went on to record a total of 1,462,625 unique listeners in the first 24 hours of its
release. The single peaked at number one on the Gaon Digital Chart, and at number five on
the Billboard's World Digital Songs Chart.[222][223] Billboard magazine listed "Bbibbi" at number 87 on its
list of "Best Songs of 2018", explaining "The single not only comments on IU's experiences in the
public life, but it doubles as a universal empowerment anthem, knowing and acknowledging one's
worth and personal rights."[224] The single was also listed at number 4 on Billboard's list of "The 20
Best K-pop Songs of 2018".[225] IU began her first Asian tour, titled IU 10th Anniversary Tour Concert,
on October 28, 2018.[226] Two months later, IU featured on Kim Dong-ryul's "Fairytale", which peaked
at number four on the Gaon Digital Chart.[227]

2017-2018: Palette, A Flower Bookmark 2 and My Mister: IU at Her Palette Concert In, South Korea, On December 10, 2017

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2017–2018: Palette, A Flower Bookmark 2 and My Mister[edit]

IU at her Palette concert in Seoul, South Korea, on December 10, 2017.

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