Why do you think people keep saying that you’re mature? To be rich with emotions and to be mature are two different things, but people tend to mix them up. If you’re rich with emotions, your range of understanding is wider and it’s common to be described as mature. Have you ever felt curious about that?
I just go, ‘Ah, I see’. I don’t see myself as a mature person. Some parts of me are more developed than others, but some parts of me haven’t developed fully yet. Each of us are different in some ways, but when people go, ‘oh, she’s rather mature’, that’s because that part of me they have in mind is more developed. That’s what I think.
Don’t you get annoyed when people describe you as something you’re not?It would be a lie if I say I don’t feel that way at all, but graudally, I don’t feel that way so much anymore. My way of thinking has changed. Could it be considered a misunderstanding? I mean, ‘If the person sees me that way, then let it be.’ I listen to what people say at both extreme ends. I guess that’s the same for other celebrities. Since there’s only one of me and so many people perceiving me in different ways.
Have you ever heard someone say such things to you directly (describing you as something you’re not)?
Someone told me that he/she likes me. Reason being I’m clever in the way I behave. Because I’m clever and shrewd. The person likes me because I’m shrewd. Then someone else would say they like me. Reason being I don’t think too deeply and just say what I think. Then someone would say they don’t like me. Because I’m shrewd and manipulative. Then someone else would say they don’t like me because I’m dumb. So actually there’s no way for good and bad points to be in sync. I have no choice but to simply acknowledge that all of that seems to be me. If I want everyone to like me, how should I behave? That’s impossible, isn’t it?
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?
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 defence. 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 defence, no matter what, I’m thankful for that. Thankful and startled and thought it was really cool. Being at the centre of it all, I was starting to feel a bit awkward/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 paedophilic. I think there’s a need to separate one’s interpretation of a song and their criticism towards a person.
Aren’t you just like ‘Zeze’ (in the story)? Based on what you said just now, as you’re shrewd and clever, you’re loved and hated, as you’re insensitive and act before you think, you’re loved and hated; the talk about 23-year-old IU seems to go back and forth.
Some people feel that way, but some people feel, ‘I don’t know’ as well. No one has the right to tell someone else that their way of thinking is wrong, since you can’t force anyone to interpret things in just one way. I can’t impose or block my thoughts from others either. That’s what I think.
When did we argue over the lyrics? We have fun dissecting the lyrics, what’s supposed to mean what.I didn’t expect myself to touch on this topic during today’s interview. That’s something I keep struggling with. I keep talking to people too. Those whom I feel have always been right in their judgement, saying things like, “Here’s what I think, but if I’m wrong, please tell me so”.
What kind of advice do they give you then?Like what I said, there are some people who would tell me what they think, while some would feel that anyway I’m dealing with dangerous stuff. I keep thinking this way. If I do get the chance to talk about this, I’ll entrust it to the freedom for interpretation. Since the freedom for interpretation is important to the person and to me as well.
No matter what you say, you’ll have antis. Since there’ll always be misunderstandings.Leaving behind the talk about liking me, disliking me, liking the song, disliking the song, this is the right way to think, that’s the wrong way to think, there have been people who were hurt by the topic itself this time. To those people, rather than explaining my intentions and the parts they misunderstood, I would just like to apologise.
I just go, ‘Ah, I see’. I don’t see myself as a mature person. Some parts of me are more developed than others, but some parts of me haven’t developed fully yet. Each of us are different in some ways, but when people go, ‘oh, she’s rather mature’, that’s because that part of me they have in mind is more developed. That’s what I think.
Don’t you get annoyed when people describe you as something you’re not?It would be a lie if I say I don’t feel that way at all, but graudally, I don’t feel that way so much anymore. My way of thinking has changed. Could it be considered a misunderstanding? I mean, ‘If the person sees me that way, then let it be.’ I listen to what people say at both extreme ends. I guess that’s the same for other celebrities. Since there’s only one of me and so many people perceiving me in different ways.
Have you ever heard someone say such things to you directly (describing you as something you’re not)?
Someone told me that he/she likes me. Reason being I’m clever in the way I behave. Because I’m clever and shrewd. The person likes me because I’m shrewd. Then someone else would say they like me. Reason being I don’t think too deeply and just say what I think. Then someone would say they don’t like me. Because I’m shrewd and manipulative. Then someone else would say they don’t like me because I’m dumb. So actually there’s no way for good and bad points to be in sync. I have no choice but to simply acknowledge that all of that seems to be me. If I want everyone to like me, how should I behave? That’s impossible, isn’t it?
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?
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 defence. 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 defence, no matter what, I’m thankful for that. Thankful and startled and thought it was really cool. Being at the centre of it all, I was starting to feel a bit awkward/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 paedophilic. I think there’s a need to separate one’s interpretation of a song and their criticism towards a person.
Aren’t you just like ‘Zeze’ (in the story)? Based on what you said just now, as you’re shrewd and clever, you’re loved and hated, as you’re insensitive and act before you think, you’re loved and hated; the talk about 23-year-old IU seems to go back and forth.
Some people feel that way, but some people feel, ‘I don’t know’ as well. No one has the right to tell someone else that their way of thinking is wrong, since you can’t force anyone to interpret things in just one way. I can’t impose or block my thoughts from others either. That’s what I think.
When did we argue over the lyrics? We have fun dissecting the lyrics, what’s supposed to mean what.I didn’t expect myself to touch on this topic during today’s interview. That’s something I keep struggling with. I keep talking to people too. Those whom I feel have always been right in their judgement, saying things like, “Here’s what I think, but if I’m wrong, please tell me so”.
What kind of advice do they give you then?Like what I said, there are some people who would tell me what they think, while some would feel that anyway I’m dealing with dangerous stuff. I keep thinking this way. If I do get the chance to talk about this, I’ll entrust it to the freedom for interpretation. Since the freedom for interpretation is important to the person and to me as well.
No matter what you say, you’ll have antis. Since there’ll always be misunderstandings.Leaving behind the talk about liking me, disliking me, liking the song, disliking the song, this is the right way to think, that’s the wrong way to think, there have been people who were hurt by the topic itself this time. To those people, rather than explaining my intentions and the parts they misunderstood, I would just like to apologise.
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Pann: IU did an interview on Zeze controversy
1. [+97, -30] ㅋㅋㅋㅋ What she means by not explaining the misunderstandings is that she's just gonna do whatever she wants and that we should shut up ㅋㅋㅋㅋ Respect my freedom of interpretation, too.
2. [+90, -12] So funny, she's acting as if she started some kind of an amazing discussion ㅋㅋㅋㅋ It's definitely her fault to write lyrics that sexualize Zeze who is a kid but she keeps trying to get away by stressing the excuse of various interpretations. It doesn't matter whether Zeze is an abused kid or not. Sexualizing a kid cannot be defended by the freedom of expression. It's also funny how she's suing so many people when she takes freedom of expression seriously ㅋㅋㅋㅋ She's doing noise-marketing and now it's died down a little, so she's suing others. She's still trying to get attention by saying she likes Zeze. I wonder why she even wrote the apology.
3. [+60, -98] I used to clarify a lot but not anymore. People don't want to listen, they just hate IU. I know that valid criticisms on Zeze lyrics are not upsetting because they're also freedom of expression. But they way they nitpick things and mention Go Young Wook and Jo Doo Soon is just nonsense. I don't want to spend my emotions for this.
4. [+44, -2] She never gave a clear answer that we want. She's just beating around the bush. If that's what she calls a clarification, I won't support IU anymore.
5. [+36, -1] ??? This is not clarifying Zeze or saying anything. Why is she not talking about her lolita concept or Britney plagiarism?
6. [+35, -5] Broadening the topic of discussion? What? I honestly don't get what she's trying to say in this interview. She's using ambiguous words and is talking about how she has supporters along with criticisms. The reason why we're disappointed with IU is because of how she kept using pedophilia for her concept and her interpretation of an abused kid was not acceptable. The reason why netizens are criticizing her is not because we don't know about freedom of interpretation, it's because we're uncomfortable with her interpretation. But she never talks about this and is only talking about other things. Uaenas must realize that Zeze is not the only source of the controversy. We need explanations on the pedophilia concept and the cliches. I like IU's voice and music but a quick apology was more necessary than a poor clarification like this.
7. [+32, -5] This makes me dislike her even more. Why does she keep twisting her words? Being honest is better. She still thinks she's the main character of the film Lolita. Instead of talking about freedom of interpretation, give an answer to the pedophilia concept or apologize.
8. [+24, -1] In her apology, she apologized to the people that were hurt by her song Zeze. But now she's saying that Zeze is still her favorite song. She knows how to get attention.
9. [+23, -4] ㅋㅋㅋㅋ She's apologizing here but at the concert, she said, "I'll sing the song that I still love without change" and sang Zeze with all heart ㅋㅋㅋㅋ
10. [+22, -1] Instead of acting like she's good at talking and wrapping the controversies up by "freedom of expression", she should give clear opinions on her lolita concept and pedophilia.
