IU, one of Korea’s leading solo artists, has drawn attention after openly addressing the recent debate about alleged favoritism toward WOODZ, her labelmate at EDAM Entertainment.

On March 10th, the YouTube channel “이지금” released an episode of “IU’s Palette” featuring WOODZ. The show kicked off with WOODZ performing his hit track “Drowning” live, captivating viewers from the onset.

Introducing WOODZ, IU commented, “He’s not only my labelmate at EDAM, but he's also returned with a full-length album after completing his military service.” This friendly introduction underscored the artists’ shared professional ties.

During the broadcast, WOODZ candidly explained why he hadn’t immediately accepted the invitation to appear on “Palette.” He shared, “When I joined the company at the end of 2022, many fans mentioned that it would be great to see me on Palette once I made my comeback.” However, he noted, “I didn’t want to rush onto the show just because we were at the same label. I wanted to make sure there was enough for me to talk about first.”

He elaborated, “After ‘Drowning’ became well-loved during my military service, and as I prepared my regular album, I felt I finally had stories to share, which made me decide to appear now.” WOODZ further expressed, “Rather than coming on simply as a labelmate, I wanted audiences to find my appearance genuinely interesting.”

IU admitted to having similar concerns, stating, “I, too, was cautious about the timing, as I didn’t want people to misunderstand and think I was showing favoritism just because we’re from the same company.” She continued, “When I heard that WOODZ had personally expressed interest in appearing, I felt it was the perfect time. It’s been a while since I’ve welcomed a guest on Palette, and he’s truly a wonderful one.”

IU closed the segment by expressing her sincere support for her junior, adding, “Naturally, I can’t help but really hope he does well,” highlighting her genuine encouragement for her labelmate.

Note “This article was translated from the original Korean version using AI assistance, and subsequently edited by a native-speaking journalist.”

Photo=MHN DB