IU made a public appearance at the 5th Blue Dragon Series Awards following reports confirming the end of her relationship with actor Lee Jong Suk.
The ceremony was held on July 31 at Paradise City in Incheon and was broadcast live on KBS2.
IU appeared alongside Ju Ji Hoon to present the Best Actor and Best Actress awards. She maintained a calm smile but admitted that returning to the ceremony brought back emotional memories.
IU said, “I thought I would not be nervous today, but standing here reminds me of last year, and my heart is pounding.”
She also reflected on the award she received at the previous ceremony and said it gave her motivation throughout the past year.
She shared, “The strength of the award I received last year helped me work hard throughout the year. It is an honor to pass the precious feelings I experienced on to someone else.”
IU added that she had watched many projects over the past year and was moved by the different stories presented by fellow actors.
She said, “Many actors showed us countless stories and lives through their projects. I laughed and cried while watching them, and many works stayed in my heart.”
Earlier, IU’s agency EDAM Entertainment and Lee Jong Suk’s agency ACE Factory confirmed that the two had ended their relationship.
The agencies stated, “IU and Lee Jong Suk have ended their relationship. They have decided to remain supportive colleagues.”
They added that they could not provide further details because the matter concerned the artists’ private lives.
IU and Lee Jong Suk publicly confirmed their relationship in December 2022 after first meeting while hosting the music program Inkigayo in 2012.
