Love Poem is the fifth Korean-language extended play (seventh overall) by South Korean singer-songwriter IU. The EP was released on November 18, 2019, through Kakao M. It includes the lead single and title track, "Love Poem", as well as the tracks "Above the Time" and "Blueming", which both received music videos. The EP debuted atop the Gaon Album Chart, selling over 168,000 copies in South Korea in November 2019.[1]
Background and release
Following the release of A Flower Bookmark 2 in September 2017, IU focused on acting. In October 2018, she released "Bbibbi", to commemorate ten years since her debut.[2] On March 3, 2019, IU announced that she was working on a new album that would release soon.[3]Love Poem was announced on October 11.[4] The EP was originally supposed to be released on November 1, 2019, but was postponed by the singer on October 21, following the suicide of South Korean singer and close friend Sulli in mid-October.[5] The title-track "Love Poem" was released on November 1.[6]
Love Poem was released digitally in various countries by Kakao M on November 18, 2019. A physical version was released two days later in the form of a photo book alongside a CD.
Critical reception
Tamar Herman of Billboard wrote that the "EP as a whole is almost like a Love Poem of sorts to IU's career, with each of the singles representing a different part of her discography", comparing the title track to the "poignant tunes" from IU's own A Flower Bookmark series of EPs; the "vivacious pop-rock tune" "Blueming" to IU's 2015 track "Twenty-Three", and calling the "melodious, theatrical" "Above the Time" "a sonic and visual sequel" to IU's 2011 song "You and I", in terms of both its music and the storyline of its video.[6]
Commercial performance
Love Poem debuted atop the Gaon Album Chart on the 47th issued week (November 17–23).[7] It became her fourth number one album in South Korea after Last Fantasy (2011), Modern Times (2013), and Palette (2017). The album was the third best-selling of November, moving nearly 170,000 physical copies, making it her best-selling album released.[8]
^Kwon, Gil-yeo (March 3, 2019). 아이유, 곧 컴백한다 “새 앨범 준비 중” [IU, comeback soon "Preparing for a new album"]. Insight (in Korean). Retrieved August 12, 2020.
^2019년 11월 Album Chart [November 2019 Album Chart] (in Korean). Gaon Album Chart. Archived from the original on February 3, 2020. Retrieved August 12, 2020. {{cite web}}: |archive-date= / |archive-url= timestamp mismatch; November 28, 2019 suggested (help)
