IU is perhaps the biggest female soloist in Korea. Her agency, Edam Entertainment, has always had a clear reputation as a company that respects and protects Uaena, her fanbase. However, a recent netizen post caused controversy and potentially threatened the mutual relationship between the two parties.
The netizen, claiming to be IU’s fan, said they received special gifts from an agency employee. The fan relayed that they got a signed CD and even special merchandise in that post. The post caused a stir in the fandom as it implied that there’s preferential treatment going on.
Hence, Edam Entertainment released a statement that mainly apologizes to the fandom. However, in their current investigation, the netizen does not have any confirmed acquaintance or connections in the agency. There is no proof that the netizen received a signed CD, nor did anyone do in the fan event.
An investigation is ensuing, and the netizen is in hot water. As it turns out, they are selling fan merchandise on a used item sales platform. The netizen received a warning after Edam Entertainment asked to delete the post. They took down the post and apologized for the controversy they caused. Still, the agency applied the first-stage intervention to stop these actions from being followed.
In the end, the agency apologized to Uaenas for the distress the post caused. Edam Entertainment promised that they’d put more effort into satisfying the needs of the fandom.
Fans now want the agency to sue the netizen, stating that their actions were fraudulent. For one, they did this in order to sell their merch for a higher price. They applaud Edam Entertainment for acting in due diligence to protect their artist and fans.
