On the afternoon of July 18, the 4th Blue Dragon Series Awards took place at Paradise City in Incheon. IU, who had returned empty-handed from the 61st Baeksang Arts Awards, won Best Actress at this ceremony, beating out Park Eun-bin and Cha Joo-young.
Her teary-eyed appearance on stage drew significant attention. Known for rarely shedding tears even when taking first place, IU choked up during her acceptance speech, pausing to compose herself and continuing with a trembling voice to express her gratitude.
“Hello, I’m IU, who played the roles of Ae-soon and Geum-myeong in ‘When Life Gives You Tangerines’. It’s such an honor,” she began, her voice shaking. “From the moment I got the offer, through filming, waiting for it to air, and now this project has been a source of pride and joy in my life.”
IU didn’t shy away from crediting the people behind the series, “Thanks to writer Im Sang-choon, director Kim Won-seok, and every cast and crew member whose names roll in the end credits, I was able to play the most vibrant, clever, and chatty Aesoon. Thank you for entrusting her to me.”
She concluded her speech with a message that resonated far beyond the awards stage, “In a world that often tells us to live vaguely, I want to thank every Ae-soon who lived boldly, and every Geum-myeong who planted and nurtured their own dreams with quiet persistence.”
Netizens reacted with surprise, saying things like:
- She debuted in 2008, so it’s been 17 years, but I think this is the first time I’ve seen her so nervous while receiving an award. She’s won so many major prizes as a singer.
- I don’t think I’ve ever seen IU so visibly shaken before.
- It’s my first time seeing her this emotional—it shows how much the role meant to her.
- She’s been one of Korea’s top stars for over 15 years and still gets this nervous… you can really tell how much she cared about the character. I can’t even imagine anyone but IU playing Ae-soon.
- Seeing her tremble like that makes it clear how meaningful this project was to her.
Previously, IU revealed that working on When Life Gives You Tangerines changed her, “I cried for all kinds of reasons sadness, joy, frustration. After a year of filming, I found myself crying more often. Even during my world tour, I realized how much the role had impacted me emotionally.”
IU, who has received many awards throughout her career as both a singer and an actress, moved audiences this time with her emotional, heartfelt acceptance speech—marking the first time she’s visibly choked up while delivering her gratitude.
Nate
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