The choice to turn down the role in the much-hyped K-drama Queen of Tears in favor of When Life Gives You Tangerines is now tipping fans as one of IU's best career moves ever.
When IU first turned down Queen of Tears, there were plenty who said they preferred Kim Soo-hyun with the Producer star, so it was a little disappointing at first.
Earlier reports stated that the production team wanted IU to play Hong Hae-in, the female lead. Her reps then quickly countered, "We were offered a cameo in the work but declined."
However, with the series continuing to draw viewers in through its compelling story and IU's performance receiving praise even from those critical of her casting, public sentiment has changed, as per KBiZoom.
Now, fans are honoring her decision to avoid a role that they thought could have been a regression following her success in Hotel Del Luna.
Netizen then recalled, "Last year, people were wondering why IU chose that project when you compare it to the other project she could have chosen, but obviously, she knows how to pick a project."
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"Queen of Tears would have kept her in 'the same lane' — a step backward casting-wise for a character clearly too similar to her past role. In this series, she has upped her 'acting.'"
Another viewer added to the discussions of the two dramas, saying, "If you watched both, you'd understand any actor's choice of When Life Gives You Tangerines."
As expected, the script for Queen of Tears reportedly lacked depth despite its A-list leads and buzz-generating aesthetics.
On the other hand, IU's drama is a nuanced story, and, yes, every single character is well-defined.
The series has also made some doubters of IU's acting reconsider.
A netizen said, "I'm not especially wowed by idol-turned-actors like IU, Yoona, or Suzy, but IU was amazing," read one comment. She completely won me over."
Another echoed the same sentiment that is becoming a trend among fans: "IU has always been great with scripts."
"The star-studded cast is generally an indication the script is pretty good—when Queen of Tears was first announced, instinctively, that was my takeaway. But ultimately, it felt shallow," one netizen commented.
"On the other hand, When Life Give You Tangerines is a literary novel, and every single character serves a purpose."
Evaluating IU's instant hit performance, her newest release appears to be the right decision.
It could've gone either way for her right down the line, with fans celebrating her performance so much, but it also further proved her instincts both on camera and off when handing her character challenging and meaningful roles.
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