This is the richest K-pop idol, and they're not from BTS or BLACKPINK

The Korean music industry has established its global presence over the years. A number of K-pop bands, idols from BLACKPINK’s Jisso, and Lisa to BTS’s Suga, RM, and more have created a huge fan base globally and are one of bankable idols. However, there is one K-pop idol who doesn’t belong to these bands and is the richest idol. 

The richest K-pop Idol began her career in 2008 as a professional singer and later went on to become an actress too. She is none other than Lee Ji-eun aka IU. 

Born on May 16, 1993, in Songjeong-dong, Seoul, South Korea, IU found her passion for singing during her middle school years after being applauded by the audience for a performance she gave at her school’s sports competition. She gave 20 auditions but failed and was also scammed by fake entertainment companies. She later trained at Good Entertainment with Uee, Yubin, Heo Ga-yoon, and Jun Hyo-Seong.

Lee Ji-eun career

She signed with LEON Entertainment in 2007 and finally made her debut as a professional singer in 2008 under her stage name IU with the song Lost Child, which was from her debuted extended play Lost and Found however, her first album didn’t do well commercially.

Her follow-up albums, Growing Up and IU...IM brought mainstream success, however, it was only after the release of the lead single from her 2010 album Real, titled, Good Day, that she achieved national stardom. 

IU finally established her as a formidable Force and cemented her girl-next-door image as Korea’s little sister. She then stepped up as a songwriter with the song titled Hold My Hand which was made for the television series The Greatest Love. Some of her other hit music albums include, Chat-Shire, Palette, Love Poem, and Lilac among others. 

Apart from her music career, she also ventured into acting and hosting television shows. She was seen in a supporting role in the teen drama Dream High and in lead roles in the television drama series You Are the Best! (2013), Pretty Man (2013–14), The Producers (2015), and Moon Lovers: Scarlet Heart Ryeo (2016). Her role as a desperate office worker in My Mister led her to win her first Best Actress award. She also starred in Hirokazu Kore-eda's film Broker alongside Song Kang-ho, Bae Doona, and Gang Dong-won.

She is the artist with the most number of number 1 songs in South Korea, the first solo female K-pop act to perform at the Olympic Gymnastics Arena during the Seoul leg of her 2019 Love, Poem concert tour, and also the first Korean female artist to hold a solo concert, The Golden Hour, at Seoul Olympic Stadium in Seoul. 

Lee Ji-eun Instagram, net worth

IU enjoys a huge fan following on Instagram with 30.9 million followers. Not only this, she has written over 154 songs and 5 albums and according to reports, she has an estimated net worth of Rs 331 crore.