IU is set to release her new remake album “A Flower Bookmark 3” in eight years at 6 p.m. May 27 (KST) – a heartfelt collection blending nostalgic charm with emotional richness. The music video of the lead single “Never Ending Story” will be unveiled simultaneously on IU’s official YouTube channel, seeking to captivate viewers with its emotion and visual appeal.
“A Flower Bookmark 3” is the third installment in IU’s remake project, where she reinterprets beloved classics with her velvety voice and emotional depth. It has been about eight years since IU’s previous remake album, “A Flower Bookmark 2” (September 2017), and roughly one year and three months since her six mini-album, “The Winning” (February 2024.) Given the glowing praise earned by her earlier remake hits like “Autumn morning,” “The Meaning Of You” and “Sleepless rainy night,” this latest album is expected to become another sensation.
“A Flower Bookmark 3” offers six tunes including “Never Ending Story,” “Red Sneakers,” “October 4th,” “Lase Scene,” “Beauty” and “Square Dream.” Among them, “Never Ending Story” is originally a 2002 song by the iconic Korean band Boohwal, written by Kim Tae-won and sung by Lee Seung-chul. For this reinterpretation of the 2000s mega-hit, Seo Dong-hwan – who previously teamed up with IU on “Love wins all” – took the helm of the arrangement, crafting a dreamy, sentimental atmosphere with piano and string-based sounds.
“Last Scene” features musician Wonstein, known for his unique vocal tone, with SUMIN & Slom contributing to the arrangement, creating a refined sound layered with a subtle, stylish edge. Adding to the track’s depth, Lee Sang-soon from the band Rollercoaster, the original artist behind “Last Scene,” took part with a guitar performance.
For “Beauty,” the genre-defying musician group Balming Tiger, which pioneered alternative K-pop, participated in the arrangement. Member Sogumm also contributed to the lyrics and composition of the outro. Now, all eyes are on how IU and Balming Tiger’s rendition of “Beauty” – originally sung by legendary rock singer Shin Joong-hyun – will unfold. In addition to these collaborators, a host of prominent musicians such as Lee Jin-ah, Cloud koh, Koo Young-jun, Je Hwi and flexindoor joined IU to elevate her new album to the next level.
Complementing the album’s musical depth, the music video for “Never Ending Story” will also be released on YouTube. As a homage to the Korean movie, “Christmas in August,” the clip captures the emotional essence of the film, highlighting the song’s lyrical melody, IU’s voice, and beautiful cinematography fueled by the chemistry of IU and actor Heo Nam-jun. The movie’s original distributor, Sidus Corporation, and director Hur Jin-ho officially authorized the production as a tribute, with Lee Rae-kyung, who previously worked with IU on the music videos of “Palette” and “Through the Night,” directing.
All of this comes amid IU’s continued momentum in both music and acting. In 2024, she attracted around 500,000 audience members during her world tour, while also cementing her acting presence in the Netflix series “When Life Gives You Tangerines” earlier this year.
Source: Press Release
