IU makes first public appearance after breakup with Lee Jong-suk

IU stepped out at the 5th Chungryeo Series Awards on July 31. It was her first confirmed public appearance since EDAM Entertainment and Ace Factory jointly announced that she and Lee Jong-suk had ended their relationship. The ceremony was held at Paradise City Chroma in Incheon and broadcast live on KBS 2TV.

She presented the Best Actor and Actress awards alongside Joo Ji-hoon, keeping a composed demeanor throughout. On stage, she acknowledged the nerves: "I thought I wouldn't be nervous today, but standing here reminds me of last year and my heart is pounding."

She also reflected on the past year: "With the strength of the award I received last year, I was able to live diligently for a year. It is an honor to be able to convey the precious memories I felt to others."

IU (born 1993) and Lee Jong-suk (born 1989) went public on December 31, 2022, after first crossing paths as co-MCs on SBS's Inkigayo in 2012—a decade before their relationship began. Their agencies confirmed the split after four years together, stating the two "decided to remain good colleagues" (which is doing a lot of heavy lifting, but that's the official line).