Flonique Guimary

IU postpones concert and new album to focus on recovery from ear condition

Article (news)

Nikka Avegail Sabio

Push Team

<p>South Korean singer-actress IU has postponed her upcoming concert and the release of her sixth full-length album after revealing that her chronic ear condition has worsened.</p><div> </div><p>In a lengthy message posted on fan platform Berriz, IU shared that she would be putting some of her second-half activities for the year on hold after experiencing increasing difficulties caused by her patulous Eustachian tube syndrome.</p><div> </div><p>“I didn’t want to make Uaena worry, so I’m sorry in advance that I have to share news like this. I’ve been writing and deleting this post over and over, wondering where I should start, but I think it’s probably best to just get straight to the point. The Goyang Stadium concert that was scheduled for this September will ultimately be difficult to proceed with,” IU wrote as per translation.</p><div> </div><div><br/></div><iframe class="instagram-media instagram-media-rendered" id="instagram-embed-7" src="https://www.instagram.com/p/DXQSwdkkuV3/embed/?cr=1&amp;v=14&amp;wp=642&amp;rd=https%3A%2F%2Fod2-workbench-web.abs-cbn.com&amp;rp=%2F#%7B%22ci%22%3A7%2C%22os%22%3A4351407.899999976%2C%22ls%22%3A205031.39999997616%2C%22le%22%3A205036.59999996424%7D" allowtransparency="true" allowfullscreen="" frameBorder="0" height="967" data-instgrm-payload-id="instagram-media-payload-7" scrolling="no" style="background:white;max-width:658px;width:calc(100% - 2px);border-radius:3px;border:1px solid rgb(219, 219, 219);box-shadow:none;display:block;margin:0px 0px 12px;min-width:326px;padding:0px"></iframe><script async="" src="https://www.instagram.com/embed.js"></script><div><br/></div><div><strong> </strong></div><p>The singer said her long-standing condition has recently become more severe, making it difficult for her to sing.</p><div> </div><p>“Actually, recently, my long-standing patulous Eustachian tube symptoms have been getting worse. I’ve been doing my best to manage them and take care of myself, but the weather also seems to be having some effect… And I’ve also been wondering if, considering how I’ve been feeling over the past few years, I may have pushed myself a little too hard because I was too eager to keep working,” she added.</p><div> </div><p>“My ear symptoms have always been unpredictable, getting better and worse as they please, but recently, the symptoms have been continuing day and night for several days at a time. I’ve repeatedly found it difficult to get into the right condition to sing.”</p><div> </div><p>According to IU, the decision to postpone her scheduled concert at Goyang Stadium this September came after consulting medical professionals.</p><div> </div><p>Although the condition does not significantly affect her daily life, she said performing on stage, which requires extensive movement and sustained singing, would put too much strain on her current condition.</p><div> </div><div><br/></div><iframe class="instagram-media" id="instagram-embed-8" src="https://www.instagram.com/p/DXbLiB1mmG9/embed/?cr=1&amp;v=14&amp;wp=642&amp;rd=https%3A%2F%2Fod2-workbench-web.abs-cbn.com&amp;rp=%2F#%7B%22ci%22%3A8%2C%22os%22%3A4351888.399999976%2C%22ls%22%3A205031.39999997616%2C%22le%22%3A205036.59999996424%7D" allowtransparency="true" allowfullscreen="" frameBorder="0" height="0" data-instgrm-payload-id="instagram-media-payload-8" scrolling="no" style="background:white;max-width:658px;width:calc(100% - 2px);border-radius:3px;border:1px solid rgb(219, 219, 219);box-shadow:none;display:block;margin:0px;min-width:326px;padding:0px;position:absolute"></iframe><blockquote class=" instagram-media-registered" data-instgrm-permalink="https://www.instagram.com/p/DXbLiB1mmG9/?utm_source=ig_embed&amp;utm_campaign=loading" data-instgrm-version="14" id="instagram-media-payload-8" style="background:#FFF;border:0;border-radius:3px;box-shadow:0 0 1px 0 rgba(0,0,0,0.5),0 1px 10px 0 rgba(0,0,0,0.15);margin:1px;max-width:658px;min-width:326px;padding:0;width:calc(100% - 2px)"><div style="padding:16px"><a href="https://www.instagram.com/p/DXbLiB1mmG9/?utm_source=ig_embed&amp;utm_campaign=loading" style="background:#FFFFFF;line-height:0;padding:0 0;text-align:center;text-decoration:none;width:100%" target="_blank"><div style="display:flex;flex-direction:row;align-items:center"><div style="background-color:#F4F4F4;border-radius:50%;flex-grow:0;height:40px;margin-right:14px;width:40px"><br/></div><div style="display:flex;flex-direction:column;flex-grow:1;justify-content:center"><div style="background-color:#F4F4F4;border-radius:4px;flex-grow:0;height:14px;margin-bottom:6px;width:100px"><br/></div><div style="background-color:#F4F4F4;border-radius:4px;flex-grow:0;height:14px;width:60px"><br/></div></div></div><div style="padding:19% 0"><br/></div><div style="display:block;height:50px;margin:0 auto 12px;width:50px"><br/></div><div style="padding-top:8px"><div style="color:#3897f0;line-height:18px">View this post on Instagram</div></div><div style="padding:12.5% 0"><br/></div><div style="display:flex;flex-direction:row;margin-bottom:14px;align-items:center"><div><div style="background-color:#F4F4F4;border-radius:50%;height:12.5px;width:12.5px;transform:translateX(0px) translateY(7px)"><br/></div><div style="background-color:#F4F4F4;height:12.5px;transform:rotate(-45deg) translateX(3px) translateY(1px);width:12.5px;flex-grow:0;margin-right:14px;margin-left:2px"><br/></div><div style="background-color:#F4F4F4;border-radius:50%;height:12.5px;width:12.5px;transform:translateX(9px) translateY(-18px)"><br/></div></div><div style="margin-left:8px"><div style="background-color:#F4F4F4;border-radius:50%;flex-grow:0;height:20px;width:20px"><br/></div><div style="width:0;height:0;border-top:2px solid transparent;border-left:6px solid #f4f4f4;border-bottom:2px solid transparent;transform:translateX(16px) translateY(-4px) rotate(30deg)"><br/></div></div><div style="margin-left:auto"><div style="width:0px;border-top:8px solid #F4F4F4;border-right:8px solid transparent;transform:translateY(16px)"><br/></div><div style="background-color:#F4F4F4;flex-grow:0;height:12px;width:16px;transform:translateY(-4px)"><br/></div><div style="width:0;height:0;border-top:8px solid #F4F4F4;border-left:8px solid transparent;transform:translateY(-4px) translateX(8px)"><br/></div></div></div><div style="display:flex;flex-direction:column;flex-grow:1;justify-content:center;margin-bottom:24px"><div style="background-color:#F4F4F4;border-radius:4px;flex-grow:0;height:14px;margin-bottom:6px;width:224px"><br/></div><div style="background-color:#F4F4F4;border-radius:4px;flex-grow:0;height:14px;width:144px"><br/></div></div></a></div></blockquote><script async="" src="https://www.instagram.com/embed.js"></script><div><br/></div><div><strong> </strong></div><p>“It doesn’t cause any major difficulties in my everyday life. However, singing is something that is directly connected to the condition of my ears. And unlike recording in a studio, holding concerts where I have to move around a lot and sweat heavily seems to be too much for me for the time being. That is also the opinion of the medical professionals I’ve consulted,” she said.</p><div> </div><p>As per Stanford Health Care, Patulous Eustachian tube is a condition in which the Eustachian tubes, which are typically closed, stay open. The open tubes carry voice and breathing sounds from nasal cavity to the middle ear that can be very loud and a feeling of ear fullness. </p><div> </div><p>IU admitted that postponing the concert was especially heartbreaking as she had been looking forward to reuniting with fans after a long wait.</p><div> </div><p>“It weighs very heavily on my heart, and I’m so sorry that it looks like I won’t be able to keep my promise to hold a concert during the time… I, too, really, really, really want to perform. I want to sing with Uaena, scream together, and run around with you all. But even I can feel that, in my current condition, holding a concert in September would be too much for me,” she expressed.</p><div> </div><div><br/></div><blockquote class="twitter-tweet"><p dir="ltr" lang="en">[FROM. IU] 260720 <a href="https://x.com/_IUofficial?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">@_IUofficial</a> announces that her September Goyang Stadium concert and 6th full studio album have been postponed after her long standing patulous Eustachian tube condition worsened + will focus on recovery for the time being. Her new album will feature diverse… <a href="https://t.co/Q0Y70SFV9W">pic.twitter.com/Q0Y70SFV9W</a></p>— Team 🌟🍬 (@IUteamstarcandy) <a href="https://x.com/IUteamstarcandy/status/2079160422725538204?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">July 20, 2026</a></blockquote><script async="" src="https://platform.x.com/widgets.js" charSet="utf-8"></script><div><br/></div><div><strong> </strong></div><p>The postponement also affects the release of her upcoming album, which she said was originally planned alongside the concert tour.</p><div> </div><p>“As I mentioned earlier, the new album I’ve been working on, the album that will become my sixth full-length album, was also planned with concerts and the tour as the main focus of its promotion. Since the album and the tour are inseparable, unfortunately, I think the album’s release will also have to be pushed back a little,” she said.</p><div> </div><p>Despite the disappointing news, IU assured fans she is focusing on treatment and hopes to return as soon as possible.</p><div> </div><p>“I promise I’ll do everything I can to make sure you don’t have to wait too long. I’ll do my absolute best to bring you the new album and the concerts as soon as possible! I’ll get treatment, take every measure I can, and focus all my efforts on getting back into better condition during the second half of the year. I’ll do everything I can, I’ll work like crazy so that at the very least, we can definitely be together at the beginning of 2027,” she said.</p><div> </div><p>IU&#x27;s agency, EDAM Entertainment, later confirmed the announcement, saying the decision was made after careful discussions with the artist, with her health taking priority.</p><div> </div><p>“After careful consideration, the company and IU recently determined that her current ear condition would make it difficult for her to proceed with scheduled performances. With her health as our highest priority, we have decided to adjust her upcoming concert schedule, including the concert at Goyang Stadium originally scheduled for this September, as well as the release schedule for her sixth full-length album,” they said.</p><div> </div><div><br/></div><blockquote class="twitter-tweet"><p dir="ltr" lang="ko">아이유 콘서트 및 정규 6집 앨범 일정 조정 관련 아이유 소속사 측 입장문 전문<br/><br/>EDAM Entertainment (<a href="https://x.com/edam_ent?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">@edam_ent</a>) issued the following statement regarding the rescheduling of IU’s concerts and the release schedule of her sixth full-length album.<br/><br/>“Hello, this is EDAM Entertainment.<br/><br/>We… <a href="https://t.co/JquLxE2EKJ">pic.twitter.com/JquLxE2EKJ</a></p>— 아이유 에델바이스 (@iuedelweiss) <a href="https://x.com/iuedelweiss/status/2079144235383902481?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">July 20, 2026</a></blockquote><script async="" src="https://platform.x.com/widgets.js" charSet="utf-8"></script><div><br/></div><div> </div><p>“This decision was made to ensure that she can return to the stage in the best possible condition and deliver the highest-quality performances to her fans.”</p>

<p>IU apologizes to fans as she announced the cancellation of her South Korean concert this September and the delay of her new album.</p>

IU apologizes to fans as she announced the cancellation of her South Korean concert this September and the delay of her new album.