IU Shows Support for Fans at Impeachment Rally, Faces Backlash

Singer IU (아이유) has expressed her support for fans attending an impeachment rally by pre-purchasing food for them, but this act has sparked a backlash from some netizens who are calling for a boycott of her endorsements. On December 13, IU's team announced on her official fan cafe that they prepared food and hot packs to help warm the hands of her fans, known as Uaena (유애나), who were braving the cold with their light sticks at the rally. The provisions included 200 pieces of bread, 200 drinks, 100 rice cakes, and 200 bowls of soup, with the locations of the participating bakeries and soup restaurants in Yeouido shared for fans to visit. However, some conservative netizens reacted negatively, suggesting a boycott of the brands that IU endorses and even encouraging reports to the CIA regarding her actions. Notably, on December 18, a far-right YouTuber in the U.S. claimed to have reported IU to the CIA, accusing her of inciting impeachment sentiments. Despite this, the majority of netizens have expressed disbelief and criticized the backlash. Additionally, on the same day, IU won her first trial in a defamation lawsuit against an accuser who raised plagiarism allegations against her.