Watched any K-dramas recently? Then you know this song.
Good Day came along at the perfect time for IU (real name: Lee Ji Eun). She had already built up a respectable following with Marshmallow and Nagging, her duet with 2AM’s Seulong, but needed that one last push to propel her to the big leagues.
This turned out to be that song, as it had everything that IU needed. Good day had an addictive chorus, a great music video, and a hook that would get the media and casual listeners talking: that “five-stage high note” at 4:45 that would be paraded around for years as definitive proof of her vocal prowess.
With her petite figure and innocent image, IU wasted no time in being labeled as one of the coveted “nation’s little sisters” (a pretty creepy title, if you really think about it), an informal title bestowed by the media and K-Pop fandom upon a select few scandal-free, mega-popular stars with that indefinable charm.
As an aside, Korea seems to be enamoured with any title that starts with “nation’s ____”. Yoo Jae Suk is the “nation’s MC”. Suzy, formerly of Miss A, is the “nation’s first love”. And so on and so forth.
We could debate the origins of that term until the cows come home, or we could watch this video of IU dancing in a bunny costume. Your call.