IU's SNS Post Demands Advance Payment for Jamsil Concert

Singer and actress IU's social media is being flooded with comments asking her to pre-pay for Starbucks orders. Recent posts by IU have been met with a barrage of comments such as, "There are a lot of people gathered in Jamsil, please pre-pay," "Please send a coffee truck to the Jamsil polling station," "We request Starbucks pre-payment," "You did it during the impeachment rally," and "Pre-pay for Starbucks in Jamsil."

This reaction appears to be linked to the protests regarding the shortage of ballots in the June 3rd local elections currently taking place in the Jamsil area. Some netizens are referencing an incident last year where IU pre-paid for hot packs and snacks for fans attending a rally calling for the impeachment of former President Yoon Suk-yeol, demanding similar support. At the time, IU garnered attention for preparing food, drinks, and hot packs for fans attending the rally in the cold weather.

As these demands continue, IU's social media has seen hundreds of comments, leading to what is described as a "comment terror" phenomenon. IU's agency has not released any official statement regarding the matter.

Online reactions to this situation are varied. Some netizens are stating, "She pre-paid for rally participants last time, so if the standard is the same, she should do it this time," arguing that "if the action could be interpreted as a political message, the same standard should apply to other voices."

On the other hand, other netizens have expressed criticism, saying, "It's inappropriate to drag a personal act of kindness into a political debate," "​I don't understand why they are making these demands of IU," and "​It's problematic in itself to force a celebrity, who is not a politician, to take a specific stance." There are also concerns that such incidents make celebrities hesitant to voice their opinions on social issues or to make donations and sponsorships.