IU and BTS Member Suga Release Timely Pop Song "Eight"

Sara Delgado
·4 min read

Following a week of teasers and growing excitement, the highly-anticipated collaboration between IU (real name Lee Jieun) and BTS member Suga (real name Min Yoongi) is finally here.

As the clock struck 6 p.m. in Korea, IU and Suga’s joint effort dropped in the form of “에잇” (Hangeul spelling of the phonetization of the English word “Eight,” which serves as the single’s alternate title). The pair unveiled the collaboration on streaming platforms as well as 1theK’s official YouTube channel.

The song has a feel-good pop form featuring airy synths that characterize Suga’s recent productions, like Heize’s “We Don't Talk Together." Guitar and piano instrumentals also take center stage, giving the track a cinematic (or OST) feel. But hidden beneath that lightness are complex metaphors that give "Eight" a weightier message.

In Melon's description, IU describes the song as a “short confessional recount” told from the perspective of a character-like persona referred to as "You" ("너" in Korean). The song uses various analogies (like the “orange sun” and an “eternal island”) to transmit a sense of longing, all through the lens of youth and loss. "I’m not sure whether this is coming from my personal sentiment, the general atmosphere of the society that is struggling through hard times due to the disaster, or both," IU explained of the song, according to Doolset Bangtan's translation. "I feel like my 28 will be remembered as a repeated feeling of helplessness and lethargy and the longing for the ‘orange island’ where we were not sad and were able to feel free.” Presented as a narration between two characters in soliloquy form, "Eight" dwells on memories and past encounters, according to Genius and fan translations — and it’s heavily open to interpretation.

"Everything comes to me as it pleases and leaves without even saying goodbye/If it’s like this, I don’t want to love anything," IU sings in the first verse, per Doolset Bangtan's translation. The Daegu wordsmith then joins IU in the second verse with his signature perceptiveness. Though short, as Suga’s verse advances, his sharp lines make way for a subtle, softened effect that leans more into honeyed vocals, matching the song’s cadence and story.

Meanwhile, the music video for "Eight" just adds to the imaginative, nostalgic feeling of the lyrics. It kicks off with IU entering a Gattaca-inspired futuristic lab. As she lays on a stretcher, she gets transported into different worlds through memories. Mixing high-quality 3D and 2D animation styles as all as live-action, drama-inspired shots, the video and its orange-y glow magnify the storytelling.

According to the credits on Melon, IU and Suga worked together on everything from the lyrics to the composition and arrangement of the track, the latter two in tandem with EL CAPITXN (who has worked with Suga on BTS’s Map of the Soul: 7 and Epik High’s “Eternal Sunshine,” among many other projects). In April, K-media reported it was IU who had approached Suga with the collaboration offer.

Yoongi briefly touched upon the song’s release on his “DJ ShoopD KKUL FM 06.13” VLIVE radio broadcast with fellow BTS member RM (real name Kim Namjoon), who described the song as “perfect for driving." As usual, Namjoon is right.

In the lead up to "Eight," fans trended hashtags such as #IUxSUGA and #EIGHTIsComing on Twitter. The power duet did not disappoint as fans seem to be more than ecstatic with the release, which has already skyrocketed to the top of Melon's charts. “Eight” is the first digital single off IU’s upcoming comeback schedule, following the release of her EP Love Poem in 2019 as well as an OST song for Netflix’s hugely popular drama Crash Landing on You earlier this year.

If you haven’t already (or if you have and want to again, which is more than valid), you can watch the official video for “Eight” below:

Let us slide into your DMs. Sign up for the Teen Vogue daily email.

Want more from Teen Vogue? Check this out:

Watch Now: Teen Vogue Video.

Originally Appeared on Teen Vogue