IU, first official appearance after health issues...attended as a presenter at the Blue Dragon Series Awards

IU made an official appearance about ten days after suspending activities due to health issues. On July 31, at the 5th Blue Dragon Series Awards held at Paradise City in Incheon, IU took the stage as a presenter for the Best Actor and Actress awards alongside actor Ju Ji-hoon. On this day, IU said, ″I thought I wouldn’t be nervous today, but standing here brings back memories of last year and my heart is pounding,″ adding, ″I lived this past year working really hard thanks to the strength I gained from the award I received last year. It is an honor to share this precious moment as a presenter.″ Ju Ji-hoon and IU, who won the Best Actor and Actress awards last year for the dramas ″Severe Trauma Center″ and ″Completely Fooled,″ respectively, appeared as presenters for the same categories this year. IU’s official public appearance is the first since EDAM Entertainment, the agency, announced on July 20 that due to the worsening of patulous eustachian tube, the concert scheduled for September at Goyang Stadium, subsequent performances, and the release of the 6th full album would all be postponed. The agency stated, ″We and IU recently determined that the current ear condition makes it difficult to proceed with performances. Therefore, prioritizing health, after careful discussion, we decided to adjust the schedule for the Goyang Stadium concert planned for September as well as subsequent performances and the 6th full album release.″ Through the fan community, IU explained, ″I think I pushed myself too hard without considering my condition for several years,″ and added, ″Experts have advised that performing for the time being would be too much.″ IU promised fans, ″I will focus on treatment and return as healthy as possible as soon as I can.″ IU also expressed regret, saying, ″I’m sorry for ruining the second half of the year that everyone was looking forward to due to my ear condition.″ Patulous eustachian tube is a condition where the cartilage part of the eustachian tube, the space inside the eardrum, remains abnormally open, causing ear fullness or the sensation of hearing one’s own voice echo. IU revealed that symptoms have recently worsened, making it repeatedly difficult to regain condition while singing. IU plans to focus on treatment and recovery before rescheduling future performances and album plans.