A Brazilian novel first published more than 40 years ago has unexpectedly become a highly sought-after read, after the Korean pop star IU was accused of sexualising the story of its five-year-old protagonist in one of her songs.
José Mauro de Vasconcelos’s My Sweet Orange Tree, first published in Portuguese in 1968 and in English in 1970, is set in Rio de Janeiro and follows the life of the boy Zeze, as he gets up to mischief and is mistreated. “Everyone beats him. If you look softhearted he will tell you it’s revolting the way they beat on a little kid. Can you believe him when he says he’s only six? No! The boy is a liar. He is five years old,” runs the copy on the first UK edition.
My Sweet Orange Tree has been out of print in English for years, but Abebooks.com has reported that the novel became its most searched-for title late last week after controversy enveloped IU’s pop song Zeze, which is based on the story. The bookseller’s Richard Davies said that My Sweet Orange Tree was “a much-loved book in South Korea and often studied in schools”.
According link, the book’s Korean publisher has issued a statement saying that: “We regret the way the five-year-old character is portrayed as a sexual object.”
The paper quotes lines from IU’s song which run: “Zeze, come on up the tree quick and kiss the leaves, don’t be naughty and don’t hurt the tree, come up the tree and get the youngest leaf … you are innocent but shrewd, transparent but dirty and there is no way of knowing what’s living inside.”
IU has since issued an apology, translated by the K-pop Herald, in which she describes My Sweet Orange Tree as a “treasured book”, and says: “I swear I did not write the lyrics to sexualise a five-year-old child. The Zeze in my song is a third-party fictional creation taken from the motif in the original novel.”
She goes on to apologise, writing: “However, after listening to the opinions of those who have listened to the song, I came to realise that its contents could have given offence and even caused some to grieve. I am wholly responsible for my immature handling of things as a lyricist.”
Source: link
IU has gifted all of the employees at 'Chamisul'!
She's recently become the model for the soju brand, and an employee recently uploaded a post titled, "I got a gift from IU."
The post read, "She became our company's model, and she gave presents out to all the employees in gratitude. She gave us a Starbucks recycling cup. She's a very sensible lady." An employee from the same company replied to the post and said, "She wrote a message and wrote the names of all the employees, even the part time ones, saying she was thankful she became our company's model."
source: allkpop
She's recently become the model for the soju brand, and an employee recently uploaded a post titled, "I got a gift from IU."
The post read, "She became our company's model, and she gave presents out to all the employees in gratitude. She gave us a Starbucks recycling cup. She's a very sensible lady." An employee from the same company replied to the post and said, "She wrote a message and wrote the names of all the employees, even the part time ones, saying she was thankful she became our company's model."
source: allkpop
Belting out "I like you oppa, what should I do" in her hit song, "Good Day," IU quickly rose to the top of the list as the nation's next younger sister and was adored by many uncle fans. However, as she gradually made her way into appearing on variety shows, we were shocked to see that IU was not so child-like as she seemed. For one, IU does not have a cute, high-pitched voice that we all thought she would have. Actually, it's quite deep. And her unexpected comments such as, "When girls are rushing to go out, they sometimes only wash their bangs," shows that she has a hidden tomboy, easy-going, and surprisingly mature personality behind her baby face.
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