IU provided an honest explanation for the noticeable change in her physical appearance since her debut.

On December 13th, while IU was on KBS 2TV talk show Win Win, the topic of plastic surgery got brought up during the interview. Regarding constant plastic surgery rumors she had to deal with, IU said, “When I look at my own photos from my early debut days, I realize that I really did change a lot from back then. There is such a big difference, that even I would think I had plastic surgery done.”

IU debuted at a very young age, when she was still a student in middle school. IU said, “Back then, I barely wore any makeup,” and plus, “I am now 1.8 cm taller (0.7 in) and 10 kg thinner (22 lb).”

IU also talked about how people used to often call her pretty when she was a little girl. However, as she grew a bit older, she “started getting uglier,” according to IU herself. IU pointed out, “When I look at pictures from my debut days, I realize how much I’ve changed.” Then she added, “But now, I think I look a little bit prettier than when I first debuted.”