South Korean Singer-Songwriter IU Faces Controversy For Allegedly Sexualizing 5-Year-Old Book Character In Song ‘Zeze’

South Korean singer and songwriter IU is now dealing a controversy for allegedly sexualizing a 5-year-old book character in her song entitled "Zeze" which is under her newest album "Chat-Shire".

Korea Herald reported that the song was inspired by a boy character named Zeze in the novel "My Sweet Orange Tree" by Brazilian author Jose Mauro de Vasconcelos.

IU's song bears the lyrics "Zeze, climb up the tree / Kiss the leaves / Don't fool around / Don't hurt the tree, bad bad / Zeze, climb up the tree / Take the youngest leaf here / Take the only flower / Climb up me," which some people claim as sexually evocative.

The South Korean artist explained that "Zeze is innocent but cruel in some aspects. He is a character with many paradoxes, which is why I felt he was charming and sexy." 

However, publisher of the Korean version of the novel said in a dispatch that IU's interpretation of the book character was "wrong".

"It is a great pity that (IU) considered the 5-year-old Zeze to be a sexual subject," Dongnyok Publishing Co. said. "Freedom of expression has to be achieved in light of public sympathy."

Meanwhile, the 22-year-old singer-songwriter released a statement regarding the issue through her social media accounts on November 6.

"I was aware of all of the issues that my song has caused recently, and I realize how long it took me to take courage to speak for myself," IU wrote on Facebook.  "I would like to make a sincere apology to everyone for causing concerns."

"My new album, 'CHAT-SHIRE,' is composed of songs that were motivated from my own thoughts and experiences, and "Zeze" is one of them," the singer adds.

Soompi reported on Nov. 6 that IU also wrote a statement on her official SNS account on the same day admitting it was her fault as an amateur songwriter.

"I swear I did not write the lyrics sexualizing a five-year-old boy. The Zeze you sense in the lyrics is just a third party that emphasize the motif of the novel," IU stated.

She went on, "However, I came to know that a lot of people heard my song and were offended and scarred by my lyrics. This is my fault as an amateur songwriter."

IU released her seventh Korean-language extended play "Chat-Shire" on October 23. Aside from the issue in her song "Zeze," IU was also accused for allegedly using Britney Spears' voice in her song "23" under her latest album.