A Flower Bookmark

A Flower Bookmark
EP by IU
Released May 16, 2014
(see release history)
Genre K-pop, ballad
Length 24:04
26:38 (LP edition)
Language Korean
Label LOEN Entertainment
(LOEN Tree Label)
Producer Kim Jin-myeong
IU chronology

Modern Times
(2013)		 A Flower Bookmark
(2014)
Singles from A Flower Bookmark
  1. "My Old Story (나의 옛날 이야기)"
    Released: May 16, 2014

A Flower Bookmark (Hangul: 꽃갈피; RR: Kkotgalpi) is the first cover extended play (EP) by South Korean singer and actress IU. It is also her sixth Korean-language mini-album, and eighth EP overall. The EP was released on May 16, 2014, the singer's birthday, by LOEN Entertainment under its imprint LOEN Tree. Unlike her previous works, A Flower Bookmark features cover versions of nostalgic K-pop songs popularized from 1980s to 1990s.[1] The album is her first Korean-language release after seven months since Modern Times (2013).

The EP was successful both commercially and critically. It spawned two hit singles; the lead single "My Old Story" and "The Meaning of You". The former topped Billboard Korea K-Pop Hot 100,[2][upper-alpha 1] while the latter was ranked at the top of Gallup Korea's "Song of the Year" in 2014.[3][upper-alpha 2] The album also earned IU a MelOn Music Award for Artist of the Year, and a nomination for Album of the Year.[4][5]

Billboard magazine listed the album at number three on its list of "Best K-Pop Albums of 2014".[6]

A limited LP edition, featuring a bonus track "Eoheoya Dunggidunggi", was available for sale.[7] As of 2014, the album has sold over 46,000 physical copies and five million digital singles in her native South Korea (see chart performance).

Album information

As mentioned above, A Flower Bookmark consists of cover versions of nostalgic K-pop songs popularized from 1980s to 1990s, including "My Old Story" (Jo Deok-bae, 1985), "Flower" (Kim Kwang-seok, 1991), "Pierrot Smiles at Us" (Kim Wan-sun, 1990), "When Love Passes By" (Lee Moon-se, 1987), "The Meaning of You" (Sanulrim, 1984), "Midsummer Night's Dream" (Kim Hyun-sik, 1988), and "Kungddari Shabahrah" (Clon, 1996).[8]

On May 15, a video teaser for A Flower Bookmark was uploaded on LOEN Entertainment's official YouTube channel.[9] The teaser features Kim Wan-sun, the original singer of "Pierrot Smiles at Us" (Hangul: 삐에로는 우릴 보고 웃지; RR: Ppieroneun Uril Bogo Utji).[10] The official music video for the title track "My Old Story" (Hangul: 나의 옛날 이야기; RR: Naui Yetnal Iyagi), starring actor Choi Woo-shik, was released via YouTube on the same day.[11]

The whole album was released on the following day. After the album's release, "My Old Story" reached a perfect all-kill status.[12]

Track listing

※ Bolded tracks identify singles from the album.

CD/Digital download[13]
No. TitleLyricsMusic Length
1. "My Old Story" (나의 옛날 이야기; Naui Yetnal Iyagi)Jo Deok-baeJo Deok-bae 3:33
2. "Flower" (꽃; Kkot)Moon Dae-hyeonMoon Dae-hyeon 2:59
3. "Pierrot Smiles at Us" (삐에로는 우릴 보고 웃지; Ppieroneun Uril Bogo Utji)Lee Seung-hoSon Moo-hyeon 3:53
4. "When Love Passes By" (사랑이 지나가면; Sarang-i Jinagamyeon)Lee Young-hoonLee Young-hoon 4:00
5. "The Meaning of You" (너의 의미; Neoui Euimi, featuring Kim Chang-wan)Kim Han-youngKim Chang-wan 3:15
6. "Midsummer Night's Dream" (여름밤의 꿈; Yeoreumbamui Kkum)Yoon SangYoon Sang 3:56
7. "Kungddari Shabahrah" (꿍따리 샤바라, featuring Clon)Kim Chang-hwanKim Chang-hwan 3:48
Total length:
 24:04

Chart performance

Album charts

Chart (2014) Peak
position		 Sales
South Korean Gaon Weekly Albums Chart[16] 2
South Korean Gaon Monthly Albums Chart[19] 5
South Korean Gaon Year-End Albums Chart[20] 47
Japanese Oricon Weekly Albums Chart 144

Single charts

My Old Story

Chart (2014) Peak
position		 Sales
South Korean Gaon Weekly Singles Chart[21] 2
  • KOR: 1,282,091+ (digital downloads only)[22]
South Korean Gaon Monthly Singles Chart[23] 3
South Korean Gaon Year-End Singles Chart[24] 14
US Billboard Korea K-Pop Hot 100[2] 1

Other charted songs

Title Peak chart position Sales
KOR
Gaon
 KOR
Hot 100
"The Meaning of You" 3 3
  • KOR: 1,833,817+ (digital downloads only)[25]
"When Love Passes By" 4 3
  • KOR: 781,730+ (digital downloads only)[26]
"Pierrot Smiles at Us" 8 10
  • KOR: 432,982+ (digital downloads only)[27]
"Midsummer Night's Dream" 12 12
  • KOR: 372,347+ (digital downloads only)[28]
"Flower" 14 13
  • KOR: 284,624+ (digital downloads only)[29]
"Kungddari Shabahrah" 16 14
  • KOR: 251,658+ (digital downloads only)[30]

Awards and nominations

Annual music awards

Year Award Category Recipient Result
2014 6th MelOn Music Awards Album of the Year A Flower Bookmark Nominated
Artist of the Year IU Won
Top 10 Artists IU Won
16th Mnet Asian Music Awards The Most Popular Vocalist IU Won
2015 24th Seoul Music Awards Bonsang (Main Prize) IU Nominated
High1/Mobile Popularity Award IU Nominated
Hallyu Special Award IU Nominated

Use in media

Release history

Region Date Format Edition Label
South Korea May 16, 2014 CD, digital download LOEN Entertainment
Worldwide[32] Digital download
South Korea August 21, 2014 LP Limited Edition

Footnotes

  1. ↑ The song remained IU's sixth and last number-one hit on the chart, which has been discontinued since its issue date of July 16, 2014.
  2. ↑ IU herself was entitled "Artist of the Year" in the same survey.[3]
  3. ↑ The song had been used as one of the wholesome songs (Hangul: 건전가요; RR: Geonjeongayo) in South Korea. In the past, all of the K-pop albums had to include at least one "wholesome song", as an ode to the nation's (and by extension the dictatorship's) greatness. This practice continued until 1987.[14]
  4. ↑ Sales for both CD and LP editions combined.

References

  1. ↑ Kim, Young-bae (16 June 2014). "아이유, 리메이크 앨범 '꽃갈피' LP 한정 발매 ("IU Releases Her Remake Album "A Flower Bookmark" as a Limited LP")". GValley (in Korean). Retrieved 13 October 2014.
  2. ↑ 2.0 2.1 "Korea K-Pop Hot 100, Week of May 21, 2014". Billboard Korea. Retrieved 22 July 2014.
  3. ↑ 3.0 3.1 Kwon, Hye-jin (18 December 2014). ""올해를 빛낸 최고의 가수는 아이유" ("IU Was Ranked as "Artist of the Year"")". Yonhap News Agency (in Korean). Retrieved 19 January 2015.
  4. ↑ Hong, Ka-hwa (13 November 2014). "‘멜론뮤직어워드’ 아이유, 올해의 아티스트상 "신이 있는 것 같다" ("IU Wins Artist of the Year at 2014 MelOn Music Awards "I Guess God Exists"")". The Financial News (in Korean). Retrieved 17 November 2014.
  5. ↑ Jeon, Yoon-hee (13 November 2014). "'2014 멜론뮤직어워드' 올해의 앨범상 god "큰상 오랜만" '울컥' ("god Wins Album of the Year at 2014 MelOn Music Awards "We Haven't Received Such a Big Prize in a Long Time"")". Hankook Economy (in Korean). Retrieved 17 November 2014.
  6. ↑ "Best K-Pop Albums of 2014 - Billboard". Billboard. Retrieved 12 January 2015.
  7. ↑ 7.0 7.1 7.2 Jo, Hyeon-joo (16 June 2014). "아이유 ‘꽃갈피’ 한정반 LP로 발매… ‘어허야 둥기둥기’ 추가 수록 ("IU's Remake Album Releases as LP with a Bonus Track")". Sports Hankook (in Korean). Retrieved 11 October 2014.
  8. ↑ Park, Se-yeon (20 May 2014). "[연예기자24시]`93년생` 아이유의 꽃갈피, 유난히 예쁜 이유 ("The Reasons Why IU's Remake Album Is Especially Beautiful")". Maeil Business Newspaper (in Korean). Retrieved 12 October 2014.
  9. ↑ 1theK (원더케이) (2014-05-15). "[Teaser] IU(아이유) Remake Album 'Kkot-Galpi(꽃갈피)'" (YOUTUBE).
  10. ↑ Lee, Jeong-hyeon (15 May 2014). "아이유-김완선, ‘삐에로는 우릴 보고 웃지’ 깜짝 댄스 ("IU Dances with Kim Wan-sun")". Sports Hankook (in Korean). Retrieved 11 October 2014.
  11. ↑ 1theK (원더케이) (2014-05-15). "[MV] IU(아이유) _ Naui Yetnal Iyagi(나의 옛날이야기) : My old story" (YOUTUBE).
  12. ↑ "IU scores Perfect All-Kill with My Old Story". May 18, 2014. Retrieved May 23, 2014.
  13. ↑ (Korean)
  14. ↑ "Ask a Korean! 50 Most Influential K-Pop Artists Series Introduction & Brief History". Retrieved 7 April 2015.
  15. ↑ JeitcH (2014-10-11). "아이유 (IU) - 어허야 둥기둥기 (High Quality)" (YOUTUBE).
  16. ↑ "South Korean Gaon Chart: Album – The 22nd Week of 2014". Gaon Chart. Korea Music Content Industry Association. Retrieved 28 September 2014.
  17. ↑ Sales references for A Flower Bookmark:
  18. ↑ "オリコンランキング情報サービス「you大樹」". Oricon. Retrieved January 15, 2014. (subscription only)
  19. ↑ "South Korean Gaon Chart: Album – May 2014". Gaon Chart. Korea Music Content Industry Association. Retrieved 28 September 2014.
  20. ↑ "South Korean Gaon Chart: Album – The Year of 2014". Gaon Chart. Korea Music Content Industry Association. 9 January 2015. Retrieved 10 January 2015.
  21. ↑ "South Korean Gaon Chart: Weekly Singles – May 18, 2014 to May 24, 2014". Gaon Chart. Korea Music Content Industry Association. 1 June 2014. Retrieved 17 June 2014.
  22. ↑ Sales references for "My Old Story":
  23. ↑ "South Korean Gaon Chart: Overall singles – May 2014". Gaon Chart. Korea Music Content Industry Association. 1 June 2014. Retrieved 17 June 2014.
  24. ↑ "South Korean Gaon Chart: Singles – The Year of 2014". Gaon Chart. Korea Music Content Industry Association. 9 January 2015. Retrieved 10 January 2015.
  25. ↑ Sales references for "The Meaning of You":
  26. ↑ Sales references for "When Love Passes By":
  27. ↑ Sales references for "Pierrot Smiles at Us":
  28. ↑ Sales references for "Midsummer Night's Dream":
  29. ↑ Sales references for "Flower":
  30. ↑ Sales references for "Kungddari Shabahrah":
  31. ↑ SK telecom (2014-08-22). "[SK텔레콤 기업광고] 바른 ICT 프로젝트" (YOUTUBE).
  32. ↑ "iTunes - Music - 꽃갈피 A Flower Bookmark by IU". iTunes Store. Retrieved 11 October 2014.

External links