Is "Love Wins" an LGBTQ+ Term?... IU's New Song Sparks Controversy

New Song Title 'Love Wins' Sparks Backlash from LGBTQ+ Community
"A Word Not Usable for Heterosexuality" vs "It Also Appears in the Bible"

Singer and actress IU (real name Lee Ji-eun) has released a trailer for her new song "Love Wins," but the title has been criticized for being a "term exclusive to sexual minorities." This has sparked a heated debate among netizens.

Singer and actress IU is making a comeback on the 24th with "Love Wins."
[Photo by IU Instagram, EDAM Entertainment]

On the 17th, several posts criticizing IU's new song title appeared on online communities and social networking services (SNS). A writer identified as A, who said they are a sexual minority, stated, "Did we have to title a song 'Love Wins' while singing about heterosexual love, which has never been denied?" and added, "The desperate phrase of sexual minorities exposed to discrimination and hatred should not be used lightly like this."

Shortly after the U.S. Supreme Court ruled nationwide legalization of same-sex marriage in 2015, plaintiffs Stuart Gaffney (left) and John Lewis (center) are seen celebrating.
[Photo by Getty Images Bank]

The title of IU's new song, "Love Wins," means "love wins" and is a phrase widely used globally to promote sexual minority rights whenever incidents of sexual minority hatred occur. It is used as a representative slogan of the "Queer Festival," where sexual minorities freely parade in the streets, and became widely known when sexual minorities holding "Love Wins" placards were shown during the 2015 U.S. Supreme Court ruling legalizing same-sex marriage.

Another netizen, B, criticized, "The slogan shouted at the scene of oppression and discrimination should not be consumed as a simple song," and added, "Some may take it lightly, but it is a slogan filled with the screams and desperate feelings of sexual minorities. It should not be used recklessly."

There were also netizens who showed contrasting reactions. They said, "It literally means 'love wins,' so it's strange to make an issue out of it," "It's a phrase that even appears in the Bible," and "I don't understand why people claim that homosexuality is no different from heterosexuality but say the phrase cannot be used."

Meanwhile, IU's new song "Love Wins" will be released on major online music sites at 6 p.m. on January 24. It is attracting public attention as it marks her comeback after about 2 years and 1 month since December 2021. The music video also drew attention as it was revealed that V from the male idol group Bangtan Sonyeondan (BTS) appeared in it.