IU "Black Card" I Thought I Could Use It Too... But There's No 5 Billion Won in My Bank Account

Singer and actress IU's use of a premium card has attracted attention. The card reportedly has an annual fee of 2.5 million KRW and is only issued to individuals with an average semi-annual bank account balance exceeding 5 billion KRW.

[Photo by 'Lee Jigeum', captured from YouTube]

On the 19th, IU's official YouTube channel 'Lee Jigeum' uploaded a video showing IU buying a birthday gift for her younger brother in Los Angeles, USA. At the checkout, IU said, "I feel more rewarded when buying gifts than when buying things for myself," and took out her card to pay. At that moment, the credit card she used was visible in the video. The card IU presented was a black metal plate engraved with the logo 'TWO CHAIRS.'

The card is known to be the premium card TWO CHAIRS Black from Woori Bank, for which IU serves as a model. It is a customized card for high-net-worth individuals and is issued only to the top-tier TWO CHAIRS customers of Woori Bank, namely Black and Gold members. The Black tier applies to those with an average semi-annual balance of 5 billion KRW or more, while the Gold tier applies to those with 3 billion KRW or more. The annual fee alone is 2.5 million KRW.

On social networking services (SNS) and online communities, posts titled 'The credit card IU uses' appeared within a day of the video being uploaded. These posts summarized the card’s membership requirements and benefits. Netizens responded with comments such as "She really is a walking corporation" and "Even if I want to imitate her, I can't."

Two Chairs of Woori Card.
Photo by Woori Card

This is not the first time a premium card used by a famous celebrity has been revealed. Previously, BLACKPINK’s Lisa was spotted using Hyundai Card’s ‘The Black’ overseas in February last year. That card is known for its ‘Invitation only’ membership system, which considers not only the customer’s financial capability but also their social status and honor, attracting even more attention.

Meanwhile, IU made headlines in 2021 when she purchased the Eterno Cheongdam in Cheongdam-dong, Gangnam-gu, Seoul, paying the full price of 13 billion KRW in cash. Additionally, IU is known to own a two-story country house in Yangpyeong-gun, Gyeonggi Province, and a building in Gwacheon-si, Gyeonggi Province. The purchase prices are 2.2 billion KRW for the Yangpyeong house and 4.6 billion KRW for the Gwacheon building. She is also famous for consistently donating since her debut, with her total donations reportedly reaching 5 billion KRW to date.