SUGA was born in March 1993, while IU was born in May 1993. Therefore, it is not difficult for the 93-line duo to become close friends, especially in the context of working together in the music industry and having many successes.
When SUGA guested on IU's "IU's Palette", he mentioned that the outside world might think that they only met when they were 28 years old because of their collaboration on "Eight", released in 2020, but in fact, before the single was released, the two had known each other since they were around 25 years old!
SUGA and IU have been friends for much longer than fans realize, and they have always kept in touch privately. 3 years after the release of their first collaboration, the 93 duo reunited once again for "People Pt.2", further highlighting their enduring friendship.
Despite their close relationship, IU once revealed that SUGA was not the BTS member she originally thought of collaborating with!
Instead, during the time before “Eight” was planned, she came up with the idea of collaborating with RM and asked SUGA for the BTS leader’s number. When asked what song she would do with RM, IU replied that it would probably be "something really serious", reflecting her mental state at the time.
However, although IU got RM’s number from SUGA, she didn’t have the courage to talk to someone she had never contacted before, so in the end, she never actually contacted him. IU then lost interest in the idea of collaborating with RM and came up with “Eight” instead.
She said: "I asked Yoongi if I could have RM's number. I think... It would've been something really serious -Because mentally, at the time. I wasn't in the best place. I wanted to bring out those emotions in a song. So I asked you if I could have his number, and got it but I never called him. I was like, "What's that about?" Asking you for his number took a lot of courage for me and I had this impulse to do this quickly [Wanted to shake off the bad feelings through music]. That's how I felt but after I got his number... He's just a total stranger. I couldn't get up the courage to just call someone I didn't know at all. So anyway, in the end. I never called RM And after that, I just kind of lost interest in doing that song".
During the development of the idea, she felt that it would be better to work with someone her age, and she chose the “best person”, SUGA, who is also a producer with whom she has had a friendship for many years.
After IU’s revelation, ARMYs expressed that it was a pity to miss out on the collaboration with RM, but it cannot be denied that it was an opportunity to create two legendary songs by SUGA and IU later. Fans also expect that following the collaboration with SUGA and V, IU will also work with RM in the future:
- so IU wanted to collab with namjoon first but she couldn’t get up the courage to contact him so it never happened
- Now i really want namjoon and iu Collab
- Oh this reminds me of when yoongi said - lots of juniors cm to him for advice n joon said ' y don't they cm to me ? Do they think I'll answer in eng ?'
- I'm just vibing to namjoon" wake up" rap & watching this tweet. definitely it would be superb if they Collab
- the POTENTIAL ohlord i hope they pick this up again in chap 3
- IU really admired joon for long time
- I love my 7 boys so much but I really like IU's friendship with bts. Jhope,V, suga every one feels good with iu. IU such a good friend. She is a beautiful girl.
- Would've been so amazing! But eight is genuinely one of my favorite songs ever, and I'll always be grateful for it
- The collab better happen I'm so serious
- Poor IU. we always see how namjoon is strong but a bit clumsy, giant, adorable koala. But i'm sure people who met him, saw a strong leader with clear understanding and virtues.
- Their collaboration would be wonderful. Hopefully we can have this collab in the future
