Legendary soloist IU is set to release a new digital single next week on September 10, 2026, surprising fans.

Her agency EDAM Entertainment announced the single’s release at midnight with a teaser trailer posted on IU’s social media accounts. A loading screen, featuring a moon graphic and the unveiled release day, leads to the text “Destination : UNKNOWN PLANET.” As the title of the single is yet to be revealed it is unclear what the text refers to at this stage, prompting curiosity.

The teaser combines digital and astrological imagery, hinting at possible themes, and includes an audio clip of a new instrumental. Last month, IU also uploaded a video titled “Dear star - Please grant my wish” on YouTube containing the same instrumental and reinforcing the astrological theme.

IU has not released music since last year; the seasonal single “Bye, Summer” was released on September 10, 2025, exactly one year prior to the new date. Since then, she has been struggling with health issues surrounding the chronic ear condition patulous Eustachian tube dysfunction, which causes the sufferer to hear their own voice and breathing in their head to an abnormal extent. Worsening of the issue has caused her to delay the release of her sixth studio album – initially due to arrive in late August or early September – as well as causing the postponement of two concerts at Goyang Stadium that were scheduled for September.

Re-runs of two concert films are still going ahead, with one from 2022 and one from 2024 both returning to cinema screens from September 9 to 22 in celebration of the singer-songwriter’s 18th year since debut. These will aid promotions of the single, allowing fans to engage in content despite IU’s inability to actively promote the song at present.

Due to delays, the announcement of a new single has been highly anticipated and well-received. More information about the song and the status of IU’s sixth studio album are expected.