India, June 19 -- South Korean actor-singer IU earned widespread praise for her performance in the series When Life Gives You Tangerines, where she played the dual roles of Ae-sun and her daughter Geum-myeong. The 32-year-old shares that she doesn't choose roles based on a fixed narrative but rather on how deeply a story or a character draws her in. "It's more like fate; somehow, certain projects just find me at the right time," she tells us, adding, "I feel a strong pull toward stories I want to tell in that moment of my life. I don't know how this might change in the future, but right now, I'm drawn to characters I can personally relate to." Earlier this year, she released the third edition of her nostalgic cover album Flower Bookmark (Kkot Galpi) 3, reinterpreting classic Korean songs in her own style. Reflecting on her dual creative worlds: "When I'm a musician, it feels like the world exists inside of me. But when I'm acting, it feels like the world exists outside of me." One of the most popular Korean celebrities globally, IU is remarkably grounded. "I don't feel like I'm immensely popular," she says with a smile. "All of this feels like it's mine but also not entirely mine at the same time." The singer-actor also expresses a growing interest in exploring India, and looks genuinely surprised when told about her expanding fanbase here. "I've watched Indian films and listened to Indian music," she says. "I especially admire the way Indian people approach life; it's truly inspiring. And I love the sound of the sitar. It feels spiritual, yet very accessible. That's the charm of Indian music for me," she concludes....