South Korean singer and actress IU has been recently accused of having a hand in the death of three late young celebrities Sulli, Goo Hara and Kim Sae Ron in conspiracy theories circulating widely on social media platforms.

Koreaboo reported that the claims surfaced mainly on X (formerly Twitter), where users speculated about IU's connection to a psychiatric clinic reportedly linked to all three deceased artists. The clinic, known as the Kim Jong Il Psychiatric Clinic, was mentioned following comments by Sulli's brother that IU had referred Sulli there for treatment.

The conspiracy also extends to allegations about questionable practices at the clinic based on a single negative YouTube comment from a self-identified patient.

Adding fuel to the rumors, posts cited an interview headline where IU described 2019 as "the year I achieved everything," despite losing close friends Sulli and Goo Hara that same year. Many were wondering how she could make such statements right after the death of her loved ones, and they ended up making accusations against her that were baseless.

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They have since been debunked and proven to be groundless allegations. Many netizens have spoken out against the conspiracy theories, emphasizing the timing of interviews and articles which likely occurred before the deaths, and warning against spreading harmful falsehoods.

"These kinds of conspiracy theories can feel really scary because of how convincing they sound, and it makes you wonder if there might be some truth to them. Like who is her benefactor that her career has still stayed intact despite controversies that could easily end a career?," one Twitter user commented. Other people focused on the hurt emotions involved in these losses and emphasized that it was unwise to cultivate feelings of hatred due to emotional trauma.

The emergence of such rumors has caused worries that there may be an attempt at a targeted smear campaign against IU after the release of her latest drama, "Perfect Crown". This is the second time IU has become the subject of unsubstantiated allegations, even after she had faced similar false accusations in the past.

Separately, Starnews reported that a petition demanding the cancellation of the drama 21st Century Grand Duchess, starring IU and Byun Woo Seok, has surpassed 50,000 signatures in just five days, officially sending the issue to South Korea's National Assembly for review.

Critics accused the drama of historical distortion and excessive use of Chinese-inspired elements in a fictional Korean royal setting. The controversy also prompted a government investigation into production funding.

In response, the drama's production team, cast, and creators announced plans to issue an apology and revise disputed scenes in future broadcasts and streaming versions.

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