Watch IU kick ass in the teaser clip for 'LILAC' | NME

K-pop star IU has offered a glimpse of her upcoming song ‘LILAC’, from the forthcoming record of the same name.

In the clip, IU showcases her acting ability with an intense battle scene on a moving train where she fights off four men. The snippet draws inspiration from the iconic corridor fight scene in Park Chan-wook’s 2003 film Oldboy starring Choi Min‑sik.

‘LILAC’ is also the title track of the K-pop soloist’s fifth studio album, set to come out on March 25. The singer confirmed details of the comeback earlier this month, by revealing the album’s official tracklist, as well as a preview video for the song ‘Flu’.

South Korean R&B singer-songwriter DEAN will also be lending his voice for IU’s comeback, with an appearance on the track ‘TROLL’, which he also co-wrote. Other collaborators on the upcoming LP include Park Woo Sang, JUNNY, Ryan S. Jhun, Naul, WOOGIE, PENOMECO, AKMU’s Lee Chan Hyuk and PEEJAY.

In January, the 27-year-old artist returned with the single ‘Celebrity’, which is part of the much-anticipated album. In a four-star review, NME called the song “an elegant synth pop toast to imperfections”.

‘LILAC’ follows IU’s previous full-length album ‘Palette’, released in 2017. Before this music project, she had been focused on her acting career, starring in dramas such as My Mister, Persona and Hotel del Luna.

Recently, the K-pop soloist’s music was pulled from Spotify, along with other musicians like Epik High and MONSTA X. The removal was due to the expiration of the streaming platform’s contract with South Korean entertainment company Kakao M. However the dispute was finally resolved more than a week later.