DPR Ian
유바롬
Born
Christian Yu[1]

(1990-09-06) 6 September 1990
Other namesYu Ba-rom, Rome[2]
Occupations
  • Singer
  • rapper
  • visual director
Years active2012–present
Musical career
OriginSouth Korea
GenresR&B
Instrument(s)Vocals
LabelsDream Perfect Regime
Formerly ofC-Clown
Korean name
Hangul
Revised RomanizationYu Barom
McCune–ReischauerYu Parom

Christian Yu (born 6 September 1990), known professionally as DPR Ian,[3] is an Australian singer, rapper, and director[4][5] based in South Korea. He is a former member of Yedang Entertainment boy group C-Clown, which was active between 2012 and 2015. Yu made his solo debut under his co-founded label Dream Perfect Regime (DPR) with the digital single "So Beautiful" on October 26, 2020. His first studio album Moodswings in to Order was released on July 29, 2022.[6] He was the 10th most streamed Kpop Male Solo Artist Globally on Spotify in 2022.[7][8]

Early life

DPR Ian was born in Sydney, Australia on September 6, 1990, and was raised by his mother after his parents separated when he was young. Yu attended Wollongong High School of the Performing Arts and played in a heavy metal band, where he was influenced by the musicals and circuses he attended as a child.[9][10] In 2008, when he was 18, he started uploading videos to his YouTube channel, going by the name of B Boy B.yu. After graduating from high school, Yu studied science and art at the University of Sydney for one year before dropping out. He then moved to South Korea to pursue dancing, initially having no intention of becoming a K-pop idol. However, this changed when he was street cast by an entertainment agency; when he auditioned, he couldn’t sing but he was able to impress with his dancing abilities.[3]

Career

Yu debuted as the leader of K-pop group C-Clown under the stage name Rome, which was derived from his Korean name "Ba-rom". The 6-member boy group debuted in 2012 and was the first idol group created by entertainment agency Yedang Entertainment, which would later be renamed Banana Culture Entertainment.[3] After C-Clown disbanded in October 2015, Yu along with Live, Cream, and REM established the label Dream Perfect Regime, all of whom attach the label's acronym—DPR—to their names.[11][12] In 2021, he released his debut extended play Moodswings in This Order.[13] He released his first studio album Moodswings In To Order in 2022.[14]

Yu is behind the visual arts for the DPR crew and directs all DPR music videos such as Live's "Jasmine", "Legacy", and "Yellow Cab" along with his own songs, like "So Beautiful", "No Blueberries", and "Ballroom Extravaganza". He has also directed and edited music videos for artists outside of DPR including Bobby's "HOLUP", Mino's "Body", and Taeyang's "Wake Me Up".[15]

In 2021, DPR Ian and Live released the track "Diamonds + and Pearls" as part of the soundtrack to the Marvel Film Shang-Chi and the Legend of the Ten Rings. This marked the duo—along with fellow artists on the album—becoming two of the first Korean artists to participate in a Marvel soundtrack album.[16]

Artistry

DPR Ian was diagnosed with bipolar disorder when he was a teenager.[10] He later created an alter ego, Mito, to reflect the low episodes of his mental disorder. In an interview with Billboard, he said that “I wanted to portray a character dealing with various mental disorders which may be deemed negative or dark in a realistic sense but at the same time can also be seen as superpowers in a different light.”[17] He talks about a personified version of his high manic episodes named 'Mr. Insanity' with his newest album, Dear Insanity, saying, "I thought it had to be about someone that represents my utmost manic highs, but all in all I've always thought Mr. Insanity to be more of a scary character. You're not sure what he's capable of."[18]

Discography

Studio albums

Title Album details Peak chart positions Sales
KOR
[19]
US
[20]
Moodswings in to Order 30146

Extended plays

Title EP details Peak chart positions Sales
KOR
[19]
US
[22]
Moodswings in This Order
  • Released: 12 March 2021
  • Label: Dream Perfect Regime, Kakao M
  • Formats: CD, digital download
40 __
Dear Insanity
  • Released: 6 October 2023[23]
  • Label: Dream Perfect Regime
  • Formats: CD, digital download
31138

Singles

Title Year Album
"So Beautiful" 2020 Moodswings in This Order
"No Blueberries" (featuring CL, DPR Live)
"Ballroom Extravaganza" 2022 Moodswings in to Order
"Peanut Butter & Tears"[23] 2023 Dear Insanity
"So I Danced"/"Don't Go Insane"

Tours

  • The Regime World Tour (with DPR Live & DPR Cream) (2022)

Awards and nominations

Award Year Category Nominee Result Ref.
Korean Hip-hop Awards 2022 R&B Album of the Year Moodswings in This Order Nominated [25]
2023 R&B Track of the Year Ballroom Extravaganza Nominated [26]
Music Video of the Year "Miito Movie (Part 1)⁣" Nominated [27]

References

  1. Anderson, Daniel (July 29, 2022). "Genre-defying singer DPR Ian debuts first studio album 'Moodswings In To Order'". Yahoo! News. Retrieved August 4, 2022.
  2. Glasby, Taylor (July 28, 2022). "How DPR Ian Went From Korean Idol to Genre-Defying Pop Star". Rolling Stone. Retrieved August 4, 2022.
  3. 1 2 3 "Diving deep into DPR Ian's past and present". MoinNet. November 28, 2021. Retrieved August 4, 2022.
  4. Partridge, Ken (July 27, 2022). "DPR IAN Adds To His Mystique With New Single "Ballroom Extravaganza"". Genius. Retrieved August 4, 2022.
  5. Yeo, Gladys (July 26, 2022). "DPR IAN drops brand-new song 'Ballroom Extravaganza'". NME. Retrieved August 4, 2022.
  6. Yeo, Gladys (June 14, 2022). "DPR IAN announces first studio album 'Moodswings In To Order'". NME. Retrieved August 4, 2022.
  7. "@dprianupdates". Twitter. Retrieved February 9, 2023.
  8. "2022 Spotify Wrapped: Most-Streamed Kpop Artists and Songs - KPOPPOST". December 2, 2022. Retrieved February 9, 2023.
  9. Wilder, Gabriel (December 7, 2013). "Putting the 'popular' into K-pop". The Sydney Morning Herald.
  10. 1 2 Mulenga, Natasha (April 23, 2021). "DPR Ian and the DPR Crew Are Building a Music Industry Blueprint". Teen Vogue. Retrieved August 4, 2022.
  11. Siroky, Mary (July 29, 2022). "DPR Ian Breaks Down New Album Moodswings In To Order Track by Track: Exclusive". Consequence. Retrieved August 4, 2022.
  12. Singh, Lavanya (October 3, 2018). "DPR: 'We Did this Ourselves From the Ground Up'". Rolling Stone India. Retrieved August 4, 2022.
  13. "DPR IAN, 오늘(12일) 첫EP 발매…독창적 세계관". Herald. March 12, 2021.
  14. "The Mythology of DPR IAN: Korean-Australian Idol to Pop World Creator". Rolling Stone Australia. July 29, 2022. Retrieved February 9, 2023.
  15. "10 Music Videos You Might Not Have Known Were Directed By DPR IAN". Koreaboo. September 21, 2022. Retrieved February 9, 2023.
  16. maylkm (November 28, 2021). "Diving deep into DPR Ian's past and present". MoinNet. Retrieved February 9, 2023.
  17. Mamo, Heran (March 26, 2021). "DPR Ian Is Reframing Mental Disorders as 'Superpowers': Emerging Artists Spotlight". Billboard.
  18. "DPR IAN's 'Dear Insanity' Chooses The Unpredictable Path | GRAMMY.com". www.grammy.com. Retrieved December 4, 2023.
  19. 1 2 "Moodswings In This Order". Circle Chart. March 14–20, 2021. Retrieved August 4, 2022.
  20. @billboardcharts (August 8, 2022). "Debuts on this week's #Billboard200 (2/2)..." (Tweet). Retrieved August 9, 2022 via Twitter.
  21. "Moodswings in to Order". Circle Chart (in Korean). July 31 – August 6, 2022. Retrieved August 11, 2022.
  22. @billboardcharts (October 16, 2023). "Debuts on this week's #Billboard200..." (Tweet). Retrieved October 17, 2023 via Twitter.
  23. 1 2 "DPR IAN Reveals EP 'Dear Insanity' & Shares 'Peanut Butter & Tears' Single". Broadway World. August 4, 2023. Retrieved August 6, 2023.
  24. "CIRCLE CHART - 써클차트". circlechart.kr. Retrieved December 7, 2023.
  25. "Korean Hip-hop Awards 2022 Nominees". Korean Hip-hop Awards.
  26. "후보 소개: KOREAN HIPHOP AWARDS 2023". koreanhiphopawards.com. Retrieved December 7, 2023.
  27. "후보 소개: KOREAN HIPHOP AWARDS 2023". koreanhiphopawards.com. Retrieved December 7, 2023.
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