Suga talked about this with IU when he was on her show Palette.

It is a song about IU's struggles in dealing with the suicide deaths of 3 friends. Junghyun of Shinee in 2017 and then a very close friend Sulli and Goo Hare in the fall/winter of 2019. Sulli pasted away just prior to IU starting her Love Poem concert and about 30 days later Goo passed away and IU heard the news during her last concert in Seoul. It was difficult for her to finish the concert and was the only time she didn't do one of her 2 hour encores. All 3 are represented in the video. Junghyun is the dragon, Goo Is the lizard being kept as a pet (Goo was into lizards) and Sulli is the 2d animated girl in white. In the song IU expresses hope that her friends are finally happy now. But she says that she isn't do so well. She feels like she has lost everything. She also expresses anger at her friends, saying that they just come and go as they please without even saying goodbye. This line sets up the rest of the MV. There are 2 animated scenes. 1 is a 3d animation of IU and Suga on the plane and representing those in the world of the living. Sulli and the dragon are in 2d representing the world of the after life. Sulli hears IU pain, which is always one of the unintended consequence of suicide, and decides she needs to try and correct it. She runs through the forest until she reaches a black barrier, the divide between the two worlds. She parts the blackness and enters the world of the living. Where she runs and jumps off a cliff where Junghyun in his dragon alter ego cat he's her and they fly to intercept plane. As they pass IU sees her friends and her tears turn into a smile. They have confirmed to her that they are OK and they have said goodbye to their friend. As Sulli looks back toward IU her expression is one of concern for IU and hoping that IU will love again. The end of the video, IU gives a stern look into the camera asking all the hate commenters if they are finally happy now. Then we see the number 8 splitting into the letters E and I showing that IU remains and her 3 friends are gone but saved as memories, where they will remain forever young. The title 8 has several meaning. It was the age of IU and Suga both being 28 when they made this video. 8 on it side is the infinite sign meaning forever. And 8 is the number of years that IU had known Sulli.

@@michaelfoley5295 Thank you so much for this explanation. I knew there was a lot of meaning but didn’t know all of the details.

Always, always appreciate the deep dive Nathan! I've seen a few try and cover this song, but never measured up to IU's gorgeous voice!❤ Yoongi and IU together are a great match!!!

@@maryr1905 I didn't cover all the meaningful images and symbolism in the video. Like the Peach shaped light, Sulli nickname was Peach and IU also has a song named Peach she dedicated to Sulli. The house she is in has also been suggested as a representation of Sulli's house, as they were known to hang out together and Sulli would post pictures of IU cooking there. When IU steps out outside looking for the lizard their are lights going around her that match the lights in the memory machine. Letting us know that this isn't real but a dream sequence. There is more. In IU videos there is always more to discover. And keep in mind that virtually everything you see has a meaning especially if the camera focuses on it even for a second.

Yes with live band

He does it in some other songs too 😊

​@@sjplus36 yeah he did this many time...and it's so iconic

Yes! Thank you! I hear it now! LOL

Yes

Up! 💜

Oh I love this suggestion! Yes, SUGA also produced a song for the legendary Psy... It'd be really interesting to hear your reaction to "That, That," Nate.

Yessss! Please react to mamamoo killing verse! Their voices are just chef's kiss!

Uppp

Good suggestion. Adam Lambert’s track Runnin’ is still one of my favorites. Shows off his range.

​@@maryr1905my fav too. I listen to it almost always