DPR Ian
{{Short description|Australian singer, rapper (born 1990)}}
{{Use dmy dates|date=February 2024}}
{{Infobox person
| name = DPR Ian
| image = DPR IAN.jpg
| image size =
| caption = DPR Ian in 2022
| native_name = {{nobold|유바롬}}
| birth_date = {{birth date and age|1990|09|06|df=yes}}
| birth_place = Sydney, New South Wales, Australia
| occupation = {{hlist|Singer|rapper|visual director}}
| years_active = 2012–present
| module = {{Infobox musical artist|embed=yes
| genre = R&B
| instrument = Vocals
| origin = South Korea
| label = Dream Perfect Regime
| website =
| past_member_of = C-Clown
}}
| module2 = {{Infobox Korean name|child=yes|headercolor=transparent
| hangul = 유바롬
| hanja =
| rr = Yu Ba-rom
| mr = Yu Parom
}}
}}
Christian Yu (born 6 September 1990), known professionally as DPR Ian,{{cite web |date=28 November 2021 |title=Diving deep into DPR Ian's past and present |url=https://www.moinnet.com/en/unfamiliar-koreans/dpr-ian/ |access-date=4 August 2022 |website=MoinNet}} is an Australian singer, songwriter, dancer, producer and director{{cite web |last1=Partridge |first1=Ken |date=27 July 2022 |title=DPR IAN Adds To His Mystique With New Single "Ballroom Extravaganza" |url=https://genius.com/a/dpr-ian-adds-to-his-mystique-with-new-single-ballroom-extravaganza |access-date=4 August 2022 |website=Genius |language=en}}{{cite web |last1=Yeo |first1=Gladys |date=26 July 2022 |title=DPR IAN drops brand-new song 'Ballroom Extravaganza' |url=https://www.nme.com/news/music/dpr-ian-new-song-ballroom-extravaganza-album-moodswings-in-to-order-3276947 |access-date=4 August 2022 |website=NME}} based in Los Angeles. 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 26 October 2020. His first studio album Moodswings in to Order was released on 29 July 2022.{{cite web |last1=Yeo |first1=Gladys |title=DPR IAN announces first studio album 'Moodswings In To Order' |url=https://www.nme.com/news/music/dpr-ian-announces-first-studio-album-moodswings-in-to-order-miito-3247154 |website=NME |access-date=4 August 2022 |date=14 June 2022}} He was the 10th most streamed K-pop Male Solo Artist Globally on Spotify in 2022.{{Cite web |title=@dprianupdates |url=https://twitter.com/dprianupdates/status/1598433624713469955 |access-date=9 February 2023 |website=Twitter |language=en}}{{Cite web |date=2 December 2022 |title=2023 Spotify Wrapped: Most-Streamed Kpop Artists and Songs - KPOPPOST |url=https://www.kpoppost.com/2022-spotify-wrapped-most-streamed-kpop/ |access-date=9 February 2023 |language=en-US}}{{Unreliable source|reason=Per WP:KO/RS#UR|date=June 2024}}
Early life
DPR Ian was born in Sydney, Australia on 6 September 1990. His parents separated when he was young, and he was raised by his mother. He 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.{{cite web |last1=Wilder |first1=Gabriel |title=Putting the 'popular' into K-pop |url=https://www.smh.com.au/national/putting-the-popular-into-k-pop-20131206-2ywju.html |website=The Sydney Morning Herald |language=en |date=7 December 2013}}{{Cite web |last=Mulenga |first=Natasha |date=23 April 2021 |title=DPR Ian and the DPR Crew Are Building a Music Industry Blueprint |url=https://www.teenvogue.com/story/dpr-ian-and-the-dpr-crew-are-building-a-music-industry-blueprint-interview |access-date=4 August 2022 |website=Teen Vogue |language=en-US}} 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.
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 Banana Culture Entertainment, formerly known as Yedang Entertainment. 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.{{cite web |last1=Siroky |first1=Mary |date=29 July 2022 |title=DPR Ian Breaks Down New Album Moodswings In To Order Track by Track: Exclusive |url=https://consequence.net/2022/07/dpr-ian-moodswings-in-to-order-track-by-track/ |access-date=4 August 2022 |website=Consequence}}{{cite web |last1=Singh |first1=Lavanya |title=DPR: 'We Did this Ourselves From the Ground Up' |url=https://rollingstoneindia.com/dpr-we-did-this-ourselves/ |website=Rolling Stone India |access-date=4 August 2022 |date=3 October 2018}} In 2021, he released his debut extended play Moodswings in This Order.{{Cite web |date=12 March 2021 |title=DPR IAN, 오늘(12일) 첫EP 발매…독창적 세계관 |url=http://news.heraldcorp.com/view.php?ud=20210311000737 |website=Herald}} He released his first studio album Moodswings In To Order in 2022.{{Cite web |date=29 July 2022 |title=The Mythology of DPR IAN: Korean-Australian Idol to Pop World Creator |url=https://au.rollingstone.com/music/music-features/dpr-ian-moodswings-in-to-order-41864/ |access-date=9 February 2023 |website=Rolling Stone Australia |language=en-AU}}
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".{{Cite web |date=21 September 2022 |title=10 Music Videos You Might Not Have Known Were Directed By DPR IAN |url=https://www.koreaboo.com/lists/music-videos-might-not-known-directed-dpr-ian-christian-yu/ |access-date=9 February 2023 |website=Koreaboo |language=en-US}} In 2020, DPR Ian appeared in the music video for "5 Stars" by CL.{{cite web |last1=Kim |first1=Yeeun |title=CL Unveils Love-Filled Music Video for New Single "+5 STAR+" |url=https://hypebae.com/2020/10/cl-comeback-announcement-new-songs-teaser-post-up-release-date-hwa-5star-k-pop |website=Hypebae |access-date=14 February 2024 |date=6 November 2020}} They also collaborated in "No Blueberries" that year.{{cite web |title=DPR Ian drops new single 'So Beautiful' with music video – watch |url=https://www.bandwagon.asia/articles/dpr-dream-perfect-regime-ian-live-to-release-single-so-beautiful-with-music-video-this-october-2ne1-cl-tiktok-2020 |website=Bandwagon Asia |access-date=14 February 2024 |language=en |date=26 October 2020}}
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.{{Cite web |last=maylkm |date=28 November 2021 |title=Diving deep into DPR Ian's past and present |url=https://www.moinnet.com/en/unfamiliar-koreans/dpr-ian/ |access-date=9 February 2023 |website=MoinNet |language=en-GB}} In 2024, DPR Ian directed and appears in the music video for "Shopper" by IU.{{cite web |last1=Ziwei |first1=Puah |title=IU drops teaser for 'Shopper' music video, narrated by DPR Ian |url=https://www.nme.com/news/music/iu-shopper-music-video-dpr-ian-3587001 |website=NME |access-date=14 February 2024 |date=14 February 2024}}
Artistry
DPR Ian was diagnosed with bipolar disorder when he was a teenager, then later in his twenties with dissociative identity disorder (DID).{{cite web | url=https://www.tiktok.com/@wassupann/video/7279205800122305798?lang=en | title=TikTok - Make Your Day }} In later years, he decided to give the alter he's been living with most of his life the name Mito. Mito is his protector alter who switches with him when needed and this can happen during low episodes of bipolar 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".{{Cite magazine |last=Mamo |first=Heran |date=26 March 2021 |title=DPR Ian Is Reframing Mental Disorders as 'Superpowers': Emerging Artists Spotlight |url=https://www.billboard.com/music/music-news/dpr-ian-interview-emerging-artists-spotlight-9547071/ |magazine=Billboard}} He talks about a personified version of his high manic episodes named 'Mr. Insanity' with his 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".{{Cite web |title=DPR IAN's 'Dear Insanity' Chooses The Unpredictable Path {{!}} GRAMMY.com |url=https://www.grammy.com/news/dpr-ian-interview-new-ep-dear-insanity-mito-lore-videos |access-date=4 December 2023 |website=www.grammy.com}}
Discography
= Studio albums =
= Extended plays =
| class="wikitable plainrowheaders" style="text-align:center;"
! scope="col" rowspan="2" | Title ! scope="col" rowspan="2" | EP details ! scope="col" colspan="2" | Peak chart positions ! rowspan="2" |Sales |
| scope="col" style="width:3em;font-size:90%;" | KOR ! scope="col" style="width:3em;font-size:90%;" | US |
|---|
| scope="row" | Moodswings in This Order
|
| 40 || — |__ |
| scope="row" | Dear Insanity
| | 31 || 138 | |
| scope="row" | Saint
| | — || — | |
= Singles =
| class="wikitable plainrowheaders" style="text-align:center;"
! scope="col" | Title ! scope="col" | Year ! scope="col" | Album |
| scope="row" | "So Beautiful"
| rowspan="2" | 2020 | rowspan="2" | Moodswings in This Order |
|---|
| scope="row" | "No Blueberries" (featuring CL, DPR Live) |
| scope="row" | "Ballroom Extravaganza"
| 2022 | Moodswings in to Order |
| scope="row" | "Peanut Butter & Tears"{{cite web|url=https://www.broadwayworld.com/bwwmusic/article/DPR-IAN-Reveals-EP-Dear-Insanity-Shares-Peanut-Butter-Tears-Single-20230804|title=DPR IAN Reveals EP 'Dear Insanity' & Shares 'Peanut Butter & Tears' Single |website=Broadway World|date= 4 August 2023|access-date=6 August 2023}}
| rowspan="2" | 2023 | rowspan="2" | Dear Insanity |
| scope="row" | "So I Danced"/"Don't Go Insane" |
| scope="row" | "Saint"{{cite web|url=https://www.nme.com/news/music/dpr-ian-saint-music-video-ep-release-3763488|title= DPR IAN drops otherworldly music video for new single, 'Saint'|website=NME|date=7 June 2024|access-date=10 June 2024}}
| rowspan="1" | 2024 | rowspan="1" | Saint |
Filmography
= Music video appearances =
| class="wikitable plainrowheaders" style="text-align: center;" |
| scope="col" | Year
! scope="col" | Title ! scope="col" | Artist ! scope="col" | Note ! scope="col" class="unsortable" | {{abbr|Ref.|Reference(s)}} |
|---|
| scope="row" | 2020
| "5 Star" |CL | |
| scope="row" | 2024
| "Shopper" | IU | also directed the MV |
Tours
- The Regime World Tour (with DPR Live & DPR Cream) (2022-2023)
- The Dream Reborn World Tour (with DPR Cream & DPR Artic) (2024)
Awards and nominations
References
{{reflist}}
{{notelist|group=upper-alpha}}
{{Authority control}}
{{DEFAULTSORT:DPR Ian}}
Category:21st-century Australian dancers
Category:21st-century Australian male singers
Category:21st-century Australian singers
Category:21st-century Australian rappers
Category:Australian company founders
Category:Australian emigrants to South Korea
Category:Australian expatriates in South Korea
Category:Australian hip-hop singers
Category:Australian male dancers
Category:Australian male rappers
Category:Australian music industry executives
Category:Australian people of Korean descent
Category:Australian people with disabilities
Category:Australian pop singers
Category:Australian record producers
Category:Australian rhythm and blues singers
Category:Korean-language singers of Australia
Category:Musicians from Sydney
Category:People with bipolar disorder
Category:People with dissociative identity disorder