IU has made her long awaited comeback!  The showcase for her third studio album 'Modern Times' took place on October 7, followed by a press conference at the K-Art Hall in Bangi-dong's Olympic Park.  

SEE ALSO: IU lets you in on a preview of song 'The Red Shoes' with video teaser

IU revealed throughout her interview, "It's my first album in one year and five months.  I don't have anything like a big resolution or goal.  As it's been a while, I just want to have fun.  I want to do this and that.  While filming for my drama, I really missed the stage and wanted to go on various variety and radio programs.  I want to do everything enjoyably, going anywhere they call me without regret.

I like that my work feels natural.  For my last album, I emphasized my girl-like image with braids and a cute one-piece, but this time, I give off a devilish vibe.  I am thinking of being tipsy there.  I want to perform on stage with a free and playful expression.  The expression will be a lot more free than my previous album."

Her third album 'Modern Times' has thirteen tracks, including her title song 'The Red Shoes,' and features many artists such as Choi Baek Ho, Yang Hee Eun, Ga In, and SHINee's Jonghyun.

Already, her album is achieving an all-kill on music charts with all thirteen of her songs taking the top thirteen spots on MelOn's real-time chart.  

Check out some specific answers from her press conference below!

You filmed for a drama.

I had a fun time filming for the drama throughout six months.  My body was a bit tired, but it was a happy period because it was a time for gaining a lot and getting to know many sunbaes.  I wanted my drama and album to be side-by-side.  However, it took a lot of time to modify the title song and record.  In addition, I put a lot of work into the sessions so it took more time than it did in the past.

How would you introduce your title song?

The title is "The Red Shoes."  It is an exciting swing dance song that sings about my fate, which keeps facing somewhere against my will.  Making Andersen's 'red shoes' the motif, we made the lyrics and song. 

Was there an interesting episode?

I took jacket photos, filmed the teaser, and recorded a song with Ga In.  Because she is so sexy and poised, I went there thinking, "Because it's my album, I mustn't fall behind," but I fell too much behind.  It was a shame, but I learned a lot, like acting through my eyes.  I was able to learn while observing Ga In.  She had pose.  I did know her from a while back, but I was able to get closer to her and I believe she is a cool person.

Out of all the singers you worked with this time, who would you like to try working with again?

Choi Baek Ho.  He's so cool.  I want to see him and sing with him often.  We sang "Walk with me, Girl" together and I feel like his disciple.  He sang like a partner and assistant who kept my shaking heart steady and I really liked that.  My dad really liked it, as well, because he is a Choi Baek Ho fan.  It was to the extent of making the song the title song.

How was performing 'The Red Shoes' for the first time?

I think it's a really difficult song.  It was to the point I lived in the practice room wondering if I ever spent this much time practicing in the dance room since I debuted.  If I tell you how many hours I practiced, I'm afraid you may wonder if that's all I can do, so I can't say exactly how many hours I spent.  However, I feel like I worked the hardest out of all that time.  I'm relieved if that looked like dancing to you.

You composed your own songs in this album?

I put in two songs, "Bad Day" and "Voice Mail."  They're songs I wrote a while ago.  As I displayed a strong desire to add these songs, they said one song will be added at first.  The company did not like "Voice Mail."  Because I felt a special attachment to it, I persistently pushed for it so they added it as a bonus track.  "Bad Day" was greatly influenced in its arrangement.  Because G.Gorilla arranged it for me and made it a lot better than how I originally wrote it, it became a song I requested from him.  'Voice Mail' was not arranged a lot.  Because they said it would be good to have a trivial vibe, it became a song with an amateur vibe.  

The image of being the country's little sister has followed you, but as what kind of singer would you like to be perceived?

There appeared to be many people who felt awkward after my teasers and pictures were revealed.  I want to do many unexpected concepts.  While it might be awkward for now, I want to become a singer whose transformation can be naturally accepted by the people who wonder what new side I will show whenever an album comes out.

Did you have any intention to convert from a cute to sexy image?

I think the producer had that intention.  It has been a while and my image needed a change.  I believe I said I should show a sexier side, but my personal thoughts were not putting as much an emphasis on sexiness.  It is kind of a trick from the teasers and pictures.  It was simply trying this and that to show a newness.  I don't think 'The Red Shoes' performance is that different from my normal image.  Do you believe I have the ability to go for sexy?  I hear that it doesn't work for some people.  I don't have a big ambition for it.  

So many singers are coming out in October, enough to call it a singing challenge.

I didn't know.  I didn't know so many singers would be making a comeback in october.  I even worried while looking at the news and thinking why we didn't check more carefully.  However, there are rather a lot of advantages.  As there will be many singers, there will be many many people showing more interest.  I wonder if there is a better opportunity than this for singers.  While I felt concerned and burdened, I believe I will be able to enjoy doing activities much more.