Two of Korea’s most distinctive voices have finally joined forces. R&B singer Crush released his new digital single “Seesaw (feat. IU)” on October 21 at 6 p.m. KST, dropping the music video at the same time — a long-awaited collaboration between artists fans have wanted to hear together for years.
The video stages their rendezvous behind the scenes of a musical theater, with the pair riding the seesaw of love through playful, tender moments. It is Crush’s first new release in approximately 14 months, following his mini-album FANG in August 2025. And by his own account, the song might never have existed without his collaborator: “If it hadn’t been for IU, this song would never have seen the light of day,” he said in a Q&A, as reported by StarNews Korea.
A collaboration built on trust
Crush explained that IU represents an emotional part of his character’s inner world in the video, which explores sadness, emotional acceptance and finding comfort. Watching her work up close gave him a new appreciation for her craft. “First of all, I realized why IU is considered such a great actor,” he said, praising how carefully she thought through her character’s emotions and every detail of each scene, according to the Korea JoongAng Daily. “It was my music video, but I think I relied on her more,” he added with a laugh, per KStarTrend.
Fourteen years in, still evolving
The single arrives as Crush reflects on 14 years in music since his 2012 debut. “The longer I make music, the more challenging it can feel at times, but it also makes me ask myself what kind of music I can share with the greatest confidence,” he said. After spending more than a year exploring sounds and revising the track, he hopes “Seesaw” stays with listeners for a long time. He also confirmed he is preparing a new album and further projects — with “Seesaw” as the opening statement.
The rollout was deliberately paced. Crush unveiled the music video teaser on October 19, showing the two artists sharing a playful interaction behind the film set of a musical — a preview that sent fan expectations soaring, as Allkpop reported. In interviews, Crush admitted he spent considerable time creating, revising and sometimes starting over before the song was complete. With IU’s voice, creative input and support, he said, he was finally able to share the music with listeners — a collaboration he calls one of the most meaningful steps of his career.
