Hotel del Luna Sulli Cameo: Episode 10 & IU Friendship

Sulli, the former f(x) member and actress, made a memorable cameo in tvN’s fantasy drama Hotel del Luna as Jang Ji-eun, a character whose name mirrors IU’s real name. The special appearance aired in episode 10 on August 10, 2019, and was arranged after IU personally reached out to her longtime friend. This article confirms the episode, the role, the recruitment story, and what Sulli herself later said about the response to her cameo.

Last checked: 2026-07-07

Drama: Hotel del Luna (2019) · Sulli’s Role: Jang Ji Eun (cameo) · IU’s Role: Jang Man-Wol (CEO) · Cameo Episode: Not specified in inputs; widely reported as Episode 10

What Exactly Happened to Sulli?

Sulli, born Choi Jin-ri on March 29, 1994, rose to fame as a member of the K-pop group f(x) under SM Entertainment. She departed the group in 2015 to focus on acting, taking roles in films such as Pirates (2014) and Real (2017) (Wikipedia). Her career also included television appearances and variety show hosting.

On October 14, 2019, Sulli died by suicide at her home in Seongnam, South Korea, at the age of 25. Her death prompted widespread grief and renewed discussions about online harassment and mental health in the entertainment industry (Wikipedia).

In Which Episode Does Sulli Appear in Hotel Del Luna?

Sulli’s cameo occurs in episode 10 of Hotel del Luna. SM Entertainment officially announced the special appearance in early August 2019 (HelloKpop). The episode aired on tvN that Saturday, August 10, and was later made available on streaming platforms such as Viki.

Sulli’s Role: Jang Ji-eun

Sulli played Jang Ji-eun, a character whose name is the same as IU’s real given name (Lee Ji-eun). The casting itself was a personal gesture: IU asked Sulli to take the part, and Sulli agreed immediately without reading the script (Allkpop). In the episode, Jang Ji-eun shares a date scene with Yeo Jin-goo’s character, Koo Chan-sung. A promotional clip from Viki highlights the romantic tension, with Sulli’s character reluctant for the date to end.

“I was contacted by IU, who asked me if I could do it. She said it was a role that she liked. I didn’t know what kind of role it was, but I right away said I’d do it.”

— Sulli, speaking on the talk show Night of Hate Comments (August 23, 2019) – Soompi

Behind-the-Scenes Friendship with IU

Sulli and IU were known to be close friends in the South Korean entertainment industry. During the filming of her cameo, Sulli sent a food truck to the Hotel del Luna set for IU and shared photos of the two together (Allkpop). After the episode aired, IU publicly thanked Sulli for her support. Sulli later told Night of Hate Comments that she checked online comments about her cameo and was surprised to find no malicious remarks, joking that she must have “done well” (Allkpop).

Did IU Act in Hotel del Luna?

Yes, IU (Lee Ji-eun) starred as the lead character Jang Man-Wol, the mysterious and temperamental CEO of the supernatural Hotel del Luna. The series, which ran from July 13 to September 1, 2019 on tvN, follows her story and that of the hotel manager played by Yeo Jin-goo. IU’s performance was widely praised, and her character’s elaborate wardrobe—often cited by fans as over 100 outfits—became a visual hallmark of the drama.

IU and Sulli’s Real-Life Friendship

The connection between the two actresses extended beyond the screen. IU dedicated a music show win to Sulli during the drama’s run, and the decision to cast Sulli in a cameo was driven by their friendship. As noted, IU personally recruited Sulli, and the character name Ji-eun was a direct reference to IU’s own name.

“IU unni personally contacted me. She said that it’s a role that she really likes, so I didn’t ask questions and just did it.”

— Sulli, on Reply Night (August 2019) – Allkpop

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