Red VelvetLeaderVocalistRapper
Irene
아이린Bae Joo-hyun (배주현)
Leader of Red Velvet since the 2014 debut, half of the sub-unit Irene & Seulgi, and a solo artist whose first album topped the Korean chart in 2026.
- Age
- 35
- Mar 29, 1991
- Height
- 158 cm
- 5′2″
- MBTI
- ISFJ
- self-reported
- Debut
- 2014
- with Red Velvet
At a glance
Profile
- Stage name
- Irene (아이린)
- Birth name
- Bae Joo-hyun (배주현)
- Position
- Leader, Vocalist, Rapper
- Birthday
- March 29, 1991 (age 35)
- Zodiac sign
- Aries
- Chinese zodiac
- Goat
- Height
- 158 cm (5′2″)
- Blood type
- A
- MBTI
- ISFJ
- Nationality
- South Korean
- Birthplace
- Buk-gu, Daegu, South Korea
- Representative emoji
- 🐰
- Nicknames
- Baechu, Hyun-ah
12 facts
About Irene
Irene joined SM Entertainment in 2009 and trained for five years, appearing in labelmates' music videos and in the pre-debut project SM Rookies before being introduced as Red Velvet's leader in July 2014. Alongside the group she hosted Music Bank with the actor Park Bo-gum, acted in the film Double Patty and formed the group's first sub-unit with Seulgi in 2020. She began releasing music under her own name in November 2024 with the EP Like a Flower, and her first studio album Biggest Fan came out in March 2026.
- 01
Joined SM Entertainment in 2009 and spent five years as a trainee before her debut.
- 02
Grew up in Buk-gu, Daegu, and attended Haknam High School there.
- 03
Appeared in the music video for labelmate Henry's “1-4-3 (I Love You)” in August 2013 while still a trainee.
- 04
Presented as part of the second batch of SM Rookies on December 9, 2013, alongside NCT's Jaehyun.
- 05
Hosted KBS's Music Bank with the actor Park Bo-gum from May 2015 to June 2016.
- 06
Formed Red Velvet's first sub-unit with Seulgi, which debuted with the EP Monster on July 6, 2020.
- 07
Played an aspiring news anchor in the 2021 film Double Patty and sang its soundtrack song “A White Night”.
- 08
Released her solo debut EP Like a Flower on November 26, 2024 and her first studio album Biggest Fan on March 30, 2026, which reached number one on the Circle Album Chart.
- 09
Became the first Asian muse of the Italian jeweller Damiani in 2019 and an ambassador for Prada in September 2020.
- 10
Held her first photography exhibition in Gangnam in April 2024 alongside the photobook 1 Page of Irene.
- 11
Won Fans' Choice Top 10 – Female at the 2025 MAMA Awards.
- 12
Her offhand mention of the novel Kim Ji-young, Born 1982 in March 2018 sent the book's weekly sales up sharply and drew a wave of online abuse.
4 other members
