Irene

Bae Joo-hyun, professionally known as Irene, is a South Korean singer, actress, and rapper best known as the leader of the girl group Red Velvet and its sub-unit Red Velvet – Irene & Seulgi. Born on March 29, 1991, in Daegu, South Korea, she grew up in Buk-gu alongside her parents and younger sibling. She completed her education at Haknam High School in Daegu.

Irene joined SM Entertainment in 2009 and spent five years as a trainee. In 2013, she appeared in Henry Lau's "1-4-3" music video and was introduced as part of SM Rookies, SM Entertainment's pre-debut trainee team. During her trainee years, she participated in magazine photoshoots and promotional videos, including a performance video dancing to "Be Natural" with future groupmate Seulgi.

In July 2014, Irene debuted as the leader of Red Velvet with their debut single "Happiness." The group subsequently became one of the most prominent K-pop acts globally, releasing numerous EPs and studio albums. Outside of group music, Irene expanded into television hosting, co-presenting the music show Music Bank from 2015 to 2016 alongside actor Park Bo-gum, as well as hosting Laundry Day and Irene's Work & Holiday.

Irene launched her acting career in 2016, starring in the web drama Women at a Game Company and the sitcom Hello! Our Language. In 2021, she made her film debut in Double Patty, playing an aspiring news anchor and contributing to its soundtrack. In July 2020, she debuted in Red Velvet's first sub-unit, Red Velvet – Irene & Seulgi, with the EP Monster. She also pursued solo music, releasing the single "The Only" with DJ Raiden in 2019, a photobook project titled 1 Page of Irene with the single "I Feel Pretty" in 2024, her debut EP Like a Flower in November 2024, and her studio album Biggest Fan announced for March 2026.

Known as a prominent advertising figure hailed as a "CF Queen," Irene has endorsed a wide array of products ranging from cosmetics to food and luxury fashion. She served as the first Asian muse for Italian jewelry brand Damiani, as well as a regional ambassador for Clinique and an ambassador for Prada. In addition to commercial work, Irene has contributed to philanthropic causes, donating ₩100 million for COVID-19 relief in 2020 and ₩100 million for forest fire relief efforts in 2025.

Irene's public influence has consistently placed her near the top of celebrity popularity and brand power rankings in South Korea. In 2018, her mention of reading the novel Kim Ji-young, Born 1982 led to a dramatic increase in the book's sales, a phenomenon described by media as the "Irene effect."

In October 2020, Irene was involved in a public controversy after a fashion editor alleged mistreatment by a celebrity. Irene issued public statements apologizing for her conduct, while SM Entertainment also issued an apology. Following the incident, several former coworkers publicly spoke in her defense, and the editor clarified that the situation was resolved through a sincere apology.