Irene

Biography

Bae Joo-hyun (Korean: 배주현; born March 29, 1991), better known by her stage name Irene (아이린), is a South Korean singer, actress and rapper. She is best known as the member and leader of the South Korean girl group Red Velvet, and its sub-unit Red Velvet – Irene & Seulgi. Irene hosted the television programs Music Bank (2015–2016), Laundry Day (2016–2017), and Irene's Work & Holiday (2022), as well as various music festivals and award events. As an actress, Irene has starred in Women at a Game Company (2016) and Double Patty (2021).

== Early life and education == Irene was born Bae Joo-hyun on March 29, 1991, in Daegu, South Korea. She grew up in Buk-gu. Her family consists of her parents and a younger sibling. She attended Haknam High School in Daegu.

== Career ==

=== 2009–2014: Career beginnings ===

She joined SM Entertainment in 2009 and trained for five years. During her time as a trainee, in August 2013, she appeared in the music video of her then-labelmate Henry Lau's song "1-4-3". On December 9, 2013, Irene was one of the second batch of trainees introduced as a member of SM Rookies, a pre-debut team of trainees under SM Entertainment, alongside former trainee Lami and now-NCT member Jaehyun. During SM Rookies, in January 2014, she alongside Seulgi as well as now-NCT members Johnny and Taeyong appeared in The Celebrity magazine. In February 2014, Irene, Seulgi and Taeyong appeared in the OhBoy! magazine. Various clips of Irene were released in SM Entertainment's official YouTube channel, "SMTOWN", one of which included her and Seulgi dancing to "Be Natural", a song originally performed by SM Entertainment's group S.E.S., showcasing their dancing on July 17, 2014.

On July 27, 2014, she was introduced as a member and the leader of the girl group Red Velvet. They made their official debut with the single "Happiness". Since then, Red Velvet has released eleven EPs and two studio albums as well as two reissue albums. They have become regarded as one of the most popular K-pop groups in South Korea and worldwide. In November 2014, Irene appeared in the music video of Kyuhyun's ballad single "광화문에서 (At Gwanghwamun)".

=== 2015–present: Solo activities and sub-unit === From May 2015 to June 2016, Irene hosted the music show Music Bank with actor Park Bo-gum. They both gained attention for their chemistry as well as singing and hosting skills. The press called them one of the best partnerships in the show's history. In July 2016, Irene made her acting debut in the web drama Women at a Game Company where she played the female lead. In the same month, Irene was cast in Hello! Our Language, a sitcom that was set on teaching viewers proper Korean, and she played as detective. On October 14, Irene became a host of OnStyle's fashion show Laundry Day. The show premiered on October 22, 2016. In the same month, she became a panelist on the KBS show Trick & True with bandmate Wendy. In March 2017, Irene partnered with actor Kim Min-jae for the portrayal of two lovers in the MV of Red Velvet's SM Station ID "Would U".

In July 2019, SM Entertainment announced that Irene would be collaborating with South Korean DJ and producer Raiden on the track "The Only", which was released on August 2. On April 20, 2020, SM confirmed that Irene, alongside member Seulgi, would form Red Velvet's first sub-unit. Red Velvet - Irene & Seulgi debuted on July 6 with the extended play Monster. A short solo performance MV of her, titled Episode 2: Irene, was also released. She and Seulgi also starred in a spin-off version of their reality show Level Up Project! On July 16, SM confirmed that Irene would be acting in the upcoming film Double Patty, which was to be released later on that year, but it was later postponed to February 2021. She is to play the role of Lee Hyun-Ji, an aspiring anchor. Irene also released her own OST, titled "A White Night", for the movie. On April 3, 2024, it was announced that Irene will hold her first photo exhibition. It will be held from April 26 to May 5 in Gangnam, Seoul, with free entrance. She will simultaneously release three versions (namely Tabloid, Photobook, and Exclusive) of her photobook titled "1 Page of Irene" on the first day of the exhibition along with a new single titled "I Feel Pretty". The song was previously teased at her birthday event Irene In Wonderland 2024 held on March 29. On November 4, 2024, it was announced that Irene would be releasing her debut EP Like a Flower, with the lead single of the same name, on November 26. On March 8, 2026, it was announced that Irene would be releasing her first studio album Biggest Fan, with the lead single of the same name, on March 30.