Irene (singer) facts for kids

Quick facts for kids Irene
Irene in 2025
Born	Bae Joo-hyun (1991-03-29) March 29, 1991 (age 34) Daegu, South Korea
Alma mater	Haknam High School
Occupation	Singer actress
Years active	2014–present
Musical career
Genres	K-pop
Instruments	Vocals
Labels	SM
Korean name
Hangul	배주현
RR	Bae Juhyeon
MR	Pae Chuhyŏn
Stage name
Hangul	아이린
RR	Airin
MR	Airin
Signature

Bae Joo-hyun (Hangul: 배주현), born on March 29, 1991, is a South Korean singer and actress. She is famously known by her stage name Irene (Hangul: 아이린). Irene is the leader of the popular K-pop girl group Red Velvet. She is also part of its special group, Red Velvet – Irene & Seulgi.

Irene has hosted several TV shows, including Music Bank (from 2015 to 2016) and Laundry Day (from 2016 to 2017). She also hosted Irene's Work & Holiday in 2022. As an actress, Irene starred in the web drama Women at a Game Company (2016) and the movie Double Patty (2021).

Early Life and School

Irene was born Bae Joo-hyun on March 29, 1991, in Daegu, South Korea. She grew up in the Buk-gu area of Daegu. Her family includes her parents and a younger sibling. She went to Haknam High School in Daegu.

Career Journey

Starting Out: 2009–2014

Irene joined SM Entertainment, a big entertainment company, in 2009. She trained there for five years to become an idol.

In August 2013, while still training, she appeared in the music video for "1-4-3" by her labelmate Henry Lau.

On December 9, 2013, Irene was introduced as a member of SM Rookies. This was a special team of trainees who were preparing to debut. Other members included NCT member Jaehyun.

During her time in SM Rookies, Irene appeared in magazines like The Celebrity and OhBoy! in early 2014. She was featured with other trainees like Seulgi and Taeyong.

SM Entertainment's official YouTube channel, "SMTOWN," released videos of Irene. One video from July 17, 2014, showed her and Seulgi dancing to "Be Natural" by the group S.E.S.. This video showed off their dancing skills.

Irene in October 2014

On July 27, 2014, Irene was officially introduced as the leader of the new girl group Red Velvet. They made their debut with the song "Happiness". Since then, Red Velvet has released many successful albums and EPs. They are known as one of the most popular K-pop groups in South Korea and worldwide. In November 2014, Irene also appeared in the music video for Kyuhyun's song "At Gwanghwamun".

Solo and Group Activities: 2015–Present

From May 2015 to June 2016, Irene co-hosted the music show Music Bank with actor Park Bo-gum. They were very popular together, and many people praised their teamwork.

Irene in November 2016

In July 2016, Irene started her acting career in the web drama Women at a Game Company. She played the main female role. That same month, she was in a sitcom called Hello! Our Language, where she played a detective. On October 14, Irene became a host for OnStyle's fashion show Laundry Day. She also joined the KBS show Trick & True as a panelist with her bandmate Wendy.

In March 2017, Irene appeared in a music video for Red Velvet's "Would U" with actor Kim Min-jae. In July 2019, she worked with DJ and producer Raiden on the song "The Only," which came out on August 2.

On April 20, 2020, SM Entertainment announced that Irene and Seulgi would form Red Velvet's first special group. This group, called Red Velvet - Irene & Seulgi, debuted on July 6 with their album Monster. They also had their own reality show, Level Up Project!.

On July 16, 2020, it was confirmed that Irene would act in the movie Double Patty. The movie was released in February 2021. She played Lee Hyun-Ji, who wanted to be a news anchor. Irene also sang a song for the movie's soundtrack called "A White Night".

Irene held her first photo exhibition from April 26 to May 5, 2024, in Gangnam, Seoul. She also released her photobook "1 Page of Irene" and a new song called "I Feel Pretty" on April 26, 2024.

On November 4, 2024, it was announced that Irene would release her first solo album, Like a Flower, on November 26, 2024. The main song from the album is also called "Like a Flower".

Other Activities

Brand Endorsements

Irene is very popular in advertising and is sometimes called a "CF Queen" (Commercial Film Queen). She has many deals with different brands, from makeup to clothes and everyday items.

• In 2015, she modeled for Ivy Club with Exo.
• In 2016, she endorsed Maxwell House coffee.
• In January 2017, she became the face of Nuovo Shoes.
• In August 2017, she promoted the game Age of Ring.
• She also became the official endorser for Hyundai Motors Auto Advantage program in 2017.
• In February 2018, Irene became a model for Cooper Vision contact lenses and Hazzys Accessories.
• On May 3, 2018, she became the model for LEMONA Vitamin C, earning the nickname "human vitamin."
• On August 9, 2018, she was announced as the new model for the sports brand Eider.
• In November 2018, Irene and Wendy endorsed Dongwon Yangban Rice Porridge.
• In December 2018, she was chosen as the face for HiteJinro Chamisul soju.
• In February 2019, Irene became the first Asian muse for the Italian jewelry brand Damiani.
• She also became the face of the fashion brand Miu Miu in 2019. She attended Paris Fashion Week for Miu Miu's show.
• In March 2020, Irene became the new ambassador for the beauty brand Clinique in Asia Pacific.
• On September 17, 2020, Irene was announced as the new ambassador for Prada.
• In 2023, Irene became an advertising model for the cosmetics brand 2aN.
• On May 19, 2025, Dong-A Pharmaceutical announced Irene as the new model for its premium beauty brand ILO.

Helping Others

Irene also helps people in need.

• In February 2020, she donated 100 million SK won to help those affected by the COVID-19 pandemic in South Korea.
• In March 2025, she donated another 100 million SK won to help people affected by the Youngnam forest fires.

Influence and Impact

Irene has a big influence on people.

• In March 2018, she mentioned reading the book Kim Ji-young, Born 1982. This led to a huge increase in the book's sales. Sales went up by 104% in one week, and the book became a bestseller again.
• In Gallup Korea's Idol Preference poll, Irene was named one of the most loved idol celebrities in South Korea.
• In 2019, a survey among soldiers doing military service ranked Irene as the third most popular female K-pop idol.
• Irene has often ranked high in polls about popular female idols.
• She has also topped the "Individual Girl Group Members Brand Power Ranking" chart many times. In 2023, she was number one in the "Female Idol Star Ranking" for four weeks in a row.

Music Releases

Extended Plays (EPs)

Singles

As the Main Artist

As a Featured Artist

Soundtrack Songs

Videos

Music Videos

Appearing in Music Videos

Acting Roles

Movies

TV Series

Web Series

TV Shows

Web Shows

Hosting Events

Awards and Nominations

See also

In Spanish: Irene (cantante) para niños