Irene

Bae Joo-Hyun, professionally known as Irene, was born on March 29, 1991, in Daegu, Buk-gu, South Korea. Known as South Korea’s pop singer, Joo-Hyun is a leader of the Red Velvet group, a popular K-pop girl group in South Korea. Joo-Hyun has a younger sister who attended Haknam High School in Daegu. The school was a public one with around 1,200 students in regular attendance. Joo-Hyun auditioned to become part of S.M. Entertainment after aspiring to have a career in the entertainment industry.

Fast Facts

Full Name:

Bae Joo-Hyun

Nickname:

Irene, Baechu

Birth date:

March 29, 1991

Age:

32

Zodiac Sign:

Aries

Height:

5' 1"

Relationship Status:

In a relationship

Net Worth:

$1.3 million

Background

Bae Joo-Hyun, also known globally as Irene, was born on March 29, 1991. She attended a public school called Haknam High School, and during this time she aspired to have a career in the entertainment industry. Her parents raised her alongside her younger sister; her father owned a small store, and her mother worked in the same store. Her mother enrolled her in a music school when she was eight. That is where she got the opportunity to practice her skills in dancing and singing. She didn’t attend college, but following her practice at a young age, she auditioned to join S.M. Entertainment in 2009. She passed the interview, becoming a trainee under the Entertainment group for five years and later becoming a member of Red Velvet.

Red Velvet was formed through S.M. Entertainment after they began gathering members, including current member, Seulgi, who had become a trainee at S.M. Entertainment in 2007. Currently, Joo-Hyun is the main rapper, leader, vocalist, visual, and center of Red Velvet. Debuting her solo career in 2015, Joo-Hyun hosted the music program “Music Bank” and launched her acting career the following year. She played the lead character in “Women at a Game Company,” a web series during this time. She later began hosting the fashion show, “Laundry Day,” and the show, “Trick & True.” During her time as a model, Joo-Hyun has done modeling for Ivy Club alongside Exo. She was also an endorser of Maxwell House, a popular coffee brand.

Before Gallup Korea’s Idol Preference poll was discontinued in 2020, Joo-Hyun had been named one of the most loved idol celebrities in South Korea. In 2019, she was ranked the third most popular female K-pop idol. With her popularity increasing, Joo-Hyun has endorsed many brands. She has also topped the ‘Individual Girl Group Members Brand Power Ranking’ published by the “Korean Corporate Reputation Institute.”

Career timeline

2013
The Music Video Appearance

Joo-Hyun features in "1-4-3 (I Love You)" by Henry Lau.

2015
The First Awards Nomination

Joo-Hyun is nominated for the Best Newcomer Category in the K.B.S Entertainment Awards ceremony.

2016
The Acting Career

Joo-Hyun plays the lead character in the web series “Women at a Game Company.”

2018
The Modeling Career

Joo-Hyun begins with modeling for Copper Vision, LEMONA Vitamin C, and HiteJinro Chamisul Soju.

2019
The Music Show Host

The pop singer hosts the annual K.B.S Song Festival, a South Korean music show, on the K.B.S2 network.

2021
The Music Video is Released

The gorgeous pop singer releases a music video, “A White Night.”

Why We Love Irene

  1. She is so talented and beautiful

    Besides her skills on stage or behind the camera, Joo-Hyun is also a model. She is beautiful, and we love her stunning looks.

  2. Her stress remedy

    When stressed, Joo-Hyun has a way of relieving it. She organizes her thoughts by creating mind maps.

  3. Her love language

    Joo-Hyun loves to cling to others by holding hands and linking arms. We think her favorite language is physical touch.

5 Surprising Facts

  1. She’s got cooking skills

    Joo-Hyun is an on-stage star, but at home, she likes to get things done by herself, and one of those things is cooking, which she enjoys doing for herself and the Red Velvet Girls.

  2. Joo-Hyun isn’t a coffee fan

    We don’t know how, but Joo-Hyun doesn’t like coffee, while we, on the other hand, don’t know how to live without it.

  3. Joo-Hyun ’s favorite fruit is watermelon

    She loves eating fruits, and besides watermelon, she enjoys apples, grapes, and bananas.

  4. Her weapon of choice

    Joo-Hyun ’s favorite weapon of choice would be an ax, and she must have skills at Mortal Kombat.

  5. She is allergic to chicken

    Joo-Hyun says that anytime she eats chicken, her head hurts, and she turns pale.

Irene FAQs

Is Joo-Hyun popular in Korea?

Yes. She is well-known for her beauty too, being famous for being an ‘Ulzzang’ (pretty face).

Why is Bae Joo-Hyun called Joo-Hyun?

She chose the name Joo-Hyun because it means “goddess of peace” in Greek Mythology.

Who has a crush on Joo-Hyun?

Rowoon, a member of SF9, has admitted to liking her a lot.

Irene’s birthday dates

YearDateDay
2024March 29Friday
2025March 29Saturday
2026March 29Sunday
2027March 29Monday
2028March 29Wednesday

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