Bae Joo-hyun , known professionally as Irene, is a South Korean singer, rapper, and actress. She is the leader of the South Korean girl group Red Velvet and a member of its sub-unit Red Velvet - Irene & Seulgi. Singer, rapper, and dancer best known as a member of Red Velvet, a K-pop band. Since their debut in 2014, the band has received several music and choreography honors, including Best Rookie at the 2015 Korean Entertainment Arts Awards. She was born Bae Joo-hyun in Buk District, Daegu, South Korea. She originally became known for her roles in music videos such as Henry Lau's "1-4-3 (I Love You)." She was the second member of Red Velvet to join the group, having joined in 2009. In May 2015, she made her screen debut as a co-host of the television series Music Bank. She is joined in Red Velvet by fellow K-pop singer Seulgi.