Irene (Bae Joo-hyun) Height, Age, Boyfriend, Family, Biography & More

Bio/Wiki
Real name	Bae Joo-hyun [1]Koreaboo
Nickname(s)	• Baechu (meaning cabbage in Korean), • Baetokki (Bae, her last name, and ‘tokki’ means bunny in Korean), • Baephrodite (a combination of Bae and Aphrodit, a Greek goddess) • Baeby • Hyun-ah • Irin [2]Koreaboo
Profession(s)	• Singer • Television host • Actress
Physical Stats & More
Height (approx.)	in centimeters- 158 cm in meters- 1.58 m in feet & inches- 5’ 2”
Weight (approx.)	in kilograms- 45 kg in pounds- 99 lbs
Figure Measurements (approx.)	28-26-30
Eye Colour	Black
Hair Colour	Black
Career
Debut	Actor (Music Video): '1-4-3' (song) by Henry Lau (2013) Singer (Red Velvet): Happiness (song) (2014) Actor (Film): SMTown: The Stage (documentary) (2015) Actor (Television): Descendants of the Sun (2016) on KBS2 as 'herself' Actor (Web Series): Women at a Game Company (2016) on Naver TV as 'Ah-reum' Singer (Red Velvet - Irene & Seulgi): Monster (EP) (2020)
Awards, Honours, Achievements	Awards • 2015: Rookie Award at the Golden Disc Awards • 2015: Best Rookie Award at the Korean Entertainment Arts Awards • 2015: Best Female Dance Award for the song ‘Ice Cream Cake’ at the Melon Music Awards • 2016: Digital Bonsang for the song ‘Ice Cream Cake’ at the Golden Disc Awards • 2016: Netizen’s Choice Award at the Korean Entertainment Arts Awards • 2016: Main Award at the Seoul Music Awards • 2017: Summer Queens of the Year by Dong-A.com’s Pick newspaper • 2017: Ceci Asia Female Icon Award Golden Disc Awards • 2017: Best Female Group at the Korean Entertainment Arts Awards • 2017: Seoul Mayor’s Award at the Seoul Conference on Social Welfare • 2018: Digital Bonsang at the Golden Disc Awards • 2018: Performer of the Year – Singer (Daesang) at the Korea PD Awards • 2018: Group Dance Award for the song ‘Power Up’ at the Korea Popular Music Awards • 2018: Best Pop Song Award for the song ‘Red Flavor’ at the Korean Music Awards • 2019: Grand Prize (Daesang) – Song of the Year Award for the song ‘Umpah Umpah’ at the Asia Artist Awards • 2019: Best Female Group Award at the Korean Entertainment Arts Awards • 2019: Choice Electronic/Dance Song for the song ‘Close to Me (Red Velvet Remix)’ at the Teen Choice Awards • 2019: Artist of This Year and World Wide Icon at the The Fact Music Awards • 2020: Best Music Video (Overseas) for the song ‘Psycho’ and Outstanding Group of the Year (Overseas) Award at the Asian Pop Music Awards • 2020: Most Influential Female Idol Award at the Brand Customer Loyalty Awards • 2020: 20th Anniversary Awards – Most Loved Music for the song ‘Red Flavor’ at the Bugs Music Awards • 2020: Main Award at the Seoul Music Awards • 2020: This Year’s Artist at The Fact Music Awards • 2021: Best Group (Overseas) Award and Top 20 Albums of the Year (Overseas) Award for the album ‘Queendom’ at the Asian Pop Music Awards • 2021: Digital Bonsang for the song ‘Psycho’ at the Golden Disc Awards • 2021: Artist of the Year (Digital Music) – August for the song ‘Queendom’ at the Circle Chart Music Awards • 2022: Best Female Performance Award at the Genie Music Awards • 2023: Generation Icon Award at the Hanteo Music Awards Honours • 2018: Minister of Culture, Sports and Tourism Commendation by South Korea Achievements • 2018: Ranked 11th on Korea Power Celebrity list by Forbes • 2019: Ranked 5th on Korea Power Celebrity list by Forbes • 2020: Listed among 100 Digital Stars (Asia) by Forbes
Personal Life
Date of Birth	29 March 1991 (Friday)
Age (as of 2023)	32 Years
Birthplace	Daegu, South Korea
Zodiac sign	Aries
Signature
Nationality	South Korean
Hometown	Daegu
School	Haknam High School, Daegu
Food Habit	Non-vegetarian [3]Koreaboo
Hobbies	Cooking
Controversy	Accused of Mistreatment and Rude Behaviour In October 2020, Irene faced criticism for her alleged mistreatment and verbal attack on a fashion editor named Kang Kook-hwa, as per Kang's now-deleted Instagram post. [4]Sports Kyunghyang In response to this, Irene posted an official statement on social media, where she apologized for her inappropriate words and actions. [5]Billboard Irene's agency, SM Entertainment, also released a statement expressing regret for the concerns arising from this incident. [6]My Daily This controversy triggered a strong public reaction and initiated broader discussions about the prevalent 'Gapjil' culture in South Korean society, which refers to abusive behavior and bullying by individuals in positions of power or seniority. Many experts and representatives from various political movements in South Korea believed that the public outrage towards Irene was connected to the country's efforts to address and reduce 'Gapjil' issues. [7]South China Morning Post However, several stylists, dancers, and makeup artists who had previously worked with Irene shared on social media that they had never experienced the reported rude behavior while working with her. [8]Huffington Post Kang Kook-hwa later addressed the rumors circulating online, urging people to stop speculating and clarifying that there was no financial settlement involved. She further noted that when they met again, they exchanged sincere apologies. [9]Naver
Relationships & More
Marital Status	Unmarried
Family
Husband/Spouse	N/A
Siblings	She has a younger sister.
Favourites
Singer	BoA
Film	'The Notebook' (2004)
Apparel	Jeans
Food	Spicy rice cakes with pork belly
Colour	Purple
Number	43

Some Lesser Known Facts About Irene (Bae Joo-hyun)

• Irene is a South Korean singer, television host, and actress, who is well-known for being a member of the highly popular South Korean girl group ‘Red Velvet,’ which is part of the record label SM Entertainment.

• She spent her childhood in the Buk-gu district in Daegu.
  

  A childhood image of Irene

• In 2009, Irene began her training with SM Entertainment and underwent five years of training. In 2014, while she was part of the pre-debut trainee group called ‘SM Rookies’ under SM Entertainment, she appeared in The Celebrity magazine alongside her fellow group member Seulgi and members of the labelmate group NCT, including Johnny and Taeyong.

• On July 27 2014, Irene was selected as the leader of the girl group ‘Red Velvet,’ which includes four other members: Seulgi, Wendy, Yeri, and Joy.
  

  Members of South Korean girl group Red Velvet

• The music video of their debut song ‘Happiness’ garnered over two million views on YouTube within the first 24 hours of its release. However, it was later removed due to controversy related to certain background images, and an edited version of the music video was subsequently uploaded. In August 2014, ‘Happiness’ became the second-most viewed K-pop music video worldwide. Red Velvet made history as the first K-pop girl group to have their debut single ranked on the Billboard World Digital Songs chart, reaching number four.

• On 13 September 2014, the group released their second digital single, ‘Be Natural.’

• From May 2015 to June 2016, Irene and actor Park Bo-gum co-hosted the music show Music Bank. People really liked how they worked together and sang and hosted, and they were considered one of the best pairs in the show’s history.
  

  Irene while hosting ‘Music Bank’ show with Park Bo-gum

• In 2017, she hosted the KBS Song Festival with Jin from BTS, Sana from Twice, and Chanyeol from Exo.

• In 2020, Irene used her voice to play the character Baby Bun in the American animated movie ‘Trolls World Tour.’ Then, in 2021, she had the main role as Lee Hyun-ji in a South Korean film called ‘Double Patty.’
  

  Irene in a still from the 2021 South Korean film ‘Double Patty’

• According to the Myers-Briggs Type Indicator (MBTI), Irene’s personality type is ISFJ (Introverted, Sensing, Feeling, and Judging).

• She also enjoys a close friendship with Jennie, a member of the popular South Korean girl group BLACKPINK.
  

  Irene hugging Jennie of BLACKPINK

• Irene is recognized as the ‘CF Queen’ due to her substantial marketing power, leading to numerous endorsement deals across various products, from cosmetics to luxury fashion items and everyday goods.

• She is a talented cook, particularly known for her delicious seaweed soup, often prepared for birthdays.

• In Red Velvet, Irene is associated with the colour pink, according to the group’s concept and imagery.

• During her free time, she enjoys doing laundry and ironing clothes.
  

• In 2017, she became the official endorser for Hyundai Motors’ Auto Advantage program.

• Irene has a talent for imitating the voice of Doraemon, a popular Japanese fictional character.

• In her earlier years, she gained fame as an ‘Ulzzang,’ known for her good looks and fashion sense, particularly in Daegu. ^[10]KBIZoom

• It’s worth noting that Irene is allergic to chicken and becomes unwell when she consumes it, and she’s not a fan of coffee. ^[11]Koreaboo

• She is fond of collecting items that are purple in colour.

• Irene’s immense popularity has resulted in numerous brand endorsements, and she consistently ranks among the top three in the ‘Individual Girl Group Members Brand Power Ranking,’ a publication by the Korean Corporate Reputation Research Institute. She achieved several top-three rankings in 2018. ^[12]Sports Q

• In 2018, Irene, along with her fellow Red Velvet group members, had the unique opportunity to perform in front of Kim Jong-un, the supreme leader of North Korea. This special performance took place during a concert featuring South Korean musicians at the East Pyongyang Grand Theatre in Pyongyang, North Korea.
  

  Irene with Kim Jong-un in a group photo taken in North Korea

• In a 2019 survey conducted among South Korean soldiers completing their mandatory military service, Irene was recognized as the third most popular female K-pop idol. ^[13]La Republica

• In February 2019, Irene achieved a significant milestone by becoming the first Asian to be announced as the inaugural muse of Damiani, an esteemed Italian luxury jewellery brand. During the same year, she was chosen as the face of the renowned Italian high-end fashion brand Miu Miu, further solidifying her status in the fashion world.
  

  Irene with Ernesto Miraglia (Regional Director for Asia Pacific of Damiani Group)

• Irene once expressed her desire to go on a solo trip.

• In Gallup Korea’s Idol Preference poll, which was active until 2020, Irene consistently ranked as one of the most beloved idol celebrities in South Korea for the past four years. ^[14]Gallup ^[15]Gallup ^[16]Gallup

• In 2020, she was appointed as the brand ambassador for the high-end fashion brand Prada.
  

• In 2020, Irene donated 100 million won to the Community Chest of Korea. Her contribution was aimed at providing support to individuals and communities facing difficulties during the COVID-19 pandemic in South Korea. ^[17]Naver

• She is often spotted consuming alcohol in public. During an interview, Irene’s fellow group member, Yeri, shared that Irene tends to send selfies to her fellow group members after getting drunk. ^[18]Koreaboo
  

  Irene pouring Soju (South Korean alcohol) into a glass