Bae Joo-hyun, known professionally as Irene (Korean: 아이린), is a South Korean singer and actress, best known as the leader of the South Korean girl group Red Velvet and its sub-unit Red Velvet – Irene & Seulgi.

Red Velvet is a South Korean girl group formed and managed by SM Entertainment. They originally debuted on August 1, 2014, with the single "Happiness" with the four-member line-up of Irene, Seulgi, Wendy, and Joy. A fifth member, Yeri, joined in March 2015, following the release of their first extended play, Ice Cream Cake. Sonically, the music of Red Velvet reflects their group name: their predominantly-pop "red" side experiments occasionally with electronic and funk, while their "velvet" side focuses on '90s-influenced R&B with elements of ballad and hip hop.