Red Velvet (레드벨벳) member Irene (아이린) recently reflected on her mindset when she debuted at age 24. She admitted that her age was almost always mentioned during broadcast appearances, leading to her often being labeled the 'older sister' of the group. However, contrary to external perceptions, Irene wasn't particularly concerned about her age at the time. Instead, her focus was on looking after her fellow members, and it took many years for her to gradually learn to prioritize herself.
On May 14, YouTube channel 'No Prepare' (雖然沒準備什麼菜) released its latest video, titled "Irene, Don't Watch! Why Is This Unnie So Driven?" Irene was invited as a guest to chat with host Lee Young-ji (이영지) about her life and feelings over her many years in the industry.
At the beginning of the show, Lee Young-ji asked how long Red Velvet had been active. Irene replied, "It's been 12 years; this is our 13th year since debut." Lee Young-ji then noted that Irene debuted at 24, the same age Lee Young-ji herself turned last year. She jokingly recalled that as a child, seeing Irene debut at 24 made her think, "24 is already a very mature adult." To her surprise, when she actually reached 24, she realized it wasn't true at all. "When I really turned 24, I found out it was nothing like that! I was such a kid back then," she said, drawing laughter from the set.
Lee Young-ji then asked if Irene, having debuted at 24, was often perceived by the public as having debuted at an 'older age.' Irene admitted, "Every time I went on a show, I would hear about it."
Lee Young-ji also noted that Irene seemed to carry the stereotype of being the 'older sister' at the time. "Looking back now, 24 is still practically a baby. What did you think of it back then?" Irene responded that she didn't particularly focus on her age. "I don't think I thought that way. There was so much to do just taking care of the members around me, so for me, how old I was wasn't really that important."
As the oldest member of the group, Irene confessed that in the early days of her debut, she was more accustomed to looking after her members than herself. "After debuting, I think I thought about the kids around me more than myself." Over time, she gradually shifted her attention back to herself. "Later, slowly, I think I started to understand how to take care of myself better. Before that, just taking care of my younger members kept me incredibly busy."
In fact, Irene showed a strong sense of responsibility as the group's eldest member from the very beginning of their debut. When Red Velvet debuted in 2014, she revealed that she proactively communicated with the members and even initiated weekly '5-minute talks' to allow everyone to share their feelings and resolve misunderstandings. What was initially planned as a 5-minute chat often turned into two hours. Member Joy (조이) once described Irene as someone who, despite not speaking much, always quietly took care of everyone behind the scenes.
Irene also showed great care for the younger members. When Yeri (예리) joined Red Velvet in 2015, she was still very young and a student. Irene previously shared her daily routine of looking after her, including preparing breakfast, ironing her school uniform, and even waking her up for school.
Irene also revealed that she would specially prepare food for Yeri, such as separating kimchi fried rice from the fried egg, and even hiding the fried egg to add a bit of fun to Yeri's meals. These small details of their interactions showed the public that Irene, over the years, not only served as a leader on stage but had also long been accustomed to quietly caring for her members.
Born in 1991, Irene debuted as a member of Red Velvet in 2014, making her the oldest member of the group at the time. Having walked this path for 12 years, she is now officially in her 13th year since debut. Looking back at her past self, who was frequently discussed for debuting at 24, she can finally openly share the feelings she rarely revealed to the public back then.
