Red Velvet member Irene (아이린) recently appeared on Lee Young-ji (이영지)'s popular YouTube show, "Nothing Much Prepared." After a few drinks, Irene unexpectedly showed a different side of herself, showering a female staff member with aegyo (a display of cuteness) and speaking in an incredibly cute tone. Clips of her behavior quickly went viral on social media, garnering millions of views and leaving even long-time fans in shock.
Irene's appearance on Lee Young-ji's drinking talk show, "Nothing Much Prepared," showcased an unexpectedly harmonious dynamic between the two, delighting viewers. However, it was Irene's contrasting behavior after drinking that truly sparked widespread discussion.
A segment from the show quickly went viral on X (formerly Twitter). In the clip, the show's producer approached Irene to adjust her microphone. Unexpectedly, Irene immediately switched into "aegyo mode," giving the female producer an adorable look that left the producer flustered and shy.
The producer even laughed, saying, "No, but you're really so cute... How can you be so— please don't look at me like that. Seriously, please don't look at me like that." Irene's sudden display of powerful aegyo while intoxicated surprised even her long-time fans.
One fan commented that for the entire 50-minute episode, they couldn't help but wonder "who this was," feeling they had seen a side of Irene they had never witnessed before. "She's been debuted for 13 years, and she can still show everyone a completely unfamiliar side; she's truly charming. That's why once you like Irene, you can never leave." Another fan exclaimed, "Irene unnie doing aegyo to the producer when she's drunk? How did they actually film this?"
In fact, Red Velvet members Kim Ye-rim (Yeri, 예리) and Kang Seul-gi (Seulgi, 슬기) had previously revealed Irene's drinking habits in 2020, stating that Irene would send selfies to other members after drinking. However, fans clearly didn't expect her to not only send selfies but also become so affectionate and even interact with people in a near "baby voice" when drunk.
Many fans who saw the clip left enthusiastic comments. "Was she just speaking in a baby voice? And with that look?" Some also joked, "So what the Red Velvet members said was true, Irene really does become super cute when she's drunk. I was stunned watching the whole video."
Irene's "drunken aegyo" isn't the only reason she's gone viral; her past displays of charming affection towards women have also resurfaced among netizens. Some have even dubbed her a "flirting master," jokingly saying her charm could instantly win over many female fans.
This isn't the first time Irene has garnered attention for her "flirtatious charm" towards women. In the past, during a live radio broadcast interaction with actress Jung Yu-mi (정유미), netizens noticed her very intimate behavior. Additionally, she once secretly passed a note to fellow member Son Seung-wan (Wendy, 웬디), describing a show host as "beautiful" and "completely my ideal type."
Even more interestingly, when Irene was asked about her "ideal type" in the past, she only named women, which further fueled fan discussions.
Now, Irene's unexpected "aegyo mode" while drunk on the show has not only revealed a contrasting personality beneath her usual calm exterior but has also once again become a hot topic on social media.
