Red Velvet
Biography
Red Velvet is a South Korean girl group formed by SM Entertainment. The group debuted on August 1, 2014, with the single "Happiness" and four members: Irene, Seulgi, Wendy, and Joy. In March 2015, a fifth member, Yeri, was added to the group.
Members
The group consists of five members:
- Irene (Bae Joo-hyun) - Leader, Main Rapper, Lead Dancer, Sub Vocalist, Visual.
- Seulgi (Kang Seul-gi) - Main Dancer, Lead Vocalist.
- Wendy (Son Seung-wan) - Main Vocalist.
- Joy (Park Soo-young) - Lead Rapper, Sub Vocalist.
- Yeri (Kim Ye-rim) - Sub Vocalist, Sub Rapper, Maknae.
Musical Style and Concept
Red Velvet is known for its dual concept, which is divided into "Red" and "Velvet". The "Red" side represents their brighter, more vivid and pop-oriented sound, while the "Velvet" side showcases their softer, more mature and R&B-influenced image. This duality allows them to explore a wide range of genres, from electropop and funk to ballads and hip hop.
Career and Discography
Following their debut, Red Velvet released their first digital single "Be Natural" in October 2014. With the addition of Yeri, the group released their first mini-album, "Ice Cream Cake," in March 2015, which was a commercial success. Their first full-length album, "The Red," was released in September 2015 and topped both the Billboard World Albums chart and South Korea's Gaon Album Chart.
Studio Albums:
- The Red (2015)
- Perfect Velvet (2017)
- Chill Kill (2023)
Notable EPs and Singles:
The group has released numerous successful extended plays (EPs) and singles that have charted high in South Korea. Their hit singles include "Red Flavor" and "Power Up," which reached number one on the Gaon Digital Chart. Other popular tracks like "Dumb Dumb," "Russian Roulette," "Rookie," "Peek-a-Boo," "Bad Boy," "Psycho," and "Feel My Rhythm" all peaked within the top three. They have also released music in Japan, including the EPs "#Cookie Jar" (2018) and "Sappy" (2019), and the studio album "Bloom" (2022).
Awards and Recognition
Red Velvet has received numerous awards throughout their career, including the Golden Disc New Artist Award, the Mnet Asian Music Award for Best Female Group, the Korean Music Award for Best Pop Song, and the Asia Artist Award for Song of the Year. They have also been recognized for their influence by Forbes Korea Power Celebrity, ranking 11th in 2018 and fifth in 2019.