Irene of K-pop group Red Velvet under pressure to leave band after her apology for bullying stylist
- ‘If Irene does not leave the band, the scandal will haunt Red Velvet and deal a critical blow to the band’s image,’ a fan community for the group said
- The bullying scandal erupted when a stylist posted on Instagram that she had been left in tears after being ‘trampled and abused’ by a celebrity
By Dong Sun-hwa
Irene of K-pop girl group Red Velvet may have apologised over a bullying scandal involving her stylist, but some fans are still demanding she quit the act.
“I sincerely apologise for hurting the stylist with my foolish attitude and indiscreet words and acts,” she posted on Instagram. “As I looked back, I was ashamed of myself and once again felt how precious our staff members are. From now on, I will be more cautious to prevent another incident like this.”
Red Velvet’s label, SM Entertainment, also said that Irene had met the stylist late last week and apologised for being “careless and immature”.
The bullying scandal erupted last Tuesday when a stylist – who is known to have 15 years’ experience – posted on Instagram that she had been left in tears after being “trampled and abused” by a celebrity. She did not disclose the celebrity’s name, but dropped a hint with hashtags “psycho” and “monster” – which are the titles of Red Velvet and its subunit’s previous releases. The stylist later deleted the post.
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Despite Irene’s apology, numerous internet users are still giving her the cold shoulder.
Irene, whose real name is Bae Joo-hyun, made her debut as part of Red Velvet in 2014 with the album “Happiness”. She also appeared in the web drama Game Development Girls (2017).
