A five-member South Korean girl group under SM Entertainment, debuted on August 1, 2014, with the single “Happiness.” Members are Irene, Seulgi, Wendy, Joy, and Yeri. Yeri joined the original four-member lineup in March 2015. Their fandom is called ReVeluv.

They were SM Entertainment’s first girl group in five years, following f(x).

The dual concept

Red Velvet’s entire identity is built around a deliberate split. Their “Red” side is bright, bold pop — energetic songs like “Dumb Dumb,” “Red Flavor,” and “Power Up.” Their “Velvet” side is mature, R&B-influenced, and more restrained — “Automatic,” “Bad Boy,” “One of These Nights.” The two sides aren’t always kept separate; some releases blend them. But the framework gave the group a musical range that most K-pop acts don’t have, and it’s held up across a decade.

All thirteen of their Korean-language EPs and studio albums have topped the Gaon Album Chart. Both “Red Flavor” and “Power Up” reached number one on the Gaon Digital Chart.

The peak and what followed

Their 2019 single “Psycho” is widely considered their artistic high point — a sophisticated, mid-tempo R&B track that was unusually self-assured for a K-pop release and performed well internationally. It became the blueprint for the kind of music they’d continue pursuing in their later work.

The group navigated a challenging period in 2021 following a controversy involving member Irene, and their schedule was affected by COVID-era restrictions. They returned strongly with Chill Kill in 2023, their most commercially successful release in years, selling over 607,000 copies in Korea.

Where they stand now

In April 2025, members Wendy and Yeri chose not to renew their individual contracts with SM Entertainment but confirmed they would continue as Red Velvet members. Both have since signed with independent agencies for solo activities. A group comeback is expected in the third quarter of 2026.

Where to start listening

“Red Flavor” (2017) — The “Red” concept at its most joyful and immediate.

“Bad Boy” (2018) — The “Velvet” concept at its coolest. One of the most genre-defining K-pop songs of its era.

“Psycho” (2019) — Their most complete single, and the best place to understand what they became.

Photo Credit: Red Velvet’s Official SNS