Red Velvet Irene’s Exposed “Real” Skin Condition Triggers Intense Reactions

In an industry where aging is often treated like a flaw, Red Velvet’s Irene continues to defy such expectations in the eyes of many Korean netizens.

The Red Velvet leader has now found herself at the center of debate for something many consider one of her strongest visual points, her skin.

A now-viral post circulating on Pann has gained massive attention for sharing an entirely unedited photo of Irene.

The image, taken from Getty Images, showed her face in high resolution without visible retouching, something fans often point out as a reliable indicator of an idol’s natural appearance.

In the photo, Irene’s skin appears smooth and clear, with no obvious blemishes or discoloration. This has sparked praised not only from the post itself, but also many netizens in the comments.

However, as the post spread reactions quickly became divided. While most praised the idol’s undying beauty, some went as far as to say the Red Velvet star looks gorgeous ”aged.”

The age stated in the viral post has also drawn criticism. While the OP claims Irene is 36 years of age, the star — born in 1991 — is set to turn 35 in March 2026. As a result, netizens are accusing OP of deliberately trying to spark negative comments towards Irene.

• “Even when I was in high school, I saw posts like ‘Irene will be 30 next year.’ Back then or now, she’s always been consistently beautiful… Damn.”
• “The ahjummas on Pann freaking hate Irene and only Irene, lol.”
• “She looks old.”
• “Honestly, she’s really freaking pretty.”
• “She looks aged.”
• “She’s 34. Stop baiting for attention.”

Regardless of the divided reactions, the post continues to rack up views and become a trending hot topic on Pann, proving just how popular Irene remains in the idol scene.