In an interview, popular music critic Jung Min Jae talked about Red Velvet's undying fame in 9 years and how each member differentiated from each other in terms of vocals.

Why is Irene an underrated member?

Red Velvet Members Individual Vocal Style: why Is Irene Underrated?

On November 17, E-Today and its YouTube segment Cul:pi released an interview with pop music critic Jung Min Jae, featuring the "best idol group alive" Red Velvet.

Among girl groups, Red Velvet is widely recognized for its top vocals. During the interview, Jung Min Jae deep-dived into their music based on R&B.

When asked about the members' vocal characteristics, he said:

"They are a vocal group, all five members can sing well and have expressiveness. The harmony of the members is incredibly good. Most people think that only Seulgi and Wendy are the vocal line, but I think all five members are strong vocalists."

He continued to point out the members' solo vocal styles, adding:

"Seulgi's vocals are very R&B, Wendy is a pop vocalist, and Joy's vocals have a Korean pop vibe. That's why she did a lot of remakes of famous Korean pop songs. Her solo album as well. She also did a lot of remakes when doing OSTs."

Meanwhile, music critic Jung claimed that Irene is a member that fans should focus on. Contrary to the other members, the leader's vocals were often criticized for being weak, but the professionals think otherwise.

"Irene is a very underrated member. When I listen to Red Velvet's music, her voice is the one that makes the entire song feel like Red Velvet. Of course, Seulgi, Wendy and Joy have more expressive and full voices. Compared to vocalists like them, Irene's voice might seem a bit weaker.

But she has a very sharp voice. She pierces your ears (in a positive way) and her voice adds character to Red Velvet's music. If you listen to their music, you can hear that Irene often sings the highlight of the song. The intro and the unique rap verses. They're mostly done by Irene."

Lastly, critic Jung praised Yeri's youthful yet mature voice that backs up the members' vocals really well.

Pop Music Critic Jung Reveals Reason Red Velvet Is So Popular + What Differentiates Them to 4th-Gen Idols

Meanwhile, since Red Velvet's debut in 2014, they consistently released hit songs and were widely loved by K-pop fans, no matter what genre they were showing.

Regarding why they are gaining much love and support, the critic stated:

"I think they always had very good music. Their music was always above average in the K-pop industry. Their vocals and dancing skills as well. They were able to do both very well. They have the skills and they added concepts and storytelling. Red Velvet was different."

He continued:

"Their project, music and visuals just became 'Red Velvet' itself."

Lastly, when asked about the group's competitive edge over fourth-gen artists, Jung said:

"They pull off different concepts very well. Other idol groups all do different concepts, storytelling and artistic projects. But there is something Red Velvet showed us for nearly 10 years — a mysterious concept that can sometimes be grotesque in a way.

When people see something like this they immediately think of Red Velvet."

READ MORE: Red Velvet Is 'Less Popular' Than BLACKPINK, TWICE– But What Makes Group 'Special'?

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Written by Eunice Dawson.