Red Velvet Irene’s Latest Photoshoot Triggers Scathing Reactions
SM Entertainment artists recently came together for UNICEF Korea’s “UNICEF Team” campaign, celebrating a decade of partnership focused on supporting children impacted by war and natural disasters.
As part of the project, Red Velvet‘s Irene appeared in a special photoshoot for the October issue of Marie Claire Korea, but her involvement has quickly become a hot topic online.
The pictorial highlights the campaign’s theme of bringing hope through music, with stars like Doyoung, Minho, Suho, , Yuri, Jaemin, and Carmen also taking part. Supporters who sign up for recurring donations receive a “Pink Blood” bracelet, further connecting fans to the cause.
IRENE FOR UNICEF KOREA pic.twitter.com/9N5cDaYHY1
— Elle 𓆩𓆪 (@chobomseulrene) September 20, 2025
Despite the initiative’s positive intent, Irene’s photoshoot has drawn mixed responses from netizens, sparking heated discussions on community forums.
Irene with UNICEF Korea for Marie Claire Korea's October Issue 🩷#IRENE #아이린 #RedVelvet @RVsmtown pic.twitter.com/N2Knekalg8
— Irene 아이린 Global 🌷 (@irene_global) September 22, 2025
A post on Pann that gathered over 20,000 views compiled Irene’s UNICEF photos, but instead of praise, the comments quickly turned sharp. While some acknowledged her history of charitable giving, others criticized her participation in the campaign, questioning whether it was an attempt to improve her public image.
- “LOL this is seriously hilarious. Does UNICEF even suit her? Of all people, they chose her…”
- “Image laundering?”
- “If you donate to UNICEF, it feels like the money won’t go to the kids but will just get poured into hiring ad models. I’m never donating to them… not now, not ever in my life.”
- “A power-trip abuser being the face of UNICEF? LOL.”
- “Irene was already the one in Red Velvet who donated the most, but people are calling it image laundering, LOL. Go criticize Choi Siwon instead.”
