Yeri (Red Velvet) Maknae

Who is Yeri (Red Velvet)?

Kim Ye-rim, born March 5, 1999, professionally known as Yeri, is a South Korean singer, actress, and television personality. She serves as a vocalist, rapper, and the maknae of the girl group Red Velvet, having been introduced as the fifth member on March 11, 2015. Her designated color within the group is purple.

Prior to her official debut, Yeri was part of SM Entertainment's pre-debut training team SM Rookies. She auditioned for SM Entertainment in 2011 during their SM Weekly Audition and passed. As a trainee, she appeared in Red Velvet's debut song "Happiness" music video before becoming an official member. In October 2014, she performed S.E.S.'s "I'm Your Girl" alongside other SM Rookies members for EXO's variety show EXO 90:2014.

Yeri attended Hanlim Multi Art High School, graduating in 2018. Throughout her career, she has pursued multiple entertainment avenues beyond group activities. From May 9 to November 14, 2015, she hosted MBC's music program Show! Music Core alongside Minho from SHINee and N from VIXX. In 2016, she became an MC for the SM C&C web-variety program The Viewable SM with Leeteuk.

Her creative contributions include songwriting, having co-written the lead single "Story" for singer Ragoon's EP Talking, released in December 2017. On March 14, 2019, she released her self-written song "Dear Diary" as a digital single through SM Station Season 3. In May 2020, SM C&C announced that Yeri would host her first solo show, Yeri's Room, with the first episode airing on June 8, 2020, on the Dum Dum Studio YouTube channel.

Her acting career began with the drama Blue Birthday, followed by her portrayal of Baek Je-na in the Netflix drama Bitch X Rich in 2023. On April 4, 2025, SM Entertainment announced that its exclusive contract with Yeri had ended, though she remains in Red Velvet for all future group activities. Subsequently, on May 1, 2025, she signed with Blitzway Entertainment as an actress.

When did Yeri join Red Velvet?

SM Rookies pre-debut activities

Yeri joined SM Entertainment after successfully auditioning at the SM Weekly Audition in 2011. Following her acceptance, she trained for approximately four years before her official debut. During this period, she became part of SM Entertainment's pre-debut training team SM Rookies, introduced through Rookie Station videos in 2014.

In 2014, Yeri performed as one of the upcoming members on the SM Town Live World Tour IV. Specifically, she took the stage alongside other female SM Rookies members at the August 2014 SM Town concert in Seoul, performing songs including "Violet Fragrance" and "No No No No No". Prior to these performances, she appeared in music videos for other SM Entertainment artists, including Henry's "1-4-3" and SHINee's "Why So Serious". She made a brief appearance in the introduction of Red Velvet's debut song "Happiness" before officially joining the group.

Becoming the fifth member

In February 2015, reports surfaced that Red Velvet was filming a music video with trainee Yeri, leading to leaked photos of the group as five members. SM Entertainment formally introduced Yeri as the fifth member of Red Velvet on March 10, 2015, during the promotions of their first extended play Ice Cream Cake. The official announcement came through an introduction video released on SM Town's YouTube channel on March 11 at 10 PM KST. At the time of her addition, Yeri was 16 years old in Korean age.

Red Velvet, which originally debuted as a four-member group in August 2014 with Irene, Seulgi, Wendy, and Joy, expanded its lineup seven months after its initial formation. Yeri made her official debut as a member on March 17, 2015, with the group's first mini album Ice Cream Cake, assuming roles as sub-vocalist, sub-rapper, and maknae.

Initial reception and challenges

Yeri initially refused to join Red Velvet when approached by SM Entertainment. She was originally slated to debut as the center of a new group with younger trainees aligned with her age, training separately from the Red Velvet members. When asked to join Red Velvet, Yeri's loyalty to her fellow trainees outweighed her desire to debut, telling the company, "I won't make a debut, then. I can switch to acting". She felt joining Red Velvet meant betraying the friends she trained with, explaining that those trainees were like her school friends since she left school to focus on training.

The addition drew divided opinions from fans, particularly internationally, who questioned changing an established lineup. Yeri experienced significant difficulties with public misjudgments during her early debut period, later stating, "When I first debuted, I was really hurt by that. But now I'm okay".

What is Yeri's role in Red Velvet?

Yeri holds the positions of sub-vocalist, sub-rapper, and maknae within Red Velvet. As the youngest member, she represents the color purple in the group's visual identity. Her role extends beyond performance duties to include creative contributions, particularly in songwriting.

Yeri possesses talents across multiple disciplines, including singing, dancing, acting, and songwriting. Her songwriting abilities have materialized in professional releases, most notably co-writing the lead single "Story" for singer Ragoon's EP Talking, released in December 2017. She has expressed that writing lyrics helped her better understand and develop self-love, revealing a personal connection to her creative process.

Within the group's vocal structure, Yeri functions as a supporting vocalist while also taking on rap segments in various tracks. Her position as maknae carries cultural significance in Korean group dynamics, traditionally representing the youngest member who often receives particular attention and affection from both fellow members and fans. This role came with added scrutiny given her status as an added member rather than an original debut lineup participant.

Beyond her designated positions, Yeri participated in collaborative projects through SM Entertainment's platforms. In December 2017, she joined NCT members Renjun, Jeno, and Jaemin for SM Station's third season, releasing the official Korean soundtrack version of "Hair in the Air" from the television series Trolls: The Beat Goes On!. In July 2016, she played the female lead in the music video for J-Min and Shim Eun-jee's single "Way Back Home," released as part of the project SM Station.

Her multifaceted contributions demonstrate a role that encompasses both traditional group positions and expanded creative responsibilities within Red Velvet's operational structure.

Yeri's hosting and TV shows

Show! Music Core (2015)

MBC announced on May 4, 2015, that Yeri had been confirmed as the permanent MC for the music program Show! Music Core. She served in this capacity from May 9 to November 14, 2015, co-hosting alongside SHINee's Minho and VIXX's N. This appointment marked her as the second Red Velvet member to assume MC duties for a music program, following bandmate Irene's role at KBS's Music Bank.

Yeri's Room

In May 2020, SM C&C announced Yeri as the MC for her first solo show, Yeri's Room. The reality-variety program premiered on June 8, 2020, through the Dum Dum Studio YouTube channel. New episodes aired on Mondays and Wednesdays, with special clips released on Fridays. The debut episode featured Twice member Nayeon as the guest.

The show's format centered around Yeri hosting guests in an intimate setting to discuss topics ranging from love and friendship to cooking and crafts. Guest appearances throughout the series included bandmate Irene, Super Junior's Choi Siwon, SHINee's Key, and Sandra Park. The first season ran for 22 episodes, concluding on February 21, 2021. On December 10, 2020, DUM DUM Studio announced plans for a second season scheduled for February 2021. However, on March 5, 2021, the studio confirmed that production of the second season had been canceled due to unforeseen business circumstances at SM C&C.

Other variety show appearances

Beyond hosting duties, Yeri participated in multiple variety programs. In 2016, she became an MC for the SM C&C web-variety program The Viewable SM alongside Leeteuk. In April 2018, she joined the cast of JTBC's Secret Unnie, where she partnered with actress Han Chae-young. Additionally, she appeared on Law of the Jungle in Thailand in 2019.

How did Yeri start her solo music career?

Yeri's solo music trajectory developed through collaborative projects and digital single releases prior to announcing plans for a full album. Following the release of "Dear Diary" in March 2019, she expanded her solo discography through features and collaborative remakes. In May 2019, she appeared on South Korean rapper Giant Pink's track "Tuesday is better than Monday".

Her participation in the NCSOFT Fever 2020 Cool Summer Project produced multiple collaborative releases. She joined AB6IX's Jeon Woong and VIXX's Ravi for a remake of Cool's "Woman On The Beach". On August 7, 2020, the third song in this project, "Sorrow", was released as another collaboration. Additionally, she worked with Babylon on "I Will Be Your Warmth", a track she both wrote and composed.

On August 22, 2022, SM Entertainment revealed "Nap Fairy" as the next STATION release, a collaboration between Yeri and Sam Kim scheduled for August 25, 2022. These various collaborative efforts and station releases demonstrated her musical versatility across different genres and partnerships, establishing a foundation for independent artistic work.

In December 2025, Yeri confirmed plans to release her solo debut album in 2026. She disclosed that the album remains in early preparation stages, with no established genre or release date determined. Speaking about the project, she indicated working closely with Blitz Music to review potential musical directions. The artist expressed confidence that fans would appreciate the eventual result despite the uncertain timeline.

The announcement marked a significant development in her solo career, as she had not previously released a full-length solo album despite years of collaborative and single-track releases. Her transition to Blitzway Entertainment in May 2025 positioned her to pursue both acting and solo musical endeavors independently from SM Entertainment's structure.

Yeri's acting projects

Blue Birthday

Yeri made her acting debut with the web series Blue Birthday, which premiered on July 23, 2021, on Naver TV and WeTV. Prior to this, she appeared in tvN's one-act drama Drama Stage with the episode "Mint Condition" in February 2021. For Blue Birthday, she was cast as the female lead Oh Ha-rin on April 7, 2021.

The series functions as a fantasy romance thriller produced by Naver subsidiary Playlist Studio and directed by Park Dan-hee. The plot follows Oh Ha-rin, who discovers mysterious photos left by her first love, Ji Seo-jun, who died by suicide on her 18th birthday ten years prior. Through these photos, Ha-rin travels back in time with limited opportunities to prevent his death and alter the past.

Bitch X Rich

In May 2023, Yeri was cast as the female lead in the Wavve web series Bitch X Rich. She portrayed Baek Je-na, the most influential student at Cheongdam International High School. The series blends mystery and school drama elements, focusing on psychological warfare between students at a prestigious institution.

The second season premiered on July 3, 2025. In this continuation, Baek Je-na faces growing pains amid succession dynamics while navigating a crisis as the top figure of Diamond 6. The production team noted that she captures both the character's outward charisma and gradual internal transformation.

Recent drama roles

Yeri appeared in the 2023 drama Applause as Eun-seo. In December 2025, she was confirmed for the lead role of Anna in Azure Spring, based on a popular webtoon. Her character, Seo Anna, is a former youth national team athlete whose career ended due to injury. As a haenyeo (female diver), Anna meets Deok Hyeon and begins pursuing new dreams through ocean diving. Additionally, she is cast in the upcoming project Insiders.

Current agency

On April 4, 2025, SM Entertainment announced the conclusion of exclusive contracts with both Wendy and Yeri. The agency confirmed that despite the contract terminations, both members would continue participating in Red Velvet's group activities under SM Entertainment's management. This arrangement allows Yeri to pursue individual endeavors through separate representation while maintaining her commitment to the group.

The departures of Wendy and Yeri contrasted with the decisions of the other three Red Velvet members. Seulgi and Irene renewed their contracts with SM Entertainment in August 2023 and February 2024 respectively, while Joy followed with her renewal in January 2025. This split in representation marked a transition period for the group, with members managing solo activities through different agencies while reuniting for collective releases and promotions.

Following the SM Entertainment contract conclusion, Yeri signed an exclusive contract with Blitzway Entertainment on May 1, 2025. Under this new management, she will promote as an actress using her real name Kim Yerim (also romanized as Kim Ye-rim). Blitzway Entertainment CEO Hong Min Ki expressed enthusiasm about the partnership, stating the agency would provide full support to translate her global stage experience and artistic sensibility into a diverse acting career.

Blitzway Entertainment, formerly known as Blitzway Studios, recently underwent rebranding to strengthen its content-driven strategy. The agency maintains a roster of established actors including Ju Ji-hoon, Chun Woo-hee, Jung Ryeo-won, Moon Chae-won, Woo Do-hwan, and Kwak Dong-yeon, among others. Additionally, the company represents Go Doo-shim, In Gyo-jin, So Yi-hyun, Park Ha-sun, Son Dam-bi, Han Bo-reum, Yoon Bak, Jung In-sun, Yun Jong-seok, Kim Woo-seok, Kang Min-ah, and Jeong Ji-hoon.