SM Entertainment CEO Lee Sung Soo confirmed that they are planning a comeback for Red Velvet soon. The news was met with mixed reactions from Korean netizens.
According to a report by All Kpop, the SM Entertainment CEO made the statement during the online global start-up festival entitled COMEUP2020.
As he discussed the comeback plans, Lee Sung Soo addressed the issue of Irene's attitude controversy and acknowledged her mistake. He said that even if there was a controversy, they sincerely apologized.
He said that fans should look forward to a more mature appearance from Red Velvet when they release their new music.
Lee Sung Soo's statement put an end to speculation that Irene will be removed from the group after some netizens demanded her to leave Red Velvet to protect the other members.
It can be recalled that last month, Irene received massive criticism after she was exposed by a photoshoot editor as the idol who behaved badly towards her staff. Irene apologized to the editor and vowed to reflect on her actions. However, several others came forward to share their negative experiences with the Red Velvet leader. In her defense, there were those who stepped forward to talk about Irene's good relationship with the people she worked with, Kstarlive reported.
Irene's attitude controversy initially led to fears that Red Velvet's comeback would be pushed back even further. It can be recalled that Joy hinted at an extended hiatus due to the recent controversy.
Before Irene's scandal, fans were looking forward to Red Velvet making a comeback as a complete five-member group.
The group's last full comeback was made in December 2019 for their album The Reve Finale. Unfortunately, Wendy fell from the stage during practice at SBS' Gayo Daejeon, resulting in severe injuries that required her to stay in the hospital for several months.
She also had to undergo rehabilitation for several months, even after she was released from the hospital. Fans were looking forward to a five-member Red Velvet comeback, but Irene became embroiled in controversy.
Now that CEO Lee Sung Soo confirmed the news, it was met with different reactions from Korean netizens, All Kpop reported.
Some were surprised that Irene would remain with the group after her scandal. Some were worried about how her scandal would affect the other members of the group. Some said that they were happy with the comeback news whether Irene stays on or not.
