Red Velvet's Irene has secured second position in the 242nd round of the Star News Star Idol Ranking for female artists, collecting 14,792 votes over the weekly voting period that ran from April 11 to April 18 (Korean Standard Time). The result underlines her enduring appeal among K-pop fans at a particularly timely moment, with Red Velvet confirmed to return with a full-group album in August.

NewJeans' Minji claimed the top spot in this cycle with a commanding 21,098 votes, comfortably ahead of the field. While the world of pop idol rankings may seem distant from the typical sports fan's radar, the mechanics behind these fan-driven charts share much with supporter engagement systems seen across global fan communities - the kind of passionate, organised fandom activity that also drives participation in markets as varied as american football bet platforms and K-pop voting ecosystems alike. NewJeans' Harin rounded out the top three with 6,847 votes, while SNSD's Yuri held fourth and IVE's Ahn Yu Jin entered the top five, both registering 1,133 votes apiece.

How the Star Ranking System Works

The Star News Star Ranking is a fan-powered weekly poll in which supporters vote directly for their favourite artists to determine chart positions. Voting through a mobile device unlocks additional benefits, including a digital voting certificate and various exclusive privileges tied to the ranked results. The stakes are tangible: any artist who holds the number one position for four consecutive weeks earns a place on an outdoor digital billboard advertisement. Fans of a sustained chart-topper can also apply to sponsor additional outdoor advertising content, with proposals submitted via Star News' official email address.

From the June voting cycle onwards, the rankings will also feed into selection for the AAA 2026 Star Ranking award category, adding a competitive dimension that is likely to intensify fan mobilisation efforts across all active fanbases.

Red Velvet's August Comeback Adds Weight to Irene's Resurgence

Irene's strong poll performance arrives at a meaningful point in Red Velvet's career timeline. The group is set to release a new album in August 2025, which would mark their first full-group activity in approximately two years and two months, following the release of Cosmic in June 2024. A complete five-member lineup returning together is a significant event for the group's fanbase, known as ReVeluv, and the renewed visibility in weekly rankings suggests that anticipation is already building. Whether the momentum translates into sustained chart leadership in the weeks ahead remains to be seen, but the gap between Irene and third-placed Harin is substantial enough to confirm her position as one of the most consistently supported female idols in the current cycle.