Rei

Rei (IVE): The Japanese Main Rapper Bringing Bilingual Flair to K-pop’s Fourth Generation

Rei, born Naoi Rei, serves as main rapper and sub-vocalist of IVE, the South Korean girl group under Starship Entertainment. As the group’s sole Japanese member, Rei has become an important bridge between IVE’s Korean and Japanese fanbases, all while carving out her own space as one of the sharpest rap performers in the current generation of K-pop idols.

Rei was born on February 3, 2004, in Nagoya, Aichi Prefecture, Japan. Her path into the industry began with a Red Velvet audition piece — she tried out for Starship Entertainment’s global auditions in Japan in 2018 using Red Velvet’s “Happiness,” passed, and relocated to Seoul to begin training. That made her the first Japanese idol to debut under Starship Entertainment when she officially joined IVE.

Revealed as the fifth member of IVE on November 6, 2021, Rei debuted with the group on December 1, 2021. Since then, she’s built a reputation for her distinctive rap tone, striking visuals, and quiet, thoughtful personality — traits that led her to become a muse for skincare and fashion brands including Bonajour, FCMM, and PEACH C early in her career.

In April 2023, just one day after IVE’s comeback with their first full album “I’ve IVE,” Starship Entertainment announced that Rei would briefly pause activities to focus on her health after experiencing symptoms including heart palpitations. She returned to full group promotions about six weeks later, in May 2023, once her condition had improved, and has remained an active core member ever since.

As a songwriter, Rei has left her mark on several IVE tracks, contributing rap lyrics to songs including “Love Dive,” “After Like,” “Hypnosis,” “Not Your Girl,” and “Next Page.” She’s known within the group for her gentle, introspective nature — an INFJ through and through — and for a close bond with fellow member Liz, with whom she shared a room during their trainee days.

From her rap verses to her role connecting IVE with fans across Japan and Korea, Rei continues to show why she’s one of the standout members of one of K-pop’s most successful fourth-generation girl groups.