Rei's Profile
- Full Name: Naoi Rei
- Native Name: 直井 玲
- Nicknames: Rei-chan, Kim Rei, Reibear, Rap Fairy, Naoi Princess
- Birthday: Feb 03, 2004 (21 years old)
- Blood type: A
- Height/Weight: 169 cm (5’7") / 47 kg (103 lbs)
- Gender: Female
- Zodiac Sign: Aquarius
- Debut: Dec 1, 2021
- Position: Rapper, Vocalist
- MBTI: INFJ (The Advocate)
- Birthplace: Nagoya, Aichi Prefecture, Japan
-
Nationality:
Japanese
- Profession: Singer, Rapper
- Languages: Korean, Japanese
- Group: IVE
Rei (레이), born Naoi Rei, was born on February 3, 2004, in Nagoya, Aichi Prefecture, Japan. She is a Japanese rapper, singer, and songwriter under Starship Entertainment. She is the only foreign member of the K-pop girl group IVE, serving as the group’s main rapper and vocalist.
Early Life
Rei is the second child in her family and has an older sister born in 2001. She grew up in Nagoya and attended Tamagawa Gakuen Elementary School in Japan. From an early age, Rei showed artistic talent, particularly in drawing and jewelry-making. She also joined her middle school’s dance club.
Career
Rei began her journey as a trainee at Starship Entertainment in April 2018 after passing the Loen Friends Global Audition held in Japan. Her distinctive vocal tone caught the judges’ attention, leading her to move to South Korea in May 2018 at the age of 14. After 3.5 years of training, she debuted as IVE’s main rapper and vocalist.
On November 6, 2021, Rei was revealed as the fifth member of IVE. She officially debuted with the group on December 1, 2021, with the single album Eleven. Rei took on the role of main rapper in the title track, contributing to IVE’s achievement of 13 wins on music shows and becoming the fastest girl group to win a music show trophy after debut. She continued to play a key role in the group’s subsequent hits, including Love Dive, After Like, and I Am.
Rei has participated in writing rap lyrics for songs such as Love Dive, After Like, Hypnosis, Not Your Girl, and Next Page, showcasing her growth from a trainee unfamiliar with Korean to an artist capable of songwriting.
In April 2023, Rei temporarily halted all activities due to health issues, including heart palpitations and shortness of breath. She was absent from promotions for IVE’s first full album I’ve IVE and its title track I Am. After a month of rest and treatment, Rei returned to activities in May 2023.
In the fashion and advertising industry, Rei has collaborated with brands such as Bonajour, FCMM, and Peach C as a muse in 2022. She appeared in Arena magazine in 2022 and Cosmopolitan in 2023. Notably, Rei graced the cover of Vogue Japan’s December 2022 issue, becoming the second K-pop idol after BLACKPINK’s Lisa to earn this distinction.
Rei holds the distinction of being the first Japanese artist to debut under Starship Entertainment. Her rap and vocal skills have shown significant improvement since debut, especially recognized through her live performances during comebacks after Eleven. She has continued her activities with IVE through the releases of I’ve Mine (2023), Ive Switch (2024), and Ive Empathy (2025), contributing to the group’s success with six No.1 hits and numerous prestigious awards.
Fun Facts
- Rei is obsessed with red bean mochi – she even packs it in her suitcase for tours.
- Her nickname “Kim Rei” wasn’t fan-made – Yujin joked: “Rei is so Koreanized I thought she was from Busan.”
- She once cosplayed as Totoro during Starship’s internal Halloween party – and got over 2,000 tags on Twitter in one day.
- She’s a huge Sailor Moon fan, wanting to be Sailor Mercury for the blue theme and because “she can code!”
- Her pet cat Mame-chan has over 50k Instagram followers.
- Rei loves using trendy Korean teen slang – so much that Starship staff often have to look them up.
- She’s best friends with Tsuki (Billlie) from high school – they still keep in touch despite busy schedules.
- The one thing she must have in her bag? Lip balm. “I can lose my phone, but if I lose my lip balm, I’ll go crazy.”
- Rei is a hardcore fan of Howl’s Moving Castle and calls Howl her “national husband.”
- During a livestream, she accidentally triggered her voice assistant – fans heard “Ok Google” right in the middle of a serious moment.
Photo Gallery
