Artist Profile
- Full Name: Naoi Rei
- Native Name: 直井 玲
- Nicknames: Rei-chan, 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
- MBTI: INFJ (The Advocate)
- Birthplace: Nagoya, Aichi Prefecture, Japan
- Nationality: Japanese
- Profession: Singer, Rapper
- Languages: Korean, Japanese
- Group: IVE
- Years Active: 2021–present (5 years)
Rei, 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
In April 2018, Rei began her journey as a trainee at Starship Entertainment after passing the Loen Friends Global Audition held in Japan. In May, she relocated to South Korea and officially entered the company’s idol training system.
From 2019 to 2020, Rei continued her training at Starship Entertainment as a trainee. During this period, the company prepared for the debut of a new girl group. Rei did not participate in any commercial music releases or public artistic activities at this time.
In early November 2021, Starship Entertainment announced its new girl group, IVE. The members were revealed sequentially between November 3 and November 8, 2021. On December 1, 2021, Rei made her debut as a member of IVE with the single album Eleven.
In 2022, Rei remained active with IVE through the group’s music releases. On April 5, 2022, IVE released the single album Love Dive, followed by After LIKE on August 22, 2022. Throughout the year, Rei participated in promotional activities, stage performances, and media schedules in line with the group’s comeback cycles.
- In April 2023, IVE released their first studio album, I’ve IVE. Later that month, Starship Entertainment announced that Rei would temporarily suspend activities due to health reasons.
- In May 2023, the company announced Rei’s return to scheduled activities. During the same period, IVE began promotions in the Japanese market with the song Wave.
In October 2023, the group released the EP I’VE MINE, featuring the lead tracks “Off the Record,” “Baddie,” and “Either Way.”
In January 2024, IVE released the collaborative single “All Night” with Saweetie. In April of the same year, the group released the EP IVE SWITCH. In November 2024, IVE followed up with another collaboration, “Supernova Love,” with David Guetta.
In January 2025, Starship Entertainment announced “Rebel Heart” as a pre-release single, marking the beginning of the release campaign for the Korean-language EP Ive Empathy, scheduled for release in February. As part of the same release campaign, “Attitude” was introduced as the subsequent single from the EP.
In the same year, Rei was announced as a brand ambassador for the South Korean cosmetics brand LUNA. The pop-up campaign “LUNA × REI (IVE)” was held at Ginza Loft in Tokyo in June and July 2025.
In October 2025, media reports noted that Rei, along with Liz, participated in schedules related to Paris Fashion Week.
Fun Facts
- Rei loves red bean mochi and often brings it with her on tour.
- Her nickname “Kim Rei” came from a joke by Yujin, who said Rei looks so Korean she could be from Busan.
- She once dressed up as Totoro at a Starship Halloween party and went viral on X (Twitter).
- Rei is a big fan of Sailor Moon and wants to be Sailor Mercury for her blue theme and tech skills.
- Her pet cat, Mame-chan, has an Instagram account with over 50,000 followers.
- She frequently uses trendy Korean slang—so much that Starship staff often have to look it up.
- Rei has been close friends with Tsuki (Billlie) since middle school.
- Lip balm is her must-have item; she’s said losing it would stress her out more than losing her phone.
- She adores Howl’s Moving Castle and calls Howl her “national husband.”
- During a livestream, she accidentally activated a voice assistant, creating a funny moment.
Photo Gallery
