IVE‘s Rei is known to be a huge fan of Red Velvet‘s Joy. Joy is the only non-member that Rei follows on Instagram! Joy recently commented on Rei’s Instagram, promising to buy her 1004 strawberries.
Joy: Our Rei. Unnie will buy you 1004 strawberries, because our Rei is an angel. Rei: Rei’s new schedule: To eat 1004 strawberries with Joy unnie.
It seems like the promise was kept, for on December 8, 2023, Rei gushed to fans about having eaten with Joy. Through Dear U. Bubble, Rei told fans about how great of a sunbae Joy is.
Rei’s message to fans. | Nate Pann
Joy unnie recently bought me delicious food. We also talked a lot. I feel like I can become a more positive person when I’m with her. She’s a precious unnie and sunbae. Just like what I feel when I see unnie, I want to become an amazing artist who can give happy energy to DIVEs and more people. I think that it is such an enjoyable and happy thing that I keep having new dreams as I promote, after achieving my dream of becoming an idol.
— Rei
Fans loved the pure friendship between the two girls. They also praised Joy for her positive influence on Rei.
Netizen comments. | Nate Pann Joy originally takes care of her juniors sweetly, but I think Rei is especially cute, speaks prettily and is amiable. Imagine if a girl like Rei called you “unnie,” while saying she became an idol because of you, and as a highschooler, bought things you had. If I were Joy, I could f*cking love her. Joy seems to love Rei so much. Rei is also a true fan. They’re not in the same company, so to have such a sunbae who takes care of you and shares conversations with you, I think it would be a huge help in your career as an idol. Who was it that said it? Was it Kim Eana? Someone said that young idols don’t have anyone to lean on, or something like that. When you think about it, in the entertainment industry, you experience such harshness in your teens and twenties. You wouldn’t have many places to lean on. I would be so thankful to have such a sunbae. It’s so cute how Rei is only following Starship, the members, and Joy. Wow, but her Korean is so good.
The industry definitely needs more shining sunbaes like Joy!
