242: Chapter 00001 Red Velvet [IRACEBETH: The Crimson Fortress] Official Trailer

Red Velvet 5th Full Album [IRACEBETH: The Crimson Fortress] Official Release Teaser

Release Date: 2026. 01. 01. 00:00 (KST)

(Album Release Date: 2026.01.01 00:00 (Korea Standard Time))

[Poster Visual: Against a dark red velvet background, a distorted crown floats above a shattered mirror. The five members are presented only as silhouettes, with flowing black jam-like font below.]

Executive Producer:

Jiang Zhiyu (Kang Ji-woo) | 17 years old | Produced all 11 tracks of the album | Title track "IRACEBETH" Composition/Lyrics/Arrangement

Producer's Message: "This is not a fairy tale, but a mirror. When we gaze upon the Red Queen's loneliness, what we see might be the fortress deep within our own hearts that we are unwilling to show others. I use music to construct this fortress, inviting everyone to step into her tragedy and understand all misunderstood 'madness'."

——

Album Concept Overview: 《IRACEBETH: The Crimson Fortress》

Subtitle: "When the fairy tale loses its sugar coating, when the crown becomes a shackle, when loneliness becomes the only throne"

Concept Core:

Dark Fairy Tale Reconstruction

Deconstruction of Power and Loneliness

Social Metaphor of Family Trauma

The Pinnacle of K-POP Artistic Expression

——

CONCEPT TRAILER: “THE CRIMSON LETTER”

(Concept Trailer: "The Crimson Letter")

(Visual: An old parchment scroll slowly unfurls on a Gothic desk. A quill pen dipped in dark red ink begins to write. The sound of the nib scratching across the paper is clearly audible. In the background, there are distant heartbeats and the ticking of a clock.)

[TEXT APPEARS ON PARCHMENT]

(Text appears on the parchment)

Subject: IRACEBETH – THE CRIMSON FORTRESS

(Subject: IRACEBETH – The Crimson Fortress)

(Voiceover (Irene, deep and seductive voice):)

“어느 왕국의 가장 깊은 곳에, 누구도 이해하지 못한 여왕이 살고 있습니다.”

(“어느 왕국의 가장 깊은 곳에, 누구도 이해하지 못한 여왕이 살고 있습니다.”)

("In the deepest part of a certain kingdom, there lives a queen whom no one understands.")

“그녀의 왕관은 너무 무거워서, 그녀의 머리는 땅을 바라봅니다.”

(“그녀의 왕관은 너무 무거워서, 그녀의 머리는 땅을 바라봅니다.”)

("Her crown is so heavy that her head gazes toward the ground.")

“그녀의 성은 너무 높아서, 그녀의 외침은 메아리로만 돌아옵니다.”

(“그녀의 성은 너무 높아서, 그녀의 외침은 메아리로만 돌아옵니다.”)

("Her castle is so high that her shouts return only as echoes.")

“2026년 1월 1일, 모든 문이 열립니다...혹은, 단 하나도 열리지 않을 수도 있습니다.”

(“2026년 1월 1일, 모든 문이 열립니다...혹은, 단 하나도 열리지 않을 수도 있습니다.”)

("January 1, 2026, all doors will open... or, perhaps not a single one will.")

“준비되셨나요?”

(“준비되셨나요?”)

("Are you ready?")

(The screen suddenly darkens. The heavy sound of dragging chains and the roar of a giant iron door closing are heard, followed by a dead silence after a heavy heartbeat suddenly stops.)

(비주얼이 갑자기 어두워지며, 무거운 쇠사슬이 끌리는 소리와 거대한 철문이 닫히는 굉음, 마지막으로 심장이 강하게 뛰고 난 후 갑작스러운 정적)

——

Producer's Note:

“이 앨범은 저의, 그리고 우리 모두의 내면에 숨겨진 성에 관한 이야기입니다.”

("This album is a story about the castle hidden within me, and within all of us.")

“가장 아름답고도 가장 불편한 진실은, 우리 각자가 자신만의 IRACEBETH를 키워내고 있다는 점일지도 모릅니다.”

("The most beautiful and most uncomfortable truth may be that each of us is nurturing our own IRACEBETH.")

“17세의 제가 이 거대한 세계관을 레드벨벳 선배님들의 목소리로 표현할 수 있게 허락해 주신 SM 엔터테인먼트와 레드벨벳 멤버 분들께 깊은 감사를 드립니다. 이것은 단순한 앨범이 아닙니다. 우리가 함께 건설한 심리적 드라마입니다.”

("I would like to express my deep gratitude to SM Entertainment and the members of Red Velvet for allowing me, at 17, to express this grand worldview through the voices of my Red Velvet seniors. This is not just an album. It is a psychological drama we have constructed together.")

– 프로듀서 지우 (강지우) 올림

( – Sincerely, Producer JI-WOO (Jiang Zhiyu))

——

Comeback Schedule

12.20 - Teaser #1: "The Seed of Tragedy (비극의 씨앗)" - Member Solo Concept Film (Irene)

12.22 - Teaser #2: "The Crown's Weight (왕관의 무게)" - Group Concept Film

12.24 - Lyric Poster #1: Irene's Part - “Cut it off (잘라 버려)”

12.25 - Teaser #3: "Producer's Note (프로듀서 노트)" - Jiang Zhiyu Creative Interview Video

12.27 - Highlight Medley - 30-second preview of all album tracks

12.29 - MV Teaser - Title Track Music Video Teaser

12.31 - Lyric Poster #2: Wendy's Part - “My loneliness is a fortress (내 고독은 성벽)”

2026.01.01 6PM KST - Title Track "IRACEBETH" Digital Audio & MV Global Simultaneous Release

2026.01.01 0AM KST - 5th Full Album "IRACEBETH: The Crimson Fortress" Full Digital Audio & Physical Album Simultaneous Release

——

Global Slogan

(Korean)

“너의 마음속에 있는, 그 외로운 성으로 초대한다.”

Red Velvet, [IRACEBETH]

(Chinese)

“I invite you to that lonely castle within your heart.”

Red Velvet, 《IRACEBETH》

(English)

"You are invited to the lonely fortress within your heart."

Red Velvet, ‘IRACEBETH’

——

Album Package Details

1. 《IRACEBETH》 5th Full Album Package

Versions:

Fortress Ver.: Dark red velvet hardcover, gold-stamped crest, includes a 3D pop-up castle book.

Crown Ver.: Metal-textured crown-shaped outer box, inlaid with imitation rubies, includes a replica of the Queen's Manifesto handwritten letter.

Mirror Ver.: Double-sided mirror design casing, one side clear, one side distorted, includes a photobook with a shattered mirror texture.

Inclusions:

Photo Chronicle: 120P Gothic aesthetic photobook, documenting the visual narrative of the Queen from princess to tyrant.

Lyre of Loneliness: Exclusive lyric book, using vintage parchment texture, each song's lyrics accompanied by Jiang Zhiyu's handwritten creative annotations.

Trauma Trove: Random member concept photocard (1/10) + Exclusive plot fragment card (1 card out of 5 types, can be assembled into a complete castle blueprint).

Crimson Vinyl: First-press limited edition only, 10-inch red translucent vinyl record, featuring a special arrangement version of the title track "IRACEBETH."

Fragmented Melody: Random member exclusive "Inner Voice" voice message (QR code format, 5 themes in total).

The Key to the Fortress: Metal vintage key-shaped USB, containing unreleased production documentary, MV behind-the-scenes footage, and a digital version of Jiang Zhiyu's production notes.

——

Pre-order & Info

Pre-order Date: Starting from December 20, 2025, at 10:00 AM (KST)

Official Channels: SMTOWN & COMPANY, major partner record stores, online music platforms.

Special Event: Pre-ordered albums will randomly include one replica of the "Queen's Royal Wax Seal" (random style).

모든 예고의 끝은, 비극의 시작입니다.

The end of all teasers is the beginning of the tragedy.

2026.01.01

정규 5집 《IRACEBETH : The Crimson Fortress》

5th Full Album 《IRACEBETH: The Crimson Fortress》

주요 곡 〈IRACEBETH〉

Title Track 〈IRACEBETH〉

함께 물들일 준비가 되셨나요?

Are you ready to be stained crimson together?

Red Velvet & Kang Ji-Woo Present