If you were deep in the K-pop rabbit hole around 2014 or 2015, you probably remember the specific, neon-tinted fever dream that was the "Happiness" era. It was weird. It was colorful. It featured four girls with dip-dyed hair—pink, blue, yellow, and green—singing about optimism while a giant parrot flew across the screen. But buried within that debut rollout was something called the Red Velvet Happiness Diary, a promotional treasure trove that honestly feels like a time capsule of a completely different era of the industry.
It wasn't just a marketing gimmick.
For ReVeluvs (the fans), this diary was the first real window into the personalities of Irene, Seulgi, Wendy, and Joy before Yeri joined the group later during "Ice Cream Cake." It’s strange to think about now, especially since Red Velvet has moved on to conceptual, high-art themes like Cosmic and Chill Kill, but back then, it was all about that raw, rookie energy.
What was the Red Velvet Happiness Diary exactly?
Let’s get the facts straight. The "Happiness Diary" wasn't a physical book you could buy at Target or a random stationery store in Seoul. It was a digital content series hosted on their official SM Entertainment website. Basically, the members would upload handwritten notes, photos from the set of their debut music video, and little blurbs about what made them happy that day.
It was personal. It felt real.
In 2014, K-pop social media wasn't the behemoth it is today. We didn't have Weverse or Bubble or constant Instagram Lives. We had official websites and fansites. So, seeing Seulgi write about her long training period—seven years, if you can believe that—in a "diary" format made the fans feel like they were part of the journey.
Wendy’s entries often stood out because she was the "reaction queen" even then. She’d write these long, sprawling notes about being nervous for their first stage on Music Bank. If you look back at those archives, you see a lot of "Thank you for waiting for us" and "We will work hard." Standard rookie stuff, sure, but the Red Velvet Happiness Diary gave it a specific aesthetic that matched the tropical, upbeat vibe of their debut.
Why "Happiness" felt so different from other debuts
K-pop debuts are usually one of two things: super edgy or super cute. Red Velvet chose a third path: "Experimental Jungle Pop."
When the Red Velvet Happiness Diary entries were dropping, the industry was a bit confused. People didn't know what to make of the "La la la la la la la la la la happiness!" hook. But the diary entries helped ground the concept. They showed that the girls weren't just avatars for a weird music video; they were actual teenagers and young adults trying to find joy in a high-pressure environment.
Irene, the leader, was always more reserved in her entries. She’d post a photo of a sunset or a simple "I'm happy because of the members." It was a contrast to Joy, who at the time was the maknae (youngest) and was leaning heavily into that "brightest girl in the world" persona.
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The aesthetic of the era
The visuals were loud. We're talking:
- Primary colors everywhere.
- Hair that looked like it had been dipped in buckets of paint.
- Collaged digital art.
- Hand-drawn doodles on every diary page.
The diary used this "scrapbook" style that a lot of Gen Z fans are actually trying to replicate now with digital journals. It’s funny how things come back around.
The Seulgi factor: Seven years of waiting
You can't talk about the Red Velvet Happiness Diary without talking about Seulgi’s entries. For those who don't know, Seulgi was a legendary trainee at SM. She entered the company in 2007. By the time 2014 rolled around, she had seen her friends debut in f(x) and EXO while she stayed in the practice room.
Her diary entries during the "Happiness" era weren't just "I'm happy to be here." There was a layer of relief.
"Finally," she wrote in one entry (paraphrased from the original Korean), "the dream I’ve had for seven years is starting."
When you read that while listening to the upbeat, almost manic energy of "Happiness," it adds a weirdly emotional layer to the song. It wasn't just a fun debut; it was the end of a very long, very difficult road for a girl who is now considered one of the best performers in the history of K-pop.
Debunking the "f(x) replacement" rumors
A lot of people at the time—and some who look back on it now—tried to claim that Red Velvet and their "Happiness" concept were just a rushed replacement for f(x), who were going through some internal shifts at the time.
The Red Velvet Happiness Diary actually proves this wasn't the case.
The level of detail in the branding, the specific "Red" vs "Velvet" duality (which was planned from the start), and the consistent diary updates showed a group that had been meticulously prepared. SM doesn't just throw together a digital diary project with handwritten notes and custom art overnight. Red Velvet was always meant to be the "sophisticated" sister group that could do both weird pop and smooth R&B.
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"Happiness" was just the "Red" side turning the volume up to eleven.
Wendy’s Canadian roots and the "International" appeal
Wendy’s diary entries were a huge deal for international fans. Since she lived in Ontario and Minnesota before moving back to Korea, she occasionally slipped in English phrases. In 2014, this was a massive bridge for fans in the West.
While most groups felt like they were "over there" in Korea, Wendy’s voice in the Red Velvet Happiness Diary felt accessible. She talked about the snacks she missed or the weird weather. It made the group feel global before "global" was the industry standard.
What actually happened to the diary?
If you try to find the original website now, it’s mostly gone or archived in parts by dedicated fan accounts. SM Entertainment eventually transitioned their artists to the "S_M_T_O_W_N" app and later to other platforms. The "Happiness Diary" was a product of its time—a beautiful, temporary digital space.
But the impact stayed.
It set a template for how the group would interact with fans. Even today, when they release a new album, they often include "Member's Notes" or specific handwritten messages in the physical photobooks. That culture started with the Red Velvet Happiness Diary.
The shift from "Happiness" to "Velvet"
The group didn't stay in that bright, tropical world for long. By the time "Be Natural" came out (their second single), the diary had served its purpose. They traded the dip-dyed hair and the jungle prints for suits and chairs.
It was a shock.
Fans who had fallen in love with the bubbly girls from the diary were suddenly faced with mature, jazz-inspired performers. This is where the genius of the group lies. They used the diary to build a foundation of "Happiness," so that when they went "Velvet," the fans would stick around to see the other side of the coin.
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Analyzing the "Happiness" lyrics through the diary lens
The song "Happiness" itself is about finding joy in small things.
- "I’m a little different / I just want to love"
- "Money and power / I feel sorry for the adults who only follow that"
If you read the Red Velvet Happiness Diary entries alongside these lyrics, you see the vision. The members wrote about things like eating a good meal, talking to their moms on the phone, or seeing a fan hold a sign with their name on it. It was a "stop and smell the roses" philosophy during a time when K-pop was becoming increasingly competitive and "dark."
How to find "Happiness Diary" content today
Since the original site is essentially a ghost town, you have to know where to look.
- Tumblr Archives: There are still dedicated Red Velvet fansites (like RedVelvetUpdates) that have tagged archives of every single diary entry translated into English.
- Pinterest: This is the best place to find the high-res scans of the "Happiness" era photoshoots that accompanied the diary entries.
- Old Twitter (X) Threads: Long-time ReVeluvs often do "anniversary threads" where they repost the handwritten notes.
Actionable insights for fans and collectors
If you're a new fan looking to dive into the history of the group, or an old fan feeling nostalgic, here is how you can actually engage with this piece of history:
Study the "Red" vs. "Velvet" Concept
Don't just listen to the hits. Go back and watch the "Happiness" music video, then read the translated diary entries from August 2014. It gives you a much better understanding of why the group is structured the way it is. The "Red" is the energy of the diary; the "Velvet" is the depth behind the handwriting.
Look for the "First Press" Debut CDs
While the diary was digital, the "Happiness" single was actually quite rare as a physical release initially. If you can find original 2014 promotional materials, hold onto them. They are some of the most sought-after items in K-pop collecting because they represent the very beginning of a legendary career.
Adopt the "Happiness" Philosophy
The whole point of the diary was to document small joys. In a world where social media is often toxic, taking a page out of Irene or Seulgi's 2014 book—literally—and keeping a "Happiness Diary" of your own is actually a great mental health exercise. It sounds cheesy, but the group built an entire career on the idea that "Happiness" is a choice you make every day.
Explore the Member Solo Work
To see how much they’ve grown since those diary days, check out Wendy’s solo album Like Water or Seulgi’s 28 Reasons. The contrast between the girls who were scared to debut in 2014 and the women they are today is incredible. You can see the seeds of their current confidence in those early diary entries.
The Red Velvet Happiness Diary might be a digital relic now, but it remains the blueprint for how K-pop groups can build an authentic connection with their audience from day one. It wasn't about being perfect; it was about being happy. And in the high-octane world of idols, that was—and still is—a pretty radical idea.