SINGAPORE - A member of popular K-pop girl group Red Velvet had to leave for the hospital an hour into their concert here on Saturday evening (Oct 20).

Member Joy injured her right arm during the performance, which is the group's first solo concert in Singapore.

At about 7pm, the quintet performing at The Star Theatre abruptly stopped and addressed the audience at the end of the song, Bad Dracula. They claimed that there was a problem with member Joy's earpiece.

The group tried to buy time for about 15 minutes by chatting to the audience about dyeing their hair and Singaporean food, with the aid of a translator.

Joy then emerged from the backstage with her right arm in a sling. In tears, she told the packed theatre in Korean: "I'm really sorry. I really wanted to perform today but I have to go to the hospital now."

The Straits Times understands Joy may have injured herself from the vigorous choreography during the high-energy performance.

Some in the audience could be heard crying as the other four members of the group - Irene, Yeri, Seulgi and Wendy - continued the performance.

In a statement sent to the media, concert organiser One Production said that the 22-year-old singer felt pain on her shoulder during the concert and was sent to the hospital right away.

The pain was diagnosed to be caused by "sudden pressure on the muscle". The organiser, along with the group's management SM Entertainment and its subsidiary Dream Maker Entertainment, said: "We will like to assure everyone that Joy is in good condition, and has returned to Korea as scheduled."

University student Valerie Kuang said that she felt a "mix of shock and dread" when Joy was injured.

"There were many parts where Joy was supposed to dance solo in the choreography so it looked odd because there was no one there. But, they didn't let it affect the energy level," the 23-year-old said.

Near the end of the concert at about 8.30pm, member Irene thanked fans for supporting the group despite Joy's accident and said: "It's because of all of you that we can finish this concert."

Tickets for Saturday's performance ranged from $168 to $288.

The group, which debuted in 2014 under star-making machine SM Entertainment, topped the Billboard World Albums Chart with their second album Perfect Velvet released last November.

Additional reporting by Tee Zhuo