The Korean Business Research Institute has published its brand reputation rankings for all stars during the month of June.
The rankings were determined through an analysis of media coverage, consumer participation, interaction, and community awareness indexes, using big data collected from May 29 to June 29 — a full month of data tracking across news articles, social media, and online communities.
Top 5 for June 2026
| Rank | Artist | Brand Index | Change |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Lim Young Woong | 6,708,723 | +1.63% |
| 2 | BTS | 6,681,350 | — |
| 3 | Lee Jung Hoo | 6,205,247 | +76.91% |
| 4 | Yu Jae Seok | 5,132,404 | — |
| 5 | Heo Nam Jun | 5,042,536 | — |
Full top 30
Here is the complete top 30 for June 2026:
- Lim Young Woong
- BTS
- Lee Jung Hoo
- Yu Jae Seok
- Heo Nam Jun
- RESCENE
- Son Heung Min
- Jin Ki Joo
- Kim Moo Yul
- Park Ji Hyeon
- CORTIS
- IVE
- Park Ji Hoon
- BLACKPINK
- Byeon Woo Seok
- Koo Kyo Hwan
- Jun Ji Hyun
- Ryu Hyun Jin
- Kim Yong Bin
- I.O.I
- SEVENTEEN
- TWICE
- Kim Jang Hoon
- AKMU
- EXO
- Seongri
- Stray Kids
- Kim Do Yeong
- Jang Han Byul
- Red Velvet
Notable movements this month
Lim Young Woong holds the top spot with a brand reputation index of 6,708,723 — a modest 1.63 percent increase from May. The trot singer's grip on the top position remains firm, though the gap with BTS has narrowed considerably this month.
BTS ranks second with a score of 6,681,350, just a hair behind Lim Young Woong. Considering that several BTS members are currently serving in the military, maintaining this level of brand visibility is remarkable and speaks to the group's sustained cultural relevance even during their quieter period as a full group.
Lee Jung Hoo is the standout riser this month, jumping to third place with a massive 76.91 percent increase in his brand reputation index, bringing his score to 6,205,247. The baseball star's visibility has clearly grown significantly over the past month.
Yu Jae Seok claims fourth with 5,132,404, and Heo Nam Jun rounds out the top five at 5,042,536 — continuing his steady presence near the top of the rankings following his drama success.
Among K-pop acts in the top 30, CORTIS (No. 11), IVE (No. 12), BLACKPINK (No. 14), SEVENTEEN (No. 21), TWICE (No. 22), EXO (No. 25), Stray Kids (No. 27), and Red Velvet (No. 30) all make appearances, reflecting a healthy mix of fourth-generation and veteran groups.
What the rankings measure
The brand reputation index is calculated by analyzing big data across four dimensions: media coverage (how often an artist appears in news articles), consumer participation (search and engagement behavior), interaction (social media mentions and comments), and community awareness (forum and community discussion volume).
Because the index spans both entertainment figures and public figures outside of music — athletes, comedians, actors — it offers a broader view of who's capturing the Korean public's attention at any given moment, not just within the K-pop sphere.
