BTS Jung-kook Tops 'K-Brand Index' in Individual Idol Category

*This content was translated by AI.

BTS Jung-kook ranked first in the individual idol category of the K-Brand Index.

On the 26th, the Asia Brand Institute, a big data evaluation institutional investor, announced that Jung-kook (BTS) was selected as the number one in the K-Brand Index 2026 First Half K-POP Individual Idol category.

The K-Brand Index is calculated as a composite score applying weighted criteria excluding trends (Trend), media (Media), social (Social), positive (Positive), negative (Negative), activation (TA), community (Community), and AI index for each category.

For the K-Brand Index 2026 First Half K-POP Individual Idol category, the top 30 individuals based on portal site search volume were analyzed using 1.625659763 billion online big data records from January 1, 2026, to May 31, 2026.

In the K-Brand Index 2026 First Half K-POP Individual Idol category, Jung-kook (BTS) took first place, followed by Jang Won-young (IVE) in second, Jennie (BLACKPINK) in third, Jimin (BTS) in fourth, G-Dragon (BIGBANG) in fifth, Karina (aespa) in sixth, Rosé (BLACKPINK) in seventh, V (BTS) in eighth, Winter (aespa) in ninth, and Federal Reserve (Tomorrow X Together) in tenth.

Ryu Won-seon, head of the research center at the Asia Brand Institute, stated, "K-POP has established itself as a representative cultural content that spans beyond albums and performances to include fashion, advertising, platforms, and social media. In particular, as the proportion of individual activities has expanded, the brand power and content dissemination capabilities of individual artists have emerged as more important competitive factors than group-level recognition. The rankings for this first half reflect a lineup of world stars and emerging icons, reaffirming the broad base and influence of K-POP."

He continued, "Jung-kook's rise to first place is a result of the combination of musical achievements, global recognition, and a powerful fan community. The presence of Jang Won-young and Jennie at the top symbolizes that K-POP is expanding its scope beyond music into fashion, beauty, and lifestyle sectors. The fact that next-generation artists such as Karina, Winter, and Federal Reserve have secured spots in the top 10 indicates that a structure where diverse age groups and styles coexist is becoming increasingly clear."

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*This content was translated by AI.