The Korean Business Research Institute (Korean Business Research Institute) has released its January 2026 brand reputation rankings for individual girl group members, offering a snapshot of shifting influence within the K-pop industry.
The rankings were compiled based on big data collected from December 18, 2025 to January 18, 2026, analyzing the performance of 730 female idols across multiple indicators, including consumer engagement, media exposure, public communication, and online community activity. The results highlight not only popularity, but also the overall quality and sustainability of public attention.
Once again, Jang Won Young of IVE secured the top spot, recording a brand reputation index of 8,052,947. Her continued dominance reflects strong audience engagement and consistently positive public perception, with sentiment analysis showing an overwhelmingly favorable response throughout the month.
Holding second place is Jennie from BLACKPINK. Despite relatively selective public activities, she maintained a high level of visibility and influence, demonstrating the enduring strength of her personal brand.
Rising to third place, Winter of aespa recorded a sharp increase in her index score. The surge suggests growing public interest and heightened discussion around her recent appearances and activities.
BLACKPINK’s Lisa ranked fourth, followed closely by aespa’s Karina, both showing notable month-on-month growth. Karina, in particular, experienced a significant rise, signaling expanding recognition beyond her core fanbase.
Overall, the January rankings underline an increasingly competitive landscape among girl group members. While established stars continue to anchor the upper tier, fluctuations within the list reveal how rapidly public attention can shift, driven by visibility, audience interaction, and long-term image management rather than short-term exposure alone.
