According to the Korea Corporate Reputation Research Institute, the rankings were determined by analyzing 104,183,204 pieces of big data related to singers’ brand activities from July 23 to August 23, 2025. This marked a 9.95% decrease compared to July’s dataset of 115,695,094 entries.
The institute measured participation, media coverage, communication, and community engagement to calculate the overall brand reputation index. Through this analysis, BTS achieved a brand reputation index of 9,535,953, showing a 25.31% increase from July’s score of 7,609,655. Lim Young-woong followed closely with a score of 7,311,589, also marking a 25.97% increase from the previous month. Meanwhile, BLACKPINK recorded 6,822,422, a 16.15% decline compared to July.
Further down the rankings, Psy placed fourth with a brand reputation index of 2,806,940, while IVE rounded out the top five with 2,786,683.
Commenting on the results, researcher Koo Chang-hwan stated, *“Despite an overall decline of nearly 10% in singer brand big data compared to last month, BTS’s brand remains dominant thanks to global ARMY support and upcoming group activities. Lim Young-woong’s strong fandom community continues to expand his positive influence, placing him second. BLACKPINK, preparing for world tour concerts and new album releases, came in third. Psy, recognized as the summer festival icon with ‘SUMMERSWAG,’ ranked fourth, while IVE’s unique charm and multi-field impact secured them fifth place.”*
The top three positions highlight a balance between global influence (BTS, BLACKPINK) and domestic stardom (Lim Young-woong), reflecting the dynamic reach of K-pop and trot within Korea’s music industry.
