- BTS’s rankings show sustained global demand driven by digital engagement.
- Multiple second, third, and fourth-generation idols now share top-tier visibility.
- The brand reputation index increasingly signals K-pop idols’ influence beyond music.
K-pop's influence dominated December's idol brand reputation rankings. The Korean Business Research Institute's most recent index confirmed the genre's global appeal, with BTS member Jimin maintaining the top spot.
The December 2025 rankings show K-pop being a competitive field with experienced veterans and rising talents sharing the spotlight. Together, they demonstrated how K-pop maintains a balance between longevity and ongoing renewal.
The metric is based on extensive research into consumer participation, media coverage, online interaction, and community awareness of 1,730 K-pop idols. The data was monitored from Nov 24 to Dec 24, 2025, providing insight into how artists individually interacted with fans over the previous month.
Seven Third-Gen Idols Lead Top Rankings, Including BTS’s Jimin & Jungkook
BTS's Jimin accumulated a brand reputation index (BRI) of 6,957,990, up by 5.96% from November. This surge is driven by strong search and streaming references such as MUSE and Who, as well as 92.07% positive sentiment. Following behind is BTS's Jungkook, who soared to second rank with 6,401,843, showing a 21.82% rise month-over-month.
IVE's Jang Won Young, as per the rankings, was placed third with a BRI of 6,091,944. This reflects an 11% increase over the previous month, indicating continuing fan engagement and media traction for the artist. BLACKPINK's Rosé jumped up to fourth place with 5,934,350, an almost 49% increase, possibly aided by her extensive international presence and impact both within and beyond music. Rounding out the top five was aespa's Winter at 5,909,510, which represented a remarkable 168.63% boost in visibility and fan interactions.
Besides the top five, the top 30 featured a varied range of K-pop icons and legacy figures. They include several names like BTS's Jin, BLACKPINK's Jennie and Jisoo, MAMAMOO's Hwasa, and Girls' Generation's Taeyeon, and BIGBANG's G-Dragon, proving that idols maintain their significance across generations.
Brand Reputation Reflects K-pop’s Growing Global Influence
The brand reputation index represents the ever-changing dynamics of social media influence and fan interaction in K-pop's worldwide ecosystem. As idols expand into solo projects, endorsements, and broader cultural roles, evaluations involving brand reputation are increasingly employed to assess visibility and influence outside of conventional music charts.
The December results, therefore, also highlighted the enduring popularity of BTS while pointing to the rapid rise of newer-generation stars as well. Together, the findings created a picture of a globally aggressive environment, as K-pop ended 2025 with strong digital momentum and obvious signs of its expanding global presence.
