In the April 2026 analysis of Rising Star Brand Reputation, actor Byun Woo-seok has claimed the top spot, surpassing Park Ji-hoon and Kim Yong-bin. Byun Woo-seok is currently captivating audiences with his role as Lee An-daegun in the popular drama '21st Century Grand Prince'.
The Korea Corporate Reputation Research Institute announced on April 30th the results of their analysis of 113,629,970 pieces of big data collected from March 30 to April 30, 2026. This analysis measured the participation index, media index, communication index, and community index of star brands through consumer behavior analysis.
The brand reputation index is a metric created through big data analysis, revealing that consumers' online habits significantly impact brand consumption. The Rising Star Brand Reputation analysis evaluates consumer relationships, positive and negative evaluations, media interest, and consumer engagement and communication regarding rising star brands. The detailed indicators of the Rising Star Brand Reputation include category consumption weights.
The top 30 rankings for April 2026 Rising Star Brand Reputation are as follows: Byun Woo-seok, Park Ji-hoon, Kim Yong-bin, Heo Kyung-hwan, KIKI, Kim Hye-yoon, Yang Sang-guk, Stray Kids, Park Ji-hyun, Go Yoon-jung, Lee Mu-jin, WOODZ, Joo Woo-jae, ENHYPEN, Park Jung-min, DAY6, Choo Young-woo, Cats Eye, MAKTUB, Cynthia, Jang Ki-yong, Choi Woo-shik, Park Seo-joon, Han Loro, Kim Young-dae, BIBI, Ahn Sung-hoon, Park Seo-jin, Lee Je-hoon, and Lee Jun-hyuk.
Byun Woo-seok, who is showcasing a romantic chemistry with IU in '21st Century Grand Prince', secured the first place in the Rising Star Brand Reputation. Park Ji-hoon, who is actively working as both an actor and singer, followed in second place. Kim Yong-bin, who is gaining attention through KBS2's 'Pyeonstorang', ranked third. Comedian Heo Kyung-hwan, known as a 'rising trend', recorded a significant increase of 447.05% to take fourth place. The group KIKI, known for their unique 'Gen-Z' appeal, claimed the fifth spot.
Koo Chang-hwan, director of the Korea Corporate Reputation Research Institute, stated, "In the April 2026 big data analysis of Rising Star Brand Reputation, Byun Woo-seok's brand ranked first. Byun Woo-seok's brand received overwhelming support in the drama and advertising categories."
Reporter Joo-won Park, Ten Asia pjw00@tenasia.co.kr