BLACKPINK and IVE Dominate May’s Girl Group Brand Rankings — So Who Took No.1?

According to a recent big data analysis by the Korea Corporate Reputation Research Institute (KCRRI), BLACKPINK’s Jennie ranked No. 1 in the individual girl group member brand rankings for May 2025.

The data, collected between April 18 and May 18, analyzed the online activity and engagement of 725 female K-pop idols, with over 103 million data points gathered to calculate what’s known as the “brand reputation index.”

Trailing just behind Jennie were IVE’s Jang Wonyoung in second place, and BLACKPINK’s Rosé in third.

The top 30 rankings also included some of the most beloved names in K-pop right now:

Jennie (BLACKPINK), Jang Wonyoung (IVE), Rosé (BLACKPINK), Karina (aespa), An Yujin (IVE), Winter (aespa), Joy (Red Velvet), Rei (IVE), Seulgi (Red Velvet), Yuna (ITZY), Kim Chaewon (LE SSERAFIM), and Sana (TWICE).

What is the “Brand Reputation Index”?

This index is derived from big data analysis that reflects how consumers interact with and talk about idols online — from media coverage and social buzz to fan engagement and community response. The index comprises four key scores:

Participation, Media, Communication, and Community.

KCRRI’s May data saw a 5.05% increase in overall activity compared to April, highlighting growing online engagement with female idols.

🔥 The Top 3 Breakdown:

🥇 Jennie (BLACKPINK)

Total Brand Index: 9.47 million

Participation: 1.98M

Media: 1.88M

Communication: 2.40M

Community: 3.21M

⬆️ Up 42.78% from April

Jennie’s name trended strongly with keywords like “Like Jennie,” “Met Gala,” and “You Quiz,” and received a 90.43% positive sentiment score. Link analysis revealed descriptors like “confident,” “iconic,” and “authentic.”

🥈 Jang Wonyoung (IVE)

Total Brand Index: 6.21 million

⬆️ Slight increase of 1.95% from April

🥉 Rosé (BLACKPINK)

Total Brand Index: 5.49 million

⬆️ Jumped 13.51% from April

With powerhouse idols like Jennie and Jang Wonyoung leading the charge, it’s clear that girl group members are dominating online conversations and shaping cultural trends beyond just music. Who’s your No.1 this month?