Kong Hyo Jin has claimed the number one spot in the September Drama Actor Brand Reputation Rankings, announced by the Korean Business Research Institute on September 15, 2026. The actress, who starred in the hit MBC drama “A Bona Fide Killer,” earned a brand reputation index of 2,800,097, placing her ahead of Song Kang and Jung Jun Won in a month that saw a major shake-up in K-drama popularity.
The rankings were built from an analysis of 50 actors who appeared in dramas that aired between August 15 and September 15, 2026. Data was pulled from media coverage, viewer participation, online interaction, and community activity. The total big data analyzed for this month was 55,582,370 pieces, which is a 40.99 percent decrease compared to the previous month.
The Top Five Actors This Month
Kong Hyo Jin secured first place with strong scores across all categories, including a participation index of 335,650, a media index of 418,772, a communication index of 1,777,265, and a community index of 268,410. Her keyword analysis showed top phrases like “A Bona Fide Killer,” “rom-com queen,” and “one shot, one kill.” Her positivity-negativity analysis revealed a 90.97 percent positive reaction rate.
Song Kang took second place with a brand reputation index of 2,120,872. He is currently starring in the tvN drama “Four Hands, Two Sonatas.” His participation index was 556,113, his media index was 551,324, his communication index was 794,255, and his community index was 219,180.
Jung Jun Won, who also starred in “A Bona Fide Killer,” ranked third with a brand reputation index of 2,086,970. He recorded a participation index of 317,374, a media index of 377,772, a communication index of 1,192,205, and a community index of 201,618. The gap between him and Song Kang was only about 33,902 points.
Lee Jun Young of “Four Hands, Two Sonatas” came in fourth with a score of 2,030,954. Ha Seok Jin, currently starring in “Love on the Menu,” rounded out the top five with a brand reputation index of 1,956,338.
Full Top 30 List for September 2026
The complete top 30 drama actor brand reputation rankings for September 2026 are:
- Kong Hyo Jin
- Song Kang
- Jung Jun Won
- Lee Jun Young
- Ha Seok Jin
- Kim Hye Soo
- Seo Kang Joon
- Jeon Hye Won
- Park Ji Hoon
- Jo Yeo Jeong
- Ryu Jun Yeol
- Ahn Eun Jin
- Bae Jung Nam
- Jung Eun Chae
- Kim Hye Jun
- Suzy
- Yoon Yoo Sun
- Ji Sung
- Heo Nam Jun
- Jung Hae In
- Seol Kyung Gu
- Lee Min Jung
- Park Yoo Na
- Jang Seo Hee
- Yoo Seung Ho
- Ha Yoon Kyung
- Lee Won Jung
Jung Jun Won Ranks High Despite Variety Show Controversy
Jung Jun Won held onto a top-three spot despite facing criticism earlier in the month. On September 1, 2026, he appeared on the MBC variety show “Hangout with Yoo” and did not participate in the “one-sentence challenge” despite repeated requests from hosts Yoo Jae Suk and HaHa. The moment sparked a debate online, with some viewers saying his introverted personality was the reason, while others called his attitude unprofessional.
The controversy did not stop him from ranking third in the brand reputation list. His communication index of 1,192,205 was the second-highest among all actors this month, behind only Kong Hyo Jin.
What the Rankings Are Based On
The Korean Business Research Institute measures brand reputation using four main indexes: participation, media, communication, and community. These are combined into a single brand reputation index. The analysis for September 2026 used big data collected from August 15 to September 15, 2026.
The 40.99 percent drop in total big data compared to August suggests that overall online chatter about drama actors was lower this month. Despite this, the top actors still drew significant attention.
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Where to Watch the Top Dramas
“A Bona Fide Killer” wrapped up its run on September 12, 2026, with its highest rating of 10.7 percent nationwide. The show is available for streaming on Viki.
“Four Hands, Two Sonatas” is currently airing on tvN and has been ranked No. 1 in its time slot for six consecutive episodes. The latest episode, which aired on September 13, recorded a nationwide rating of 7.3 percent. It is also available on Viki.
“Love on the Menu,” starring Ha Seok Jin, is currently airing and available on Viki.
Also Read: Kong Hyo Jin and Jung Jun Won’s Married Life Gets Dangerous in New Action Drama ‘A Bona Fide Killer’
Stay tuned to VvipTimes for more updates on Korean entertainment and drama rankings.
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