The Korean Business Research Institute has released the August 2026 brand reputation rankings for individual rookie idols. RESCENE‘s Woni secured the number one position with an impressive score. The rankings provide a clear picture of which new K-pop stars are generating the most buzz online.
The institute analyzed big data from July 5 to August 5. They measured consumer participation, media coverage, interaction, and community indexes for various rookie idols. A total of 17,927,629 pieces of big data were examined for this month’s rankings. This marks a 60.53 percent increase compared to last month’s data volume.
Woni Continues Her Reign at Number One
Woni from RESCENE once again proved her strong popularity. She earned a brand reputation index of 2,508,173. This score represents a 58.25 percent increase from her July index.
Her performance in different categories was also strong. She recorded a participation index of 794,970, a media index of 476,137, a communication index of 678,208, and a community index of 558,858.
The keyword analysis for Woni showed some interesting trends. High-ranking phrases in her analysis included “LOVE ATTACK” and “REMINE”. Her highest-ranking related terms were “confident,” “cheer on,” and “cute”. Her positivity-negativity analysis revealed that 92.60 percent of reactions toward her were positive.
Strong Rise for CORTIS’s Keonho
CORTIS member Keonho made a big jump to second place. He achieved a brand reputation index of 1,429,603. This marks a remarkable 117.18 percent increase in his score since July.
His detailed scores included a participation index of 178,200, a media index of 212,006, a communication index of 556,534, and a community index of 482,863. His previous month’s index was 658,251. This significant growth shows the rising attention on this rookie boy group member.
ILLIT’s Wonhee Claims Third Place
ILLIT member Wonhee took the third spot with a brand reputation index of 1,406,679. Her score increased by 62.18 percent compared to the previous month.
Wonhee’s individual metrics were a participation index of 150,718, a media index of 299,796, a communication index of 534,930, and a community index of 421,236. Her July index was 867,347.
RESCENE Members Dominate the Top Spots
RESCENE showed incredible strength as a group in the individual rankings. The group’s five members claimed five of the top seven spots for August.
Minami from RESCENE secured fourth place with a brand reputation index of 1,343,118. This was a 34.81 percent increase from her July score. Her detailed scores included a participation index of 442,332, a media index of 277,130, a communication index of 389,361, and a community index of 234,295. Her previous month’s index was 996,332.
Zena from RESCENE rounded out the top five. She earned a brand reputation index of 1,137,350, marking an 89.58 percent rise in her score since July.
Liv and May, also from RESCENE, ranked sixth and seventh respectively. This strong showing highlights the group’s overall popularity and the individual appeal of its members.
The Complete Top 30 Rankings for August 2026
Here is the full list of the top 30 individual rookie idols for August 2026:
- RESCENE’s Woni
- CORTIS’s Keonho
- ILLIT’s Wonhee
- RESCENE’s Minami
- RESCENE’s Zena
- RESCENE’s Liv
- RESCENE’s May
- CORTIS’s Juhoon
- MEOVV’s Anna
- ILLIT’s Minju
- TWS’s Dohoon
- CORTIS’s Seonghyeon
- CORTIS’s James
- ILLIT’s Moka
- Hearts2Hearts’ Ian
- Hearts2Hearts’ Jiwoo
- KiiiKiii’s Haum
- CORTIS’s Martin
- TWS’s Shinyu
- TWS’s Jihoon
- TWS’s Youngjae
- AtHeart’s Nahyun
- Hearts2Hearts’ Yuha
- ILLIT’s Yunah
- Hearts2Hearts’ Stella
- Hearts2Hearts’ A-na
- Hearts2Hearts’ Carmen
- Hearts2Hearts’ Ye-on
- Hearts2Hearts’ Juun
- BABYMONSTER’s Ahyeon
How the Brand Reputation Rankings Are Calculated
The brand reputation index is a metric created through big data analysis. It measures how online consumer habits affect brand consumption.
The analysis evaluates both boy groups and girl groups together in a single brand category. The index measures the participation index, media index, communication index, and community index for each individual rookie idol.
The data also includes qualitative evaluations from the brand reputation monitor. This comprehensive approach allows the institute to measure positive and negative evaluations, media interest, and consumer engagement.
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Increased Online Interest in Rookie Idols
The August analysis showed a significant increase in online interest toward rookie idols. The total big data collected grew by 60.53 percent compared to July. This means more people are talking about and engaging with new K-pop stars online.
The detailed breakdown of the increase shows brand consumption rose by 13.61 percent, brand issues by 22.62 percent, brand communication by 90.18 percent, and brand diffusion by 136.36 percent. This data shows that rookie idols are not just getting more attention, but people are also actively discussing and sharing information about them.
CORTIS also performed well in the rankings. Besides Keonho, members Juhoon, Seonghyeon, James, and Martin all made it into the top 30. This shows the group is receiving high interest among rookie boy groups.
ILLIT also had multiple members in the rankings. Wonhee was joined by Minju, Moka, and Yunah in the top 30. Hearts2Hearts had the most members in the rankings with eight members making the list.
TWS also had a strong presence with Dohoon, Shinyu, Jihoon, and Youngjae making the cut. KiiiKiii’s Haum and MEOVV’s Anna also secured spots in the top 20.
The director of the Korean Business Research Institute said, “The August rookie idol individual brand category big data increased by 60.53 percent compared to the previous month”.
The rankings show which rookie idols are currently generating the most buzz. RESCENE’s dominance, Keonho’s rapid rise, and the strong presence of multiple groups indicate a competitive and exciting landscape for new K-pop talent.
Also Read: CORTIS, KATSEYE, and GIRLSET Secure Spots on Billboard 2026 ’21 Under 21’ List
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