The Korean Business Research Institute has revealed that Kpop male idol group TWS has topped the rookie Kpop group brand popularity rankings for the third consecutive month this January. Which new Kpop idol groups made it to the top 50 rookie idol group brand reputation rankings this January 2025? Check out the full list below!
TWS Leads January 2025 Rookie Idol Group Brand Reputation Rankings
From December 1, 2024, to January 1, 2025, the Korean Business Research Institute gathered 13,012,882 brand big data of rookie Kpop groups, consisting of boy and girl groups that debuted after 2023. However, compared to the brand big data of 13,798,063 collected in December 2024, the number saw a 5.69 percent decrease.
Further, the institute used the latest brand big data for consumer behavior analysis. In this analysis, they measured the participation, media, communication, and community indexes to determine the rookie idol groups’ brand reputation indexes. Finally, the institute established January’s rankings based on brand reputation indexes of the rookie idol groups.
As a result, TWS, ILLIT, Kiss of Life, QWER, and BOYNEXTDOOR dominated January’s rookie idol group rankings. See below for the top 5 and 30 most popular rookie Kpop groups from November 2024 to January 2025.

TOP 5
1. TWS
Male idol group TWS, recently selected as Billboard’s Rookie of the Month, ranked first for the third consecutive month on January’s rookie idol group brand reputation rankings, according to the Korean Business Research Institute. Despite holding on to its top position, the male idol group’s brand reputation index saw a 26.69 percent decrease, falling from 1,960,986 last December to 1,437,650 this January. Here’s the following breakdown of the latest brand reputation index:
- Participation Index: 251,664
- Media Index: 333,434
- Communication Index: 462,556
- Community Index: 389,997
Further, the link analysis revealed that TWS’s most popular related terms included “Excited,” “Neat,” and “Refreshing.” Meanwhile, the keyword analysis found “Plot Twist,” “42,” and “Fan Meeting,” as the group’s popular keywords. Additionally, in the positivity-negativity analysis, the group achieved a positive score of 92.74 percent.
2. ILLIT
/#ILLIT 初の日本語曲 ’Almond Chocolate’
— ILLIT Official Japan (@ILLITjpofficial) January 31, 2025
Spotify / Apple Music 予約キャンペーンスタート!
\
SpotifyまたはApple MusicにてPre-save / Pre-addをしていただいた方全員に「ILLIT スペシャル待ち受け」をプレゼント
詳しくはこちら→https://t.co/mgqi0WxutA#ILLIT_AlmondChocolate pic.twitter.com/XTb3O8U9ky
The female idol group ILLIT, who is gearing up for their first Japanese digital single, “Almond Chocolate,” climbed to second place this January. However, the group’s brand reputation index fell by 17.33 percent, dropping from 1,447,686 in December 2024 to 1,196,861 in January 2025. Here’s the breakdown of the group’s brand reputation index for January:
- Participation Index: 124,068
- Media Index: 261,420
- Communication Index: 346,913
- Community Index: 464,459
3. KISS OF LIFE
The female Kpop group KISS OF LIFE, set for the “KISS ROAD” Asia Tour from April 4 to May 2, skyrocketed to third place this month. The quartet’s brand reputation index experienced an impressive increase of 203.61 percent in January, rising from 374,473 last December to 1,136,939 this January, with the following breakdown:
- Participation Index: 163,288
- Media Index: 288,099
- Communication Index: 318,478
- Community Index: 367,074
4. QWER
Rising girl band QWER, named one of the rookie Kpop acts to watch in 2025 by GRAMMY and having recently held their first fan concert, dropped to fourth place this month. However, the group’s brand reputation index decreased by 27.60 percent, falling from 1,545,693 in December to 1,119,094 in January. Here’s the breakdown of the group’s latest brand reputation index:
- Participation index: 241,962
- Media index: 273,146
- Communication index: 393,902
- Community index: 210,084
5. BOYNEXTDOOR
The male rookie Kpop group BOYNEXTDOOR, who recently released a new single, “If I Say, I Love You,” rose from ninth to fifth place this month. Concluding the top five rankings, the group’s brand reputation index increased significantly by 61.65 percent, rising from 517,205 last December to 836,042 in January 2025, with the following breakdown:
- Participation index: 129,556
- Media index: 178,492
- Communication index: 241,956
- Community index: 286,038
TOP 50

- TWS
- ILLIT
- KISS OF LIFE
- QWER
- BOYNEXTDOOR
- BABYMONSTER
- IZNA
- tripleS
- RIIZE
- MEOVV
- ZEROBASEONE
- KATSEYE
- Unis
- Geenius
- NOWADAYS
- 8Eight
- ARTMS
- BADVILLAIN
- NEXZ
- Say My Name
- FANTASY BOYS
- Young Posse
- Loossemble
- Lost
- VCHA
- POW
- Burvey
- Candy Shop
- Big O!cean
- RESCENE
- The Wind
- NiziU
- EVNNE
- Crezl
- HORI7ON
- tracer
- xikers
- SPIA
- PRIMROSE
- n.Ssign
- NOMAD
- ASC2NT
- UNICODE
- DXMON
- Lun8
- 8TURN
- LIMELIGHT
- Witches
- BEWAVE
- DayChild
Did you find your favorite rookie Kpop group on this month’s list? Please share with us in the comments. Also, check out other Kpop brand popularity rankings in January 2025 here.
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Source: Brikorea.