BLACKPINK reclaimed the first spot, while IVE followed closely behind in second place with TWICE, ILLIT, and Red Velvet completing the top five most popular K-pop girl groups this month. Check out the top 50 K-pop girl group brand reputation rankings in January 2026, below.
January 2026 Top 50 K-pop Girl Group Reputation Rankings
The Korean Business Research Institute analyzed 52,502,090 pieces of brand big data collected from December 11, 2025, to January 11, 2026. To determine the girl group brand reputation index, they measured participation, media, communication, and community indexes for each girl group. However, compared to the 52,664,307 pieces of girl group brand big data from December, this month saw a slight decrease of 0.31%.
TOP 5
1 BLACKPINK
In January 2026’s girl group rankings, BLACKPINK returned to first place with a brand reputation index of 6,194,975. Their brand value increased by 16.90% from 5,299,273 in December 2025. The group also achieved an outstanding community and media indexes of 4,059,242 and 819,750, respectively.
These numbers were fueled by headlines about Rosé and Jennie’s achievements, coverage of 200+ award milestones, and fresh buzz around comeback/collaboration and donation news, driving a big jump in the group’s popularity during December 2025 and January 2025.
In link analysis, ‘comeback,’ ‘collaboration,’ and ‘donate’ were identified as the group’s popular related terms, while in keyword analysis, ‘Rosé,’ ‘JUMP,’ and ‘Tamagotchi’ appeared frequently. The positivity-negativity analysis for the brand showed a high positive reaction rate of 92.08%, showing BLACKPINK’s bulletproof appeal.
2. IVE
K-pop girl group IVE, while still a strong contender at second place, took second place with a brand reputation index of 4,755,080. Their hit “REBEL HEART” promotion, major year‑end awards, and Jang Wonyoung’s CF/advertising activities in December raised their popularity. Their communication (1,550,809) and community (2,546,165) are high.
The group earned the highest participation index among the top 5 (115,124), the only group that has a participation index above 100K. Then, the index naturally declined slightly in January as promotions tapered off.
3. TWICE
TWICE climbed to third place with a brand reputation index of 3,582,007, marking a healthy 14.55% increase from their December index of 3,126,926.
The group gained steady fan attention for their year-end performances in “This Is For” world tour, member activities, and the resurgence of their classic hits on playlists and social media. This situation shows greater fan mobilization (participation) and ongoing conversation (communication/community), demonstrating that their balance of metrics across the indexes is a strength in maintaining their popularity.
4. ILLIT
ILLIT surged to fourth place with a brand reputation index of 3,387,538, rising 73.00% from their December index of 1,958,163. Their promotion activities generated intense online buzz and fan engagement, expanding their communication (1,470,859 – highest among the top 5) and community indexes (1,516,099 – 2nd highest), proving sticky fan loyalty.
This growth is solidifying their image as a rising rookie, with a top communication index of 1,470,859. In addition, their music show wins and performances for “NOT CUTE ANYMORE” boosted this surge.
5. Red Velvet
Red Velvet rounded out the top five of January’s girl group rankings with a brand reputation index of 3,229,515. The figure increased by 18.10% from 2,734,454 in December.
Their comeback activities (solo and units) and strong participation in year-end programs pushed the index higher. As a long-standing girl group in the entertainment industry, they successfully activated loyal fan support and generated sustained media coverage. This combination resulted in significant growth across all four sub-indices and solidified their position at the top of the rankings.
TOP 50
- BLACKPINK
- IVE
- TWICE
- ILLIT
- Red Velvet
- MAMAMOO
- aespa
- KiiiKiii
- OH MY GIRL
- LE SSERAFIM
- i-dle
- Apink
- WJSN
- BABYMONSTER
- Hearts2Hearts
- NMIXX
- Izna
- Girl’s Day
- H1-Key
- ITZY
- tripleS
- STAYC
- EXID
- FIFTY FIFTY
- Kep1er
- KATSEYE
- KISS OF LIFE
- UNIS
- cignature
- MEOVV
- XG
- VIVIZ
- LOONA
- Weeekly
- Baby Dont Cry
- SPIA
- Dreamcatcher
- RESCENE
- Brown Eyed Girls
- CLASS:y
- Say My Name
- Billlie
- fromis_9
- BBGIRLS
- Lightsum
- BURVEY
- BLACKSWAN
- HITGS
- Kiiras
- Young Posse
Final Thoughts
From the Top 50 list, we can see:
- Powerful community: BLACKPINK (4M+),
- Rising rookies: ILLIT (#4), #KiiiKiii (#8), BABYMONSTER (#14), Hearts2Hearts (#15), izna (#17), KATSEYE (#26), UNIS (#28), Baby Dont Cry (#35), RESCENE (#38), Say My Name (#41), BURVEY (#46), HITGS (#48), and KIIRAS (#49).
- Legacy queens: Apink (#12), Girl’s Day (#18) – no activity needed for brand staying power.
- Global acts: XG (#31), KATSEYE (#26) are cracking high despite a non-Korean base.
Powerful community and fan engagement powered this month’s rankings. BLACKPINK’s global appeal, IVE’s awards dominance, and ILLIT’s strong fanbase highlight K-pop’s dynamic world in January 2026.
Now, do you think BLACKPINK will hold No.1, will IVE take it back, or will ILLIT climb higher in February? Please share your predictions in the comments.
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