What makes an actor feel undeniable, even when the episode ends? The Korean drama actor brand reputation rankings for January 2026 have the answer. Below is the latest list of the top 100 Korean actors, along with a closer look at the top 5 who led headlines and discussions.
January 2026 Korean Drama Actor Brand Reputation Rankings
The Korean Business Research Institute analyzed 80,187,626 data points from 100 actors who appeared in dramas airing from December 14, 2025, to January 14, 2026. Compared to December’s 95,133,320 data points, this marks a 15.71% drop. Overall, people had fewer discussions, even as a few stars still sparked serious heat.
The institute measured four main metrics—participation, media, engagement, and community activity—to determine the rankings. These results were then converted into a brand reputation index using their algorithm, showing how people talk about and react to actors across media and online communities.
TOP 5
1. Lee Je Hoon
Lee Je Hoon led this month’s drama actor rankings. Known for his stunning portrayal of the iconic taxi driver Kim Do Gi in “Taxi Driver 3,” he recently won Daesang (Grand Prize) at the 2025 SBS Drama Awards. According to the analysis results, the 41-year-old actor achieved the highest brand reputation index of 4,384,492, with the highest community index (1,509,953) and engagement index (1,363,254).
Link analysis found “prove,” “powerful,” and “perfect” as the actor’s most related terms. Meanwhile, the keywords identified “Taxi Driver,” “Kim Do Gi,” and “series icon” as the actor’s popular keywords. In addition, positivity-negativity analysis showed a 93.01% positive ratio. In a quieter January, viewers didn’t just finish watching “Taxi Driver 3.” They stayed in the discussion.
2. Jang Ki Yong
“Dynamite Kiss” star Jang Ki Yong came in second place, with a brand reputation index of 3,214,411. His balanced index across all metrics indicates that he enjoys widespread support and stable popularity, rather than a one-week spike. His Best Couple award at the SBS Drama Awards alongside co-star Ahn Eun Jin kept him in the spotlight. In addition, reports about his next project, “The Law of the Line,” a political noir drama, further increased fan excitement beyond the finale.
3. Park Seo Joon
Park Seo Joon, who made a comeback with the new rom-com “Surely Tomorrow,” secured third place. His brand reputation index of 2,225,043 is supported by a high community index of 798,340. Viewers and fans boosted his engagement index by discussing him, which enhanced his popularity. This engagement shows strong audience enthusiasm for his return to romantic comedy.
4. Pyo Ye Jin
Pyo Ye Jin, a member of Rainbow Taxi, claimed fourth with a brand reputation index of 1,936,815. Her impressive engagement index of 664,994 shows how much viewers were talking about her role in “Taxi Driver 3.” Her outstanding performance and versatility prove that talent and critical acclaim can spark discussion and earn her the Excellence award at the 2025 SBS Awards, further enhancing her visibility as a versatile actress.
5. Jung Kyung Ho
Jung Kyung Ho rounded out the Top 5 Korean drama actors with a brand reputation index of 1,906,142. His community index of 781,840 indicates that fans were actively discussing his role in his latest project. His recent legal drama, “Pro Bono,” brought legal and public-interest stories that highlight everyday frustrations with injustice, sparking strong engagement and discussion-worthy, strangely hopeful content.
TOP 100
- Lee Je Hoon
- Jang Ki Yong
- Park Seo Joon
- Pyo Ye Jin
- Jung Kyung Ho
- Seo Hyun Jin
- Kim Go Eun
- Won Ji An
- Ji Chang Wook
- Ahn Eun Jin
- 2PM’s Lee Junho
- EXO’s Doh Kyung Soo (D.O.)
- Han Hye Jin
- Chang Ryul
- Lee Jung Jae
- Jeon Do Yeon
- Kim Se Jeong
- Kim Hye Joon
- Lee Il Hwa
- Ji Sung
- Moon Sang Min
- Yoo Jae Myung
- Kim Mu Jun
- Lim Ji Yeon
- Nam Ji Hyun
- Jung In Sun
- Lee Kwang Soo
- Yoon Kye Sang
- Kang Tae Oh
- Jung Il Woo
- Kim Eui Sung
- So Joo Yeon
- Kim Jae Young
- Lee Si Woo
- Hahm Eun Jung
- Kim Hee Sun
- Lee Chae Min
- Jin Seo Yeon
- Cheon Ho Jin
- Woo Da Vi
- Park Hae Soo
- Lee Yoo Young
- Choi Soo Young
- Won Jin Ah
- Yoon Se Ah
- Hong Su Zu
- Bae Yuram
- Yoon Hyun Min
- Jin Goo
- Kim Jong Soo
- Lee Seung Yeon
- Lee Si A
- Dahyun (TWICE)
- Kim Ji Hun
- Jang Hyuk Jin
- Seo Ji Hye
- Lee Shin Young
- Park Hee Soon
- Kim Ji Hyun
- Lee Joo Young
- Kim Hyang Gi
- Jin Seon Gyu
- Baek Jin Hee
- Yoon Si Yoon
- Oh Hyun Kyung
- Yoon Bak
- Lee Tae Ran
- Ha Seung Lee
- Kim Hyun Jin
- Choi Hee Jin
- Jo Yoon Su
- Ryu Jin
- Choi Young Joon
- Park Eun Hye
- Yoon Kyung Ho
- Hwang Dong Joo
- Seo Hye Won
- Lee Jung Ha
- Jong Hwan Choi
- Jeong Jae Kwang
- Hyun Woo
- Kim Kang Woo
- Hong Min Gi
- Kim Byung Cheol
- Yoon Sun Woo
- Heo Joon Seok
- Han So Eun
- Yoon Na Moo
- Kim Won Hae
- Ko Kyu Pil
- Park Geonil
- Choi Gwi Hwa
- Lee Moon Sik
- Tae Won Seok
- Park Cheol Ho
- Jeong Man Jin
- Kang Ki Doong
- Choi Kwang Il
- Choi Won Young
- Jo Min Kook
Final Thoughts
January’s drama actor rankings show two kinds of fame. Those are headlines and the community’ discussions. The strongest performers don’t just get watched. They get recommended, discussed, and shared from one person to another.
So, which actor has captivated you in recent Korean dramas and why? Please share with us in the comments below.
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