G-Dragon lands No. 2 in K-Brand Index K-pop individual rankings; Jungkook tops the chart

Jungkook (BTS) claimed the top spot in the K-Brand Index K-pop individual category. G-Dragon (BIGBANG) followed at No. 2. The Asia Brand Research Institute announced the results on July 23, drawing on 423,183,352 online big data records collected between June 1 and June 30, 2026, covering the top 30 individuals by portal site search volume.

G-Dragon's second-place finish tied directly to his public-interest activities. His "'818 BLOOM' peace-wishing block flower project and UNESCO World Heritage Committee ambassador role" were "positively reflected in big data indicators, supporting the upward trend," according to Ryu Won-seon, Research Center Director at the Asia Brand Research Institute. He's also headlining the global tour K-SPARK, which follows his Coachella appearance and is currently running through major Asian cities.

Jungkook's No. 1 finish came alongside a regular 5th album comeback and a separate ranking as the most-searched male idol on domestic YouTube in 2026. Ryu described his placement as "a result of stable maintenance of global fandom and consistent public interest."

The rest of the top 10: Karina (aespa) at 3rd, Jennie (BLACKPINK) at 4th, Wonyi (Lisn) at 5th, Jang Wonyoung (IVE) at 6th, Gunho (Kortiz) at 7th, V (BTS) at 8th, Wonhee (ILLIT) at 9th, and Minami (Lisn) at 10th.

Two Lisn members cracked the top 10 simultaneously. Ryu called it "a small miracle," noting that Wonyi and Minami are the only two members from the same K-pop group to enter the top 10 side by side in this cycle.

The K-Brand Index is calculated from a weighted composite of Trend, Media, Social, Positive, Negative, TA (Activation), Community, and AI indices. The Asia Brand Research Institute, founded in April 2016, uses its big data evaluation figures to annually present the Republic of Korea K-Brand Awards.