Park Ji-hoon Overtakes Jimin, Jungkook in April Brand Rankings

Park Ji-hoon has claimed the No.1 spot in the April 2026 boy group individual brand reputation rankings, overtaking long-dominant leaders Jimin and Jungkook in a notable shift within the K-pop landscape.

The latest data, released by the Korean Business Research Institute, shows Park Ji-hoon rising to the top with a brand reputation index of 14,004,945. The achievement marks a 7.77% increase from March and positions him ahead of Jimin, who ranked second, and Jungkook, who came in third.

Park Ji-hoon breaks BTS dominance at the top

The April rankings are drawing attention as they interrupt a pattern long led by members of BTS, who have consistently occupied the highest positions in brand reputation charts.

Jimin recorded a score of 11,644,101, showing strong growth of 132.31% month-on-month, while Jungkook followed with 9,151,873, reflecting an even sharper 227.64% increase. Despite these gains, both were surpassed by Park Ji-hoon’s overall performance across participation, media, communication, and community indices.

The shift suggests a widening competitive field, with non-BTS artists increasingly capable of reaching the top position based on concentrated activity and public engagement.

Surge in data reflects heightened competition

The rankings are based on an analysis of 115,591,013 pieces of brand big data collected between March 18 and April 18, covering 755 boy group members. This represents a 61.22% increase compared to the previous month, signaling a surge in consumer interaction and online activity.

Brand reputation is calculated using a composite index that includes participation, media exposure, communication, and community engagement, along with sentiment analysis and qualitative evaluation.

In Park Ji-hoon’s case, keyword analysis highlighted terms such as “comeback,” “reveal,” and “host,” pointing to increased visibility across multiple platforms. His positive sentiment ratio was also recorded at 93.51%, indicating strong public reception.

BTS maintains strong presence across rankings

While Park Ji-hoon secured the top spot, BTS members continued to dominate the upper tier. Jin ranked fourth, followed by RM in fifth, with V, Suga, and J-Hope also placing within the top 10.

Other high-ranking artists included G-Dragon of BIGBANG, alongside names from groups such as SHINee, EXO, and SEVENTEEN.

Park Ji-hoon’s rise to No.1 highlights a shift in brand power dynamics within the industry, where individual activities and media presence can significantly influence rankings regardless of group dominance.

As digital engagement continues to play a central role in shaping brand reputation, fluctuations in rankings are becoming more frequent, reflecting real-time audience interest.

With upcoming comebacks, performances, and content releases across the industry, further changes in the rankings are expected in the months ahead.