The Korean Business Research Institute has officially revealed the October 2026 singer brand reputation rankings, and rookie girl group RESCENE have held on to the No. 1 spot for another month. The rankings are determined through an analysis of singers’ media coverage, consumer participation, interaction, and community awareness indexes, using big data collected from September 24 to October 24.
October singer brand reputation rankings graphic (Credits: Soompi)
RESCENE topped the chart with a brand reputation index of 9,540,370 for October, keeping their grip on first place ahead of some of the biggest names in Korean music. Holding the top spot month after month is no small feat in an industry where fan-driven metrics swing fast, and RESCENE’s consistency suggests their buzz is translating into staying power rather than a one-off spike.
Right behind them, BTS rose to second place with a brand reputation index of 6,708,845, marking a 24.53 percent increase in their score since September. The global superstars continue to dominate headlines and fan conversations even during a quieter release period, which keeps their community and media indexes running hot.
Trot powerhouse Lim Young Woong took third place with an index of 5,924,130, while fourth-generation leaders ATEEZ came in fourth with a score of 3,912,689. Both acts have maintained enormous, highly engaged fandoms that show up month after month in participation and interaction metrics.
IVE Posts the Biggest Jump in the October Singer Brand Reputation Rankings
The standout story of the month belongs to IVE, who climbed to fifth place after seeing a massive 112.4 percent rise in their brand reputation index, bringing their total score to 3,530,296. That is by far the sharpest percentage jump among the top five, signaling a major surge in media coverage and fan engagement for the group this month.
Big swings like IVE’s are exactly what make these monthly rankings worth watching. A triple-digit percentage increase usually points to a wave of fresh coverage, viral moments, or comeback activity pushing a group’s name across news portals and social platforms all at once.
How the Monthly Rankings Are Calculated
The Korean Business Research Institute compiles these rankings every month by crunching big data across four pillars: how often singers appear in media coverage, how actively consumers participate in related content, how much interaction that content generates, and how the singers are discussed across online communities.
Because the data window for this edition ran from September 24 to October 24, the results capture a full month of comebacks, concert announcements, variety appearances, and fan-driven campaigns. With year-end award season now approaching, expect the November rankings to be even more competitive as groups ramp up promotions.
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Source: Soompi — read the full story there.