Park Jung-min dominates brand reputation ranking for first time in 2026

Park Jung-min Takes the Crown

This wasn’t a slow climb. It was a clean takeover. For the first time in 2026, Park Jung-min landed at number one in Korea’s monthly brand reputation rankings — and the data explains why this moment feels different.

In January, the conversation didn’t just tilt in his favor. It consolidated around him. While other celebrities spiked or dropped based on short-term buzz, Park Jung-min’s presence translated into something rarer: sustained attention paired with overwhelmingly positive sentiment.

According to the Korea Corporate Reputation Research Institute, which analyzed 28.6 million data points, Park Jung-min recorded a brand reputation index of 1,145,562 — an 8.43% increase from December. That surge placed him firmly ahead of competitors in a month where overall conversation volume actually declined.

What’s Actually Moving the Needle

The brand reputation index is calculated across four categories: engagement, media exposure, communication, and community response. Park Jung-min didn’t dominate one metric — he performed strongly across all of them.

Engagement Index: 251,482
Media Index: 263,620
Communication Index: 393,110
Community Index: 237,351

The communication index stands out. It signals not just visibility, but active discussion — people sharing, debating, and reacting in real time.

Park Jung-min’s positive sentiment ratio reached 94.74%, indicating overwhelming public approval.

The Keywords Defining His Brand Right Now

When analysts examined keyword associations, three descriptors appeared consistently: appealing, sarcastic, and witty. Not polished perfection — personality.

Associated search terms included Samyang Group, music video, and publishing company president. That spread suggests audiences aren’t locking him into a single image. They’re following him across projects, roles, and public appearances.

The January 2026 Top 30

The full brand reputation ranking for January reflects how competitive the landscape is:

Park Jung-min, Kim Woo-bin, Lim Young-woong, Byeon Woo-seok, IVE, BTS, Yoo Jae-suk, Son Heung-min, Shin Min-ah, Faker, Gong Yoo, Lee Chan-won, Jeon Hyun-moo, Park Bo-gum, BLACKPINK, Kim You-jung, Shin Dong-yeop, Park Seo-joon, Kim Go-eun, Lee Byung-hun, Lee Su-ji, aespa, Sung Si-kyung, Han Ji-min, Lee Jun-ho, Lee Sang-min, Cha Eun-woo, Lee Seo-jin, Choo Sung-hoon, and Choo Young-woo.

Why Others Slipped — And Why That’s Normal

Several high-profile names saw sharp month-over-month declines. IVE dropped 54.73%. Byeon Woo-seok fell 35.80%. Lim Young-woong, who led December with 1,643,289 points, moved down to third.

That doesn’t signal loss of relevance. Brand reputation rankings are driven by conversation velocity and sentiment. December spikes often normalize in January as public attention redistributes.

What the Data Really Says About 2026

Overall data volume fell 5.24% from December, but the internal signals tell a more nuanced story:

Brand consumption increased 9.30%
Brand issues rose 29.69%
Brand communication decreased 29.34%
Brand spread declined 8.79%

In other words, fewer people are shouting — but more people are engaging meaningfully. That environment favors figures with credibility and consistency over momentary hype.

Park Jung-min’s rise fits that pattern perfectly. His January ranking wasn’t built on a single viral moment. It was built on sustained conversation, strong sentiment, and a public image that feels authentic rather than manufactured.

Whether he holds the top spot next month will depend on what the internet decides to care about next. But for January 2026, the data is clear: this was his moment — and it didn’t happen by accident.