BTS Members Maintain Top Positions in K-Pop Brand Rankings Despite Military Service

BTS members continue to exert strong influence on K-pop brand reputation rankings even while serving in the military. The Korea Brand Reputation Index releases monthly rankings based on a comprehensive evaluation of 755 male K-pop idols, taking into account consumer engagement, media exposure, communication levels, and community activity. According to the March rankings, G-Dragon topped the list with 7,939,171 points, followed by Cha Eunwoo with 5,791,145 points in second place. BTS’s Jin finished in third position with 3,391,342 points. Notably, BTS members who are currently on active military duty are performing exceptionally well. Jimin ranked fourth, Jung Kook came in fifth, and V occupied sixth place, all securing spots in the top tier. J-Hope also made it into the top 10, placing behind Hwang Minhyun, Wonbin of RIIZE, and Kang Daniel. RM and SUGA were included within the top 20, while Super Junior’s Kyuhyun, SHINee’s Taemin and Minho, ATEEZ’s San, THE BOYZ’s Yuhan and Hyeon, BIGBANG’s TaeYang, RIIZE’s Sohee, SEVENTEEN’s Mingyu and Ong Seongwu, and NCT’s Jaehyun were among those in the top 30. Meanwhile, Jimin won first place in the “February K-Pop Male Idol Popularity Contest” conducted by the Japanese K-pop media outlet Danmee from February 18 to March 4, 2025. He secured 2,570 votes out of a total of 6,653 votes, accounting for 38.63%, thus setting a new record by achieving first place for 23 consecutive months. This vote was held so as to reflect the opinions of K-pop fans, allowing each person to vote only once, and it targeted 30 prominent male idols evaluated based on their activity index in Korea, brand reputation index, monthly mentions on X (formerly Twitter), and views of Danmee-related articles and music videos. Additionally, Jimin claimed his 10th first-place victory in the “February BOYS Ranking” via the K-pop idol voting app iDOKI, receiving 2,464,239 votes. As a reward for his February win, Jimin will appear in advertisements at Tokyo’s Cross Shinjuku Vision for one week from April 14 to April 20. He enlisted in the military in December 2023 and is currently serving, with his discharge scheduled for June 12. BTS’s comeback plans are also generating high expectations among fans. J-Hope expressed enthusiasm about a full-group comeback during a Weverse interview last December. He said, “If we all gather together again, it will create an enormous impact and attract everyone’s attention,” adding that he wants to return in style and declare, “This is us, this is BTS.” He also stated, “I’m still here because of the group, and working with the others remains fun, meaningful, and joyful.” Although there have been suggestions that BTS might release a commemorative full album and embark on a world tour in 2025, their agency HYBE explained that discussions regarding activities in 2026 are currently underway with the members. CFO Lee Kyung-joon said, “A full-group comeback could bring significant revenue, but since our other artists and new projects are also contributing to growth, it is likely to occupy a lower priority compared to in the past.”