BTS Ranks First in August’s Boy Group Brand Reputation Rankings; Signs of SUGA’s Return + Expanded McDonald’s Collaboration

The group BTS claimed the top spot in August’s boy group brand reputation rankings. According to analysis by the Korea Corporate Reputation Institute, which examined 65.59668 million brand-related big data entries for boy groups from last month’s 9th to this month’s 9th, BTS achieved a total brand reputation score of 8.863047 million, far surpassing SEVENTEEN in second place with 5.494252 million and SHINee in third place with 3.753576 million. BTS’s brand reputation score was composed of a participation index of 137,548, a media index of 1.456074 million, a communication index of 3.34272 million, and a community index of 3.926705 million. Link analysis revealed high rankings for terms such as “touring,” “recording,” and “advertising,” while keyword analysis showed “live album,” “Billboard,” and “concert” at the top. Notably, the positive-to-negative ratio analysis indicated a positive rate of 93.51%, demonstrating strong support from fans. Member-related activity signals appear to have contributed to this favorable trend. On the 22nd, BTS’s SUGA posted a photo on Instagram showing him playing an electric guitar. This was his first social media upload in about two years, following a photo he shared as an NBA ambassador in August 2023. After completing his military service and being discharged in June, SUGA expressed regret through Weverse, the fan platform, saying, “I’m sorry for causing disappointment and concern due to what happened last year.” In the same month, he donated 5 billion won to Severance Hospital to support the establishment of a specialized treatment center for people with autism spectrum disorder and to aid their social independence. Meanwhile, McDonald’s is expanding its collaboration with BTS. Following the launch of the “Slowback Edition” Tiny Titan Happy Meal on September 3rd, a new “Encore Edition” Tiny Titan Happy Meal was released starting September 23rd. The Encore Edition features Tiny Titan characters representing each member dressed in special McDonald’s outfits inspired by the latest collaboration. This Happy Meal is available in approximately 70 countries, including the United States, and customers who purchase it can scan the QR code on the box to play the “Tiny Titan Power-Up” game. BTS is reportedly preparing for a Comeback in the first half of next year, and SUGA’s recent social media activity along with the group’s high brand reputation are being interpreted as positive signs of an upcoming resumption of activities.