CORTIS Keonho Ranks First in New Idol Individual Brand Reputation Just 2 Months After Debut

According to big data analysis of new idol individual brands conducted in October 2025, Keonho, a member of the HYBE-backed new boy group CORTIS, topped the list. Wonhee of IVE came in second, followed by Ian of Hearts2Hearts in third place. Keonho, who debuted with the digital single “What You Want” on August 18, has drawn attention by rising to first place despite being on stage for less than two months—surpassing Wonhee of IVE, who debuted in March of last year, and Ian of Hearts2Hearts, who debuted in February. Per analysis by the Korea Enterprise Reputation Institute, CORTIS Keonho’s brand scored 384,060 in the overall brand reputation index, with a participation score of 99,531, a media score of 92,770, a communication score of 126,664, and a community score of 65,095. Wonhee of IVE’s brand achieved 357,459 in the same index, with scores of 47,223 for participation, 33,455 for media, 142,083 for communication, and 134,698 for community. The top 30 members included in the new idol individual brand reputation rankings mostly came from groups such as CORTIS, IVE, Hearts2Hearts, KIKI, TWS, and IZNA. The brand reputation index is a metric developed based on how consumers’ online habits affect brand consumption, comprehensively measuring participation, media, communication, and community scores. Ku Chang-hwan, director of the Korea Enterprise Reputation Institute, stated, “When analyzing the new idol individual brand category, overall big data volume decreased by 10.31% compared to September.” Detailed analysis revealed that brand consumption dropped by 16.49%, brand-related discussions declined by 17.05%, brand communication fell by 6.81%, and brand spread decreased by 2.27%. In link analysis, CORTIS Keonho’s brand received high ratings for positive comments such as “handsome,” “cute,” and “attractive,” while keyword analysis showed high frequencies for “CORTIS,” “What You Want,” and “GO.” The positive-to-negative ratio for this brand reached 87.03%. CORTIS, launched by HYBE’s Big Hit Music after six years, carries the meaning of “crossing boundaries to add color.” Its five members—Martin, James, Juhoon, Seonghyeon, and Keonho—are defined as “co-creation idols” who participate in all aspects of production, including music, choreography, and video creation. As the youngest member born in 2009, Keonho has attracted attention since his debut for his mature stage presence and strong performances, which surpass those of peers and help drive the group’s energy.