IVE Dominates Girl Group Brand Reputation Rankings, BLACKPINK and aespa Follow

Girl group IVE continues to maintain their dominant position at the top of brand reputation rankings entering the fourth quarter of 2025, leading K-pop trends. According to the girl group brand reputation analysis released by the Korean Business Reputation Research Institute on August 10, IVE secured first place with overwhelming scores, surpassing BLACKPINK and aespa.

This survey analyzed big data related to girl groups from July 9 to August 9, 2025, combining participation index, media index, communication index, and community index. IVE received particularly high evaluations for their global tour activities and active communication with fans.

IVE's success factors include the members' distinctive individual charms and differentiated musical style. The group has been expanding connections with overseas fans through continuous global tours this year, and these efforts have translated into increased brand value.

BLACKPINK's World Tour 'DEADLINE' Creates Global Sensation

BLACKPINK, which secured second place, is currently receiving worldwide attention with their ongoing world tour 'DEADLINE.' This tour, which began on July 5, has recorded sold-out performances in every city, reconfirming BLACKPINK's global influence.

Individual member solo activities are also noteworthy. Lisa released the pre-release track 'Born Again' from her first full album 'Alter Ego' in February this year, while Jennie further solidified her position as a solo artist with her first full album 'Ruby' in March.

Jennie, Jisoo, and Rosé also made the 2025 first-half 'Global Impact List' announced by Spotify, confirming K-pop's global presence. This demonstrates that BLACKPINK is showing diverse musical spectrums through both group and individual activities.

aespa Rapidly Emerges as Next-Generation Girl Group Representative

aespa, which ranked third, is receiving great love from the younger generation with their unique metaverse worldview and innovative performances. As SM Entertainment's next-generation girl group, they are presenting a new genre of K-pop that combines technology and music.

aespa's success demonstrates that experimental attempts breaking away from traditional K-pop frameworks have successfully established themselves. Their storytelling that traverses virtual and reality, combined with the members' distinctive charms, has succeeded in building an independent fandom.

An industry insider analyzed, "IVE, BLACKPINK, and aespa are each leading the girl group market with different charms. IVE's friendly and bright appeal, BLACKPINK's intense and sophisticated image, and aespa's future-oriented and experimental concept are each forming different fan bases, creating a healthy competitive structure."

Meanwhile, individual activities by BTS members are also receiving attention. J-Hope released the digital single 'Sweet Dreams (feat. Miguel)' in March, and along with Jin, made Spotify's Global Impact List, contributing to elevating K-pop's global status.

Music critics evaluate that "the 2025 K-pop market is seeing active new attempts while maintaining existing trends, with girl groups' diverse concepts and musical experiments making K-pop's spectrum even richer."

These brand reputation survey results show that IVE is maintaining consistent growth and securing a solid position in the K-pop scene. At the same time, other groups like BLACKPINK and aespa are also receiving fans' love with their respective colors and engaging in healthy competition, having a positive impact on the overall development of the K-pop industry.

The industry expects these groups' active activities to continue in the second half of the year, with K-pop's worldwide influence expected to expand further through global tours and new music releases.

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