Fans of NewJeans were left stunned as the group fell out of the brand reputation rankings. The Korea Corporate Reputation Research Institute recently released a big data analysis of individual girl group member reputations, collecting data from 680 members between September 20 and October 20. In an unexpected turn, NewJeans members have dropped out of the top 100 this month.
BLACKPINK’s Jennie claimed the top spot in October’s brand reputation rankings. After placing 9th and 6th in the previous two months, she has now secured the number one position. Following her, aespa’s Karina and IVE’s Jang Wonyoung took the second and third spots, respectively. In 2023, NewJeans’ Minji held the top rank, while Hanni, who was previously 26th, did not make the list in October.
NewJeans’ overall brand reputation ranking has also declined significantly. In April, they fell to 10th place, followed by 29th in May and 48th in June. Despite its Korean comeback in May and its debut in Japan in June, its ranking continued to slide to 50th in July and 46th in August, culminating in its complete exit from the chart in September.
This downward trend appears to be linked to ongoing conflicts with its agency, which have been brewing since early 2024. Previously, HYBE accused former ADOR CEO Min Hee Jin of attempting a hostile takeover, a claim she has strongly denied, leading to a legal dispute. On October 15, NewJeans member Hanni testified at a state audit conducted by South Korea’s National Assembly’s Environment and Labor Committee, where she alleged that she experienced ostracism within the company.
Meanwhile, the brand reputation index highlights how consumers’ online behaviors significantly influence brand perception. This index is generated through extensive data analysis of brand reputations. Examining the individual reputation of female group members measures both positive and negative evaluations, media interest, and levels of consumer engagement. The analysis also includes assessments of brand value to gauge the overall impact of individual brands within the girl group landscape.
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