Lim solidifies his position as a representative artist of Korea
Trot singer Lim Young-woong has been named the top artist in the K-Brand Index for 2024, according to the Asia Brand Research Institute on Monday.
The K-Brand Index, a big data evaluation system developed by the institute, uses a panel of experts for verification, from extracting candidate samples to selecting indices, ensuring reliability.
This year’s artist category was determined by analyzing 5.64 billion online data points collected from Jan. 1 to Nov. 30. The evaluation included the top 30 solo artists and K-pop groups based on search volume from major portal sites.
Lim secured first place in the rankings, followed by another trot singer Lee Chan-won in second, IU in third, Rose of Blackpink in fourth and Jang Won-young of Ive in fifth. Other notable mentions in the top 10 included Jennie of Blackpink, Jung Dong-won, Jimin of BTS, Ahn Yu-jin of Ive and Jungkook of BTS.
The K-Brand Index calculates scores by integrating trends, media presence, social media activity, community engagement and sentiment analysis, excluding weight biases.
"The key issues in the music industry this year can be summarized as the 'establishment of trot as a central genre' and 'independent activities by idols,'" Ryu Won-sun, the head of the research center at the Asia Brand Research Institute, said. “Trot is no longer a temporary craze but has become a foundation of the industry, while successful solo activities by BTS members Jimin and Jungkook, and Blackpink's Rose and Jennie, have reaffirmed K-pop's global presence."
Ryu also believed in Lim’s ability to uphold his reputation despite recent controversy surrounding his decision not to comment on President Yoon Suk Yeol’s declaration of martial law earlier this month.
“Lim Young-woong has solidified his position as a representative artist of Korea, transcending his image as a ‘natural generator of good deeds’ to form a global fandom. This was achieved despite unexpected social controversies, reflecting his unique appeal and influence," Ryu added.
The rankings were based solely on online data indices, with offline metrics not accounted for, according to the institute.
jaaykim@heraldcorp.com
