Trot Star Im Young Woong Ranks 2nd in Brand Value

BTS ranked first in singer brand reputation for April 2026, with Lim Young-woong in second place. According to analysis by the Korea Corporate Reputation Research Institute, the singer brand big data for this month increased by 23.92% compared to last month. BTS secured first place with a 27.60% rise in brand reputation index due to the start of their world tour with fans worldwide. Lim Young-woong ranked second with the support of his strong fandom, 'Youngwoongshidae', and Ive took third place with the power of their fandom, 'DIVE'. Blackpink came in fourth, and Wanna One, who met fans as a full group for the first time in seven years, showed a phenomenal increase of 174.11%, ranking fifth. The director of the Korea Corporate Reputation Research Institute analyzed that active communication between artists and fandom is driving brand value.

Lim Young-woong proved his popularity by ranking first in the 'Male Trot Singer I Want to Eat Bungeoppang With in the Cold Wave' poll. He expressed his gratitude to his fans regarding his Melon cumulative streaming reaching 10 billion views. Song Min-jun ranked second, and Kim Joong-yeon ranked third.

Lim Young-woong ranked second overall in the February 2026 Star Brand Reputation. This was a comprehensive analysis result targeting all fields, including singers, actors, entertainers, and sports stars. Lim Young-woong recorded a brand reputation index of 6,439,247, showing particularly high scores in communication index. He stood shoulder to shoulder with representative stars in each field, such as Yoo Hae-jin, Yoo Jae-suk, and Son Heung-min. The director of the Korea Corporate Reputation Research Institute evaluated that Lim Young-woong's strong fandom, sincerity, and communication skills are increasing his brand value.

Lim Young-woong ranked first for 219 consecutive weeks in the Idol Chart rating ranking, becoming the most voted artist. He also received the most votes in the 'Like' category. Lee Chan-won ranked second, followed by Young Tak, BTS member Jimin, and Song Ga-in.

Lim Young-woong ranked fifth overall in the 2025 Forbes Korea Power Celebrity 40 list, maintaining his position from the previous year. His official fan cafe, 'Youngwoongshidae', ranks first in the Daum Cafe fandom ranking, and his concert film has been in the Top 10 in South Korea on Netflix for 11 consecutive weeks. Musically, he holds a rare record for a solo artist, surpassing 11.6 billion cumulative streaming views. Furthermore, his activities on Instagram, X (formerly Twitter), and YouTube recorded an overwhelming mention volume of 1.45 million during the survey period, demonstrating active communication with domestic and international fans. The Korean Association of Popular Music Studies held an academic conference on Lim Young-woong, academically examining his music, fandom, and position in popular culture. Experts analyzed that Lim Young-woong's sincerity has created empathy and social impact that transcends generations. Forbes Korea evaluated Lim Young-woong's presence in the top ranks as a massive energy that the popular music industry and the world are paying attention to.