ILLIT's Minju and TWS' Dohoon dominate! Rookie K-pop idols shine bright in June brand rankings
Newcomers are making their mark in the K-pop world! The Korean Business Research Institute has announced June's brand reputation rankings for individual rookie idols — showcasing rising stars who've already begun to capture the public's attention.
Based on data collected from May 6 to June 6, the rankings highlight key indicators such as media coverage, fan engagement, and overall online buzz. Only idols who made their debut in 2024 or later were included, putting the spotlight firmly on fresh faces already generating major excitement.
Let's take a look at the top five rookies — and the other rising stars who made it into this month's Top 30 list.
TWS' Dohoon
Leading the pack, Dohoon secured the No. 1 spot with a brand reputation index of 224,951. His positivity rating of 85.20% reflects his growing charm and impact in the rookie scene.
ILLIT's Minju
Minju followed closely behind, landing in second place with a brand index of 216,617 — a strong showing that highlights her rapidly rising popularity.
KiiiKiii's Jiyu
[📸]Spring➿🍀#KiiiKiii #키키#JIYU #지유#IDoMe #UNCUT_GEM#KiiiKiii_IDoMe #KiiiKiii_UNCUTGEM pic.twitter.com/rNdWkcosKn
Coming in third, Jiyu impressed with a brand index of 208,741, further solidifying her presence among the year's most promising newcomers.
ILLIT's Wonhee
🐞🌿#WONHEE #원희 #ILLIT #아일릿 pic.twitter.com/QRICfLOwDy
Wonhee claimed the fourth spot with a brand reputation index of 198,542, continuing to impress fans and industry watchers alike with her growing charm and stage presence.
MEOVV's Anna
Rounding out the top five was Anna, who earned a brand index of 193,830, signaling her growing fanbase and industry buzz.
With standout visuals, fresh energy, and growing fan support, these rookies are already making their mark and shaping the future of K-pop. Check out this month's Top 30 rookie K-pop idols.
6. TWS' Shinyu
7. izna's Yoon Jiyoon
8. KiiiKiii's Haeum
9. KATSEYE's Yoonchae
10. Hearts2Hearts' Jiwoo
11. ILLIT's Moka
12. Hearts2Hearts' Ian
13. KATSEYE's Daniela
14. KiiiKiii's Leesol
15. KiiiKiii's Sui
16. ILLIT's Yunah
17. KATSEYE's Lara
18. MEOVV's Ella
19. ILLIT's Iroha
20. KATSEYE's Manon
21. KATSEYE's Megan
22. KATSEYE's Sophia
23. BABYMONSTER's Ahyeon
24. TWS' Hanjin
25. izna's Bang Jeemin
26. TWS' Jihoon
27. TWS' Youngjae
28. izna's Mai
29. ifeye's Kasia
30. TWS' Kyungmin
For all the latest K-drama, K-pop, and Hallyuwood updates, keep following our coverage here.
Try Our AI Features
Explore what Daily8 AI can do for you:
Comments
No comments yet...
Related Articles
Time of India
an hour ago
- Time of India
KATSEYE's Lara & Megan to Holland: Out and proud LGBTQ+ K-pop idols you should know this pride month
It's Pride Month 2025 — and in the world of K-pop, visibility matters more than ever. K-pop idols already face immense pressure, with every aspect of their lives under constant scrutiny. For those who identify as LGBTQ+, that spotlight can feel even harsher. In South Korea, being openly queer remains a bold — and often risky — decision. Coming out in the K-pop industry can still threaten one's career. Yet, a growing number of idols are choosing to live their truth — and in doing so, they're making history. Holland View this post on Instagram He made history as the first openly gay K-pop idol — but the journey wasn't easy. With no entertainment agency willing to back an openly gay artist, Holland chose to forge his own path. From the very beginning, his career has been entirely self-made. He worked two part-time jobs to fund his debut single Neverland, released in January 2018, and later turned to crowdfunding to release his first mini-album in 2019. Jiae (formerly of WASSUP) View this post on Instagram The former member of WASSUP came out as bisexual in 2020 and revealed she was dating a woman. Two years later, she struggled to sign with a label, as the only openly bisexual idol in the industry. Undeterred, Jiae made her solo debut independently in October 2022 with her full-length album Love Is Love. Bain (JUST B) View this post on Instagram He became the first active K-pop idol in a group to come out as gay. During a concert in Los Angeles in April 2025, the 23-year-old made the heartfelt announcement while performing a solo, saying, "I'm proud to be a part of the LGBTQ+ community — as a gay person." He added, "To anyone out there who's part of the LGBTQ+ community, or still figuring it out — this is for you. You are seen, you are loved, and you were born this way," referencing Lady Gaga's anthem and calling her "my queen." Lara Raj (KATSEYE) View this post on Instagram In March 2025, KATSEYE member Lara Raj came out as queer, becoming one of the few idols to do so while actively promoting. She shared the news with fans on Weverse, saying, "I knew I was half fruitcake when I was like eight." Lara expressed pride in her identity and credited her fans' support for helping her feel confident in embracing it. Megan (KATSEYE) View this post on Instagram On June 6, 2025, KATSEYE's Megan publicly came out as bisexual. During a live Weverse broadcast with fellow member Lara, Megan announced, "I'm coming out. I'm bisexual." The moment quickly went viral as the two celebrated by jumping with joy, receiving overwhelming love from fans.
News18
2 hours ago
- News18
BTS' Jin In Glasses? ARMY Is Officially Obsessed With His Latest Look
Last Updated: Reacting to the photos, a fan wrote, "He looks so handsome in glasses.' Leave it to Kim Seokjin to make even the simplest outfit turn heads. On Thursday, June 5, fans were treated to a fresh glimpse of the BTS member, courtesy of the traditional Korean liquor brand IGIN. The brand unveiled a new photo of Jin on its official Naver Store website, and it quickly went viral, leaving fans swooning over his effortless charm. In the photo, BTS' Jin wore a blue shirt paired with white trousers while acting to pour a glass of IGIN liquor. What truly stole the spotlight, though, were his round glasses. The small touch added a stylish edge to his overall look, and fans swooned over him. Taking to X, many fans gushed over his new look for the brand, especially in those glasses. A fan said, 'OMG NEW PIC SEOKJIN X IGIN, OMG THE GLASSES AND RULLED UP SLEEVES HE LOOKS SO GOOD." Another added, 'He really looks so much damn handsome with glasses." JIN FOR IGIN #JinxIGIN #IGIN @igin_sns — hope⁷ (@winnttaebear) June 5, 2025 A different fan wrote, 'He looks like a typical office worker!" 'If he's my chem teacher, I'm never missing a class," said another elated fan. ICYDK, the traditional Korean liquor company IGIN, is an exclusive collaboration between the BTS member and renowned South Korean chef and The Born Korea CEO Baek Jong Won. IGIN is prepared with the specialities and traditions of Yesan, Chungcheongnam-do, the hometown of Baek Jon Won. The company specialises in drinks comprising local fruits, such as watermelons, apples and plums. Speaking of Jin's work front, the 32-year-old K-pop idol released his second solo album titled Echo, six months after dropping his first one, Happy, in November. It was released on May 16 through BigHit Music. The album contains seven tracks, including the lead single Don't Say You Love Me and also features a guest appearance by Yena on the track Loser. In support of both his solo albums, the BTS member is also set to embark on his first-ever solo tour titled Run Seokjin EP Tour. It will begin on June 28, 2025, in Goyang, and after touring Japan, the United States and the United Kingdom, the tour will conclude on August 10, 2025, in Amsterdam. Besides his solo endeavours, Jin is also busy with the 12th-anniversary celebrations of BTS. First Published: June 07, 2025, 10:40 IST
Pink Villa
2 hours ago
- Pink Villa
ENHYPEN's Niki is 'scary senior'?, ILLIT‘s Minju reveals HYBE director warning her against offending him
HYBE is under scrutiny for allegedly spreading negative rumors about ENHYPEN members. A recent speculation about Niki's supposedly unfavorable attitude was highlighted by ILLIT's Minju's revelation of being cautioned about it. Niki appeared taken aback by the rumor and questioned its origin. Fans also voiced their discontent, feeling that HYBE was unfairly portraying its artists in a negative light despite being responsible for protecting them. Niki was portrayed as a scary senior by HYBE officials On June 6, ENHYPEN members Niki and Sunoo appeared as guests on ILLIT member Minju's YouTube show, Minju's Pink Cabinet. Before they arrived, she mentioned feeling "intimidating and scary" to her since she hadn't had a chance to interact with them before. During one segment, Niki tried some drinks to identify which one contained Samdasoo. After being successful in his mission, he offered Minju to taste it as well. To that the ILLIT junior replied, 'One of the directors said that if you drink that Niki would get angry.' Niki seemed shocked at the unexpected reputation he held and promptly asked, "Who said that? A strange rumor started going around." He even inquisitioned, "Are they trying to make me seem like a scary senior at the company?" Minju further shared how sacred she was to host them after being warned against offending Niki. Check out fan reactions to the rumor about Niki's scary behaviour Engenes (ENHYPEN's fandom) didn't like the way HYBE portrayed Niki. They called it "annoying" and accused them of spreading "groundless rumors" against the artists. One comment read, "we are here defending enha for every rumors spreading yet the staffs are some of the ones starting it?!" They also felt that these were the reason that made the newer or relatively younger K-pop idols refrain from interacting with other groups. They also recalled how it wasn't the first time an ENHYPEN member was portrayed in a negative light. Previously, when Sunghoon appeared on Minju's show, she mentioned hearing from the company staff that Sunghoon "hated" them decorating a dog plushie of his, which was revealed by him to be untrue.
