BTS has secured the top spot in the November 2024 boy group brand reputation rankings, showing their continued strong presence in the industry.

According to the Korea Corporate Reputation Research Institute, they analyzed 53,593,145 pieces of big data on boy group brands from October 9 to November 9, 2024. The analysis focused on consumer behavior, including participation, media coverage, communication, and community engagement. This marked a slight decrease of 3.73% compared to the previous month, which saw 55,672,399 data pieces.

Brand reputation is measured based on how online consumer habits influence brand perception, including evaluations, media interest, and overall engagement. The rankings reflect positive and negative assessments of the groups.

The November 2024 top 30 boy group brand rankings are as follows:

1. BTS
2. SEVENTEEN
3. NCT
4. SHINee
5. Stray Kids
6. EXO
7. THE BOYZ
8. T.O.O
9. ENHYPEN
10. ATEEZ
    (… and the rest of the top 30)

Director Gu Chang-hwan of the Korea Corporate Reputation Research Institute shared that BTS ranked first in the November analysis. While overall brand data dropped by 3.73% compared to October, BTS showed a strong performance. They scored high in link analysis for keywords like "record," "cheer," and "lovable." In the keyword analysis, terms like "Jin," "ARMY," and "Complete" were highly mentioned.

Additionally, BTS had a remarkable 90.07% positive rate in their brand sentiment analysis. However, brand consumption decreased by 63.93%, while brand issues saw a rise of 45.90%. Brand communication increased by 42.57%, showing that BTS continues to engage strongly with their fans, despite other changes in their brand metrics.

Source (1)

Actor Song Kang Ho shocked fans by revealing the surprising reason he initially turned down the iconic role in Joint Security Area (JSA).

On February 4, the movie JSA was celebrated as a "Visionary" work at a special GV (Guest Visit) event for CJ ENM’s 30th anniversary at CGV Yongsan I'Park Mall in Seoul. The event was attended by director Park Chan-wook and stars like Song Kang Ho, Lee Byung Hun, Lee Young Ae, Kim Tae Woo, and Ko Kyung Beom, who shared stories from the making of the film.

Joint Security Area, a groundbreaking film by director Park Chan-wook, tells the story of North and South Korean soldiers caught in a tragic incident at the border, highlighting the human side of the divided nations. The film has been widely praised for changing the perception of inter-Korean relations and is seen as a key moment in Korean cinema.

During the event, Song Kang Ho admitted that he turned down the JSA script at first, saying, "The script was just too perfect. It was so well-written and tightly woven that I couldn’t believe it. I thought, ‘Is this really Korean cinema at this level?’ I felt it was too good, and I figured the movie wouldn’t live up to the script."

He also mentioned that at the time, Park Chan-wook’s previous films hadn’t done well, which made him even more doubtful. "But after meeting the director, I started to trust him," Song Kang Ho added.

Reflecting on the film 20 years later, Song Kang Ho joked, "I was flipping through channels and watched JSA again. I thought, ‘There was a time when I wasn’t envious of Lee Byung Hun,’ but he looked so handsome and cool back then." He continued, laughing, "One thing about Park Chan-wook's films is that they have a depth and elegance that you just can’t forget. It’s probably why his new movie is called I Can’t Help It."

Song Kang Ho also spoke fondly of reuniting with his JSA co-stars after 25 years. He shared, "We didn’t watch the film together, but we had a cozy two-hour dinner. After all this time, it felt nostalgic. It was heartwarming to sit together again and reminisce about the past. It really made me realize how meaningful these moments are."

Source (1)