K-pop group TWS (TourS) has taken the top spot in the December 2024 brand reputation rankings for new idol groups, showcasing their rising popularity.

On December 3, the Korea Corporate Reputation Research Institute announced the results of their big data analysis for new idol groups’ brand reputation. TWS secured 1st place, followed by QWER in 2nd and ILLIT in 3rd. BabyMonster and RIIZE rounded out the top five in 4th and 5th place.

For this analysis, the institute gathered 13,798,063 pieces of brand big data from November 3 to December 3, 2024. Compared to the previous month, this was a 6.15% drop in data volume, which stood at 14,701,590 in November.

The brand reputation index was determined through big data, evaluating factors like positive and negative public sentiment, media attention, consumer interest, and online communication. The institute also analyzed participation, media, communication, and community indices for new idol groups that debuted after 2023.

The rankings of new idol groups included both boy and girl groups. The top 30 for December 2024 were:

1. TWS
2. QWER
3. ILLIT
4. BabyMonster
5. RIIZE
6. TripleS
7. MEOVV
8. IZNA
9. ZEROBASEONE
10. BoyNextDoor
11. KISS OF LIFE
12. Katseye
13. SayMyName
14. UNIS
15. YoungPsy
16. NOW OR NEVER
17. CandyShop
18. Burberry
19. Recene
20. The Wind
21. Artemis
22. BadVillain
23. BigOcean
24. NEXZI
25. OddUs
26. NIZU
27. Horizon
28. Genius
29. Fantasy Boys
30. 8TURN

TWS (ShinYu, DoHoon, YoungJae, HanJin, JiHoon, KyungMin) led with a brand reputation score of 1,960,986, a 41.29% increase from November. They scored high in participation (173,852), media (228,317), communication (823,646), and community (735,172).

QWER (ChoDan, Magenta, Hina, SiYeon) came in 2nd with a brand reputation score of 1,545,693, seeing a 23.27% rise from their previous score. ILLIT (Yuna, MinJoo, Mocha, WonHee, Iroha) placed 3rd with a score of 1,447,686, a 37.86% increase.

Meanwhile, BabyMonster and RIIZE saw slight decreases in their brand reputation scores compared to last month, with Baby Monster scoring 1,139,952 and Rise earning 867,083.

CEO of the Korea Corporate Reputation Research Institute, Goo ChangHwan, commented, “In the December 2024 rankings, TourS topped the list for new idol group brand reputation.” He noted that TourS received high marks for keywords like “cute,” “warm,” and “heart-fluttering,” with an impressive positive-to-negative sentiment ratio of 91.86%.

The December analysis included many other rising idol groups such as TripleS, MEOVV, IZNA, and more, reflecting the growing interest in the new K-pop generation.

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Kim Jae Joong couldn’t hold back his tears as he experienced an emotional moment with his father.

On April 4, the KBS 2TV show "New Menu Launching: Pyeon Restaurant" aired a heartwarming episode where Kim Jae Joong, the youngest of nine siblings, threw a special celebration for his parents’ 60th wedding anniversary.

The star took charge of everything—planning, organizing, and hosting the event—as a grand gesture to show his gratitude for everything his parents had done for him and his siblings.

Kim Jae Joong rented a luxurious banquet hall at a five-star hotel for the celebration. He made sure to select food that would please all of his family, including his parents and siblings.

With his large family in attendance, the venue was filled with love and joy. Kim Jae Joong’s nine siblings all bowed deeply to thank their parents for raising them, showing immense respect and love.

As his father saw all of his children gathered in one place, he couldn’t help but express his pride, saying, “Are all these really my children?” But his emotions quickly took a turn as he shared his feelings of regret. “I feel sorry that I couldn’t do better for you, I’m sorry I couldn’t do as much as others did. But I’m so thankful that you all grew up so well,” he said, with tears starting to form in his eyes.

It was the first time Kim Jae Joong had seen his father cry. Overcome with emotion, he said, “I know my father’s life very well, so I couldn’t help but cry too.” The entire family shared in the tears, shouting, “We love you, Dad,” creating an unforgettable moment that moved everyone to tears.

The touching episode aired on April 4 at 8:30 PM, showing viewers the deep love and gratitude Kim Jae Joong and his siblings have for their parents.

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