Actor Lee Junho has been named No.1 in the Actor Category of the 2026 K-Brand Index, according to an announcement released on January 16 by the Asia Brand Research Institute.
The K-Brand Index is a big-data–based evaluation system that measures public influence and brand power across multiple indicators, including media exposure, social engagement, online trends, positive and negative sentiment, community activity, AI-based analysis, and stardom metrics. The actor category gained added credibility this year with the official inclusion of a fan-voting–based “Stardom Index,” reflecting real fandom participation.
Big Data Analysis Across 100 Million Mentions
For the 2026 actor rankings, the institute analyzed over 107 million pieces of online big data collected between December 1 and December 31, 2025, focusing on the top 20 most-searched actors across major portal sites.
As a result, Lee Junho claimed first place, followed by Ha Jung-woo in second and Lee Byung-hun in third.
The Top 10 actors in the 2026 K-Brand Index are:
- Lee Junho
- Ha Jung-woo
- Lee Byung-hun
- Lee Jung-jae
- Go Youn-jung
- Gong Hyo-jin
- Son Ye-jin
- Lim Yoon-a
- Kim Da-mi
- Lee Chae-min
Global Success Drives Lee Junho’s No.1 Ranking
Han Jung-geun, CEO of the Asia Brand Research Institute, explained that post-release momentum from dramas and films played a decisive role in shaping the rankings.
“Lee Junho has demonstrated exceptional global competitiveness as a Hallyu star,” Han stated. “Following his military discharge, all four of his recent projects achieved strong performance. In particular, his Netflix series Cashero ranked No.1 in the Global Non-English Top 10, significantly boosting both domestic and international attention.”
The institute also noted that veteran actors such as Ha Jung-woo and Lee Byung-hun maintained stable rankings due to high circulation of drama and film clips across social media and short-form platforms, leading to sustained media exposure and online discussion.
Online-Only Index Reflects Digital Influence
The K-Brand Index actor rankings are based solely on online data, with offline metrics excluded. Detailed index breakdowns and analysis reports are available through the institute’s official website and Instagram channels.
With fan participation now officially embedded into brand evaluation, the 2026 K-Brand Index highlights how digital engagement and global visibility increasingly define star power in the Korean entertainment industry.