I.O.I Tops July Girl Group Brand Reputation Rankings as RESCENE Surges to No. 2

I.O.I returned to the center of K-pop conversation this month, topping the July girl group brand reputation rankings released by the Korean Business Research Institute. The result places the project group ahead of several currently active chart and touring powerhouses, giving the July list a distinctly nostalgic but data-driven headline.

According to the institute’s monthly analysis, the rankings were calculated from big data collected from June 12 to July 12. The system measures several categories of public attention, including consumer participation, media coverage, interaction, and community activity. While the list is not a music chart, it is closely watched because it offers a snapshot of which names are drawing the most visible public response across Korea’s entertainment ecosystem.

I.O.I’s Reunion Appeal Drives the July Conversation

I.O.I ranked No. 1 for July with a brand reputation index of 5,552,322. The group’s keyword analysis highlighted phrases tied to renewed attention around the act, including Suddenly, Yang Eui Ji, and 10th anniversary. Related terms such as unchanged, reunite, and prove also pointed to the emotional framing around the group’s recent visibility.

The ranking is notable because I.O.I has long occupied a special place in modern girl group history. Formed through the first season of Produce 101, the group became a defining example of how survival-show fandom could translate into mainstream K-pop impact. Even years after the original project period, the members’ names and shared history continue to carry weight with fans who remember the group’s short but influential run.

The institute also reported a 92.86 percent positive reaction score in I.O.I’s positivity-negativity analysis. That figure helps explain why the group’s rise reads less like a brief curiosity and more like a wave of warm public attention. Reunion-related conversations can sometimes be driven by speculation alone, but in this case the language surrounding I.O.I appears to have leaned strongly toward affection, recognition, and interest in what the members represent together.

RESCENE Makes a Major Jump

RESCENE followed in second place with a brand reputation index of 4,239,616. The group’s score was up 64.27 percent from last month, making them one of the clearest momentum stories in the July rankings. For a rising act, that kind of month-to-month increase suggests that visibility is spreading beyond a fixed core fandom and into broader media and community discussion.

The No. 2 placement is especially meaningful because RESCENE ranked ahead of several larger and longer-established names. Brand reputation lists can shift quickly when a rookie group lands a viral moment, appears on television, or converts online curiosity into sustained search and discussion. RESCENE’s July performance shows how quickly the conversation around a newer group can expand when multiple signals move at once.

ILLIT held third place with a brand reputation index of 3,883,353, marking a modest 1.38 percent rise from June. That steadiness matters in a volatile field. Instead of a dramatic spike, ILLIT’s result points to a group maintaining public attention after earlier bursts of debut-era and comeback-related visibility.

Established Powerhouses Remain Close Behind

BLACKPINK placed fourth with a brand reputation index of 3,822,722, close behind ILLIT. The group’s position reflects how durable BLACKPINK’s brand remains even when the monthly spotlight shifts toward reunion narratives or rookie growth. Their individual and group activities continue to make the name a constant presence in K-pop media, fashion, global fandom, and entertainment coverage.

LE SSERAFIM completed the top five with a brand reputation index of 3,403,644, up 55.17 percent from June. That increase gave the upper tier of the July list a competitive shape: I.O.I led through renewed emotional attention, RESCENE rose sharply as a developing group, ILLIT stayed stable, BLACKPINK remained within striking distance, and LE SSERAFIM posted a sizable rebound.

The rest of the top 30 reflected the range of today’s girl group scene. IVE, aespa, TWICE, KiiiKiii, Red Velvet, fromis_9, OH MY GIRL, MEOVV, izna, WJSN, BABYMONSTER, NMIXX, Hearts2Hearts, Apink, ITZY, STAYC, MAMAMOO, FIFTY FIFTY, i-dle, tripleS, H1-KEY, Kep1er, Girls’ Generation, KATSEYE, and KISS OF LIFE all appeared on the July list.

Taken together, the ranking shows how wide the current girl group field has become. Legacy names, fourth-generation leaders, newer rookies, and globally oriented acts are all competing for the same limited pool of public attention. July’s results also show that the conversation is not driven by one factor alone. Nostalgia, fresh content, viral discussion, media exposure, and fandom coordination can all shape the monthly picture.

For I.O.I, the No. 1 ranking is a reminder that emotional memory remains powerful in K-pop. For RESCENE, the leap to second place is a signal that public curiosity can accelerate quickly when a group’s story catches on. And for the established names close behind, the July list reinforces how competitive the girl group landscape remains, even for acts that already have strong recognition at home and abroad.