Every month, Korea’s actor popularity race gets a fresh scoreboard — and this September, one name pulled ahead of the pack by a razor-thin margin.
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Who’s on Top?
The Korean Business Research Institute has released its September brand reputation rankings, based on media coverage, participation, interaction, and community engagement data across 100 actors who appeared in dramas, movies, or OTT releases between August 22 and September 22.
Song Kang claimed the No. 1 spot, currently starring in Four Hands, Two Sonatas, with a brand reputation index of 4,351,209.
Right behind him, Seo Kang Jun — starring in A Love Other Than Yours — came in a close second at 4,319,536, a gap tight enough to signal a genuinely competitive month at the top.
Top 5 Actor Breakdown
| Rank | Actor | Notable Project | Brand Index |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Song Kang | Four Hands, Two Sonatas | 4,351,209 |
| 2 | Seo Kang Jun | A Love Other Than Yours | 4,319,536 |
| 3 | Kong Hyo Jin | A Bona Fide Killer | 3,786,777 |
| 4 | Go Youn Jung | — | 3,511,033 |
| 5 | Kim Hye Soo | The Affair Was Just the Beginning | 3,461,062 |
Kong Hyo Jin’s third-place finish comes off the back of A Bona Fide Killer‘s success, while Kim Hye Soo rounds out the top five thanks to her recent turn in The Affair Was Just the Beginning.
The Rest of the Top 30
Beyond the top five, the list features a mix of established stars and rising names: Jeon Hye Won, Lee Jun Young, Jung Hae In, Jang Dong Yoon, Park Ji Hoon, Ahn Eun Jin, Byeon Woo Seok, Han So Hee, Cho Yeo Jeong, and Hyun Bin round out positions 6–15.
Further down, familiar faces like Suzy, Son Ye Jin, Gong Yoo, and Yoo Seung Ho remind fans that consistent brand strength isn’t limited to actors with a project actively airing that month — legacy popularity still counts for a lot in these rankings.
What Drives These Rankings?
Unlike simple popularity polls, brand reputation indices like this one are built from a mix of quantifiable digital footprint data — media mentions, audience interaction, and online community buzz — rather than a straightforward fan vote. That’s part of why actors with high-profile ongoing dramas tend to cluster near the top: active projects generate more search interest and conversation in real time.
For more K-drama rankings, casting news, and premiere updates, check out TechnoSports’ entertainment section.
FAQs
Q: Who topped the September 2026 actor brand reputation rankings?
A: Song Kang ranked first with a brand reputation index of 4,351,209.
Q: How are these rankings calculated?
A: They’re based on media coverage, participation, interaction, and community engagement data from actors’ recent drama, movie, or OTT appearances.
