'Buried Hearts' star Park Hyung Sik tops April's brand rankings; these K-drama actors follow close behind
The list was compiled based on a comprehensive analysis of media coverage, audience participation, online engagement, and community buzz for 100 actors who appeared in dramas, films, or OTT content between March 22 and April 22.
Like every month, April had its fair share of standout K-dramas that captured everyone's attention. From crime thrillers to melodramas and romance, the world of K-drama offered a bit of everything. So when the Korean Business Research Institute released this month's brand reputation rankings for actors, it came as no surprise that the Top 5 were familiar names.
The list was compiled based on a comprehensive analysis of media coverage, audience participation, online engagement, and community buzz for 100 actors who appeared in dramas, films, or OTT content between March 22 and April 22. Let's have a look at the Top 5 and who else follows.
Park Hyung Sik
The idol-turned-actor claimed the top spot with a brand reputation index of 5,118,609. He recently starred in SBS's hit mystery thriller Buried Hearts, where he played the character Seo Dong Ju ¡ª a powerful executive at a major conglomerate. He became entangled in a dark web of embezzlement, revenge, and betrayal.
Lee Byung Hun
On the second place is Lee Byung Hun who recently made waves with his latest box office hit The Match. He has a brand reputation index of 4,622,583. His film brings to life the legendary baduk (go) showdown between master player Cho Hun-hyun (played by Lee Byung Hun) and his prot¨¦g¨¦ Lee Chang-ho (Yoo Ah-in).
Park Eun Bin
She ranked third with a brand reputation index of 3,753,711 after she recently headlined the medical thriller Hyper Knife. The series explores the intense dynamic between a neurosurgeon Choi Deok-hee (Sol Kyung-gu) and his former student Jung Se-ok (Park Eun Bin). The tension between mentor and prot¨¦g¨¦ reaches a dramatic climax in the show¡¯s gripping episodes.
Ha Jung Woo
Landing in fourth spot with a brand reputation index of 3,428,029 is Ha Jung Woo. He returned to the director's chair with Lobby, marking his third directorial feature. In the film, he also stars as Chang-wook, a startup CEO who enters the murky world of golf-based lobbying to secure a ?4 trillion government project. The film also features Park Byung-eun, Kang Mal-geum, and Kim Eui-sung in key roles.
Seo Kang Jun
The actor came in fifth with a brand reputation index of 3,265,303. He recently grabbed everyone's attention with his performance in Undercover High School. He played the role of a National Intelligence Service (NIS) agent who went undercover as a student. The drama gained popularity with viewers praising its compelling storyline and strong performances.
Top 30 actors
6. Go Youn Jung
7. Lee Jun Hyuk
8. Choo Young Woo
9. Park Bo Gum
10. Jung Hae In
11. Mun Ka Young
12. Jung Jae Kwang
13. Lee Soo Kyung
14. Park Ji Hoon
15. Lee Da Hee
16. Kang You Seok
17. Choi Dae Hoon
18. Uhm Ji Won
19. Lee Je Hoon
20. Hong Hwa Yeon
21. Shin Si Ah
22. Hyun Bong Shik
23. Choi Hyun Wook
24. Son Suk Ku
25. Ju Ji Hoon
26. Lee Dong Wook
27. Roh Jeong Eui
28. Gong Seung Yeon
29. Lee Joo Bin
30. Gong Yoo
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Karen Noronha is a versatile journalist with a passion for sports and K-pop. With over 7 years of experience at publications like IBTimes UK, DNA, and OTTPlay/DesiMartini, she seamlessly transitions between covering global athletic events and the dynamic world of K-pop.
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