BLACKPINK JENNIE's "Like JENNIE" Beats ROSÉ's "APT." in K-Brand Index 2025 Rankings

BLACKPINK's JENNIE has secured the top spot in the K-Brand Index 2025 K-Pop Song category with her solo track "Like JENNIE," defeating bandmate ROSÉ's global phenomenon "APT." in domestic Korean metrics.

The Asia Brand Research Institute announced February 10, 2026, that JENNIE's "Like JENNIE" ranked first after analyzing 51,118,910 online data points collected between January 1-31, 2026. The analysis focused on the top 30 songs from Melon's 2025 chart.

How K-Brand Index Measures Success

The K-Brand Index uses big data analysis to evaluate songs across multiple dimensions: trend strength, media coverage, social engagement, positive sentiment, negative sentiment, community activation, and AI-generated insights. Expert advisory panels verify data at every stage, distinguishing it from conventional ranking systems that rely solely on streams and sales.

"The 2025 K-Pop Song rankings showed that mainstream public preference determined results beyond dedicated fandom support," explained Ryu Won-sun, Research Center Director at the Asia Brand Research Institute. "JENNIE's first-place finish demonstrated overwhelming public buzz across all measured categories."

Complete Top 10 Rankings

1. "Like JENNIE" - JENNIE

2. "한 페이지가 될 수 있게 (Time of Our Life)" - DAY6

3. "APT." - ROSÉ & Bruno Mars

4. "Good Goodbye" - Hwasa

5. "Drowning" - Woodz

6. "나는 반딧불" - Hwang Ga-ram

7. "소나기" - ECLIPSE

8. "ATTITUDE" - IVE

9. "REBEL HEART" - IVE

10. "Whiplash" - aespa

IVE became the only group placing two tracks in the top 10 simultaneously, demonstrating what Ryu called "brand trust where b-sides earn the same attention as title tracks."

"Like JENNIE" Performance Breakdown

Released March 7, 2025, as the title track from JENNIE's debut album "Ruby," "Like JENNIE" achieved major domestic milestones. The song made JENNIE the first female solo artist to top both the Melon Top 100 and daily charts in 2025. It reached number one on the Circle Digital Chart during the week of April 26, marking her third chart-topper after "Solo" (2018) and "Spot!" (2024).

The track won Best Digital Song at the 40th Golden Disc Awards and Best Dance Performance at the 2025 MAMA Awards. At the Melon Music Awards, JENNIE made history as the first soloist ever to win Record of the Year.

Globally, "Like JENNIE" peaked at number five on the Billboard Global 200 and number 83 on the Hot 100. The music video became Vevo's most-watched premiere of 2025 worldwide-the first K-pop video to claim that position. Spotify data showed "Like JENNIE" was the most-streamed K-pop song globally in the first half of 2025.

ROSÉ's Global Domination Continues

While JENNIE topped Korean-focused metrics, ROSÉ's "APT." featuring Bruno Mars dominated international charts throughout 2025. The collaboration spent 12 weeks at number one on the Billboard Global 200 and topped the year-end chart. It ranked number nine on the Billboard Hot 100 Year-End list-the first K-pop song ever to crack the top 10 of that prestigious ranking.

Apple Music named "APT." the platform's most-streamed song of 2025 globally. The track also became the first song by a K-pop female soloist to top Australia's ARIA Singles Chart and peaked at number three in both the United States and United Kingdom.

The contrasting performances illustrate how Korean engagement metrics-emphasizing community discussion and domestic media presence-can produce different results than pure streaming volume. "APT." captured massive international audiences, while "Like JENNIE" generated stronger multi-dimensional engagement within Korea during the measurement period.

DAY6's Timeless Appeal

DAY6's "한 페이지가 될 수 있게" claimed second place, continuing remarkable longevity since its 2019 release. Originally the group's first music show winner, the song has become a Korean cultural staple, frequently used as baseball player entrance music and gaining renewed momentum after DAY6's 2023 military service completions.

"DAY6 proved the enduring brand power of timeless songs," Ryu noted. "Their second-place finish demonstrates how classic tracks maintain relevance through cultural integration beyond chart performance."

What This Means for K-Pop

The K-Brand Index rankings reveal how Korean audiences evaluate music differently than international markets. JENNIE's top ranking shows that even during ROSÉ's unprecedented global success, domestic audiences responded strongly to "Like JENNIE" across conversation, media coverage, and sentiment-factors weighted equally alongside streaming in the K-Brand Index formula.

Both BLACKPINK members continue thriving in solo careers after the group renewed contracts with YG Entertainment for group activities while pursuing individual projects through separate labels. JENNIE founded Odd Atelier in November 2023 and partnered with Columbia Records, while ROSÉ signed with THE BLACK LABEL and Atlantic Records.

The diverse top 10-featuring established acts like IVE and aespa alongside bands like DAY6 and solo artists-reflects Korea's current music landscape where multiple genres compete equally rather than one dominant trend controlling charts.