New Brand Finance’s research shows that the combined value of South Korea’s top 150 brands stands at USD342.2 billion
SEOUL, 23 September 2025 – Despite a challenging backdrop, South Korea’s top 150 brands demonstrated remarkable resilience by growing 7% year-on-year to USD342.2 billion in collective value this year, according to the latest South Korea 150 2025 report by Brand Finance, the world’s leading brand valuation consultancy. The electronics, automotive and banking sectors were key drivers of this momentum, accounting for more than half of the ranking's total brand value.
Samsung continues its reign at the summit of South Korea’s brand landscape for the ninth consecutive year, with its brand value rising 9% to USD89.4 billion. The tech titan’s dominance is driven by global scale, innovation, and its symbolic role in South Korea’s economic ascent. In 2024, growth was fuelled by a rebound in smartphones and semiconductors, strategic AI and chip investments, and sustainability efforts such as renewable-powered factories and circular economy initiatives. Strong domestic and global trust cements its lead over other top brands.
Hyundai and SK hynix complete the top three in this year’s ranking. Hyundai’s brand value rose 15% to USD26.4 billion, underpinned by strong business results, rising EV sales, and favourable exchange rates. A KRW24.3 trillion domestic investment aims to boost EV production and mobility R&D, while sustainability efforts and global leadership moves continue to strengthen its industrial and technological profile.
SK hynix posted the biggest brand value growth among the top three, with its brand value rising 37% to USD13.7 billion. This follows record FY2024 results, including a 102% revenue surge and 41% operating margin, driven by global demand for AI memory and leadership in HBM and high-density DRAM technologies.
Samsung Heavy Industries (brand value up 32% to USD577 million) is South Korea’s strongest brand ranked in 2025, earning a Brand Strength Index (BSI) score of 93.4/100 and a AAA+ brand strength rating. The company enjoys high domestic credibility and familiarity, backed by major 2024 developments including a key shipbuilding contract, a CCS partnership with Bureau Veritas, and selection for Equinor’s Bandibuli wind project. Success in LNG and drill ship contracts, along with advances in clean marine technologies, have reinforced its reputation for sustainable innovation and high-value engineering.
The second and third strongest South Korean brands of 2025 are Samsung C&T (brand value up 15% to USD6.0 billion) and Samsung Securities (brand value up 42% to USD618 million) with BSI scores of 93.3/100 and 93.2/100 respectively. Both brands earned an AAA+ brand strength rating.
With its brand value soaring 104% to USD340 million, GS EPS is South Korea’s fastest growing brand in 2025. The sharp rise reflects improved revenue forecasts amid growing energy demand, despite a challenging 2024 marked by a 46% drop in Q1 operating profit due to lower wholesale electricity prices. A leadership reshuffle and long-term demand outlook have strengthened confidence in the brand’s future, driving its impressive value growth.
Alex Haigh, Managing Director Asia Pacific, Brand Finance, commented:
“South Korean brands are proving that resilience is not just about weathering challenges, but about evolving through them. Market leaders like Samsung and Hyundai continue to set the benchmark with bold investments in AI, chipmaking, and sustainable mobility, reinforcing their global relevance. Meanwhile, fast risers such as GS EPS signal a shift towards future-facing sectors like energy and infrastructure. Despite political uncertainty, the sustained 7% growth in brand value this year shows that South Korea’s brand ecosystem is underpinned by deep trust, strategic agility, and a strong commitment to innovation.”
In addition to being South Korea’s most valuable brand, Samsung also recorded the highest Sustainability Perceptions Value (SPV) in the country. According to the Sustainability Perceptions Index 2025, the brand’s SPV stands at USD7.9 billion, the highest among South Korean brands ranked.
Brand Finance is the world’s leading brand valuation consultancy. Bridging the gap between marketing and finance, Brand Finance evaluates the strength of brands and quantifies their financial value to help organisations make strategic decisions.
Headquartered in London, Brand Finance operates in over 25 countries. Every year, Brand Finance conducts more than 6,000 brand valuations, supported by original market research, and publishes over 100 reports which rank brands across all sectors and countries.
Brand Finance also operates the Global Brand Equity Monitor, conducting original market research annually on 6,000 brands, surveying more than 175,000 respondents across 41 countries and 31 industry sectors. By combining perceptual data from the Global Brand Equity Monitor with data from its valuation database — the largest brand value database in the world — Brand Finance equips ambitious brand leaders with the data, analytics, and the strategic guidance they need to enhance brand and business value.
In addition to calculating brand value, Brand Finance also determines the relative strength of brands through a balanced scorecard of metrics evaluating marketing investment, stakeholder equity, and business performance, compliant with ISO 20671.
Brand Finance is a regulated accountancy firm and a committed leader in the standardisation of the brand valuation industry. Brand Finance was the first to be certified by independent auditors as compliant with both ISO 10668 and ISO 20671 and has received the official endorsement of the Marketing Accountability Standards Board (MASB) in the United States.
Brand is defined as a marketing-related intangible asset including, but not limited to, names, terms, signs, symbols, logos, and designs, intended to identify goods, services, or entities, creating distinctive images and associations in the minds of stakeholders, thereby generating economic benefits.
Brand strength is the efficacy of a brand’s performance on intangible measures relative to its competitors. Brand Finance evaluates brand strength in a process compliant with ISO 20671, looking at Marketing Investment, Stakeholder Equity, and the impact of those on Business Performance. The data used is derived from Brand Finance’s proprietary market research programme and from publicly available sources.
Each brand is assigned a Brand Strength Index (BSI) score out of 100, which feeds into the brand value calculation. Based on the score, each brand is assigned a corresponding Brand Rating up to AAA+ in a format similar to a credit rating.
Brand Finance calculates the values of brands in its rankings using the Royalty Relief approach – a brand valuation method compliant with the industry standards set in ISO 10668. It involves estimating the likely future revenues that are attributable to a brand by calculating a royalty rate that would be charged for its use, to arrive at a ‘brand value’ understood as a net economic benefit that a brand owner would achieve by licensing the brand in the open market.
The steps in this process are as follows:
1 Calculate brand strength using a balanced scorecard of metrics assessing Marketing Investment, Stakeholder Equity, and Business Performance. Brand strength is expressed as a Brand Strength Index (BSI) score on a scale of 0 to 100.
2 Determine royalty range for each industry, reflecting the importance of brand to purchasing decisions. In luxury, the maximum percentage is high, while in extractive industry, where goods are often commoditised, it is lower. This is done by reviewing comparable licensing agreements sourced from Brand Finance’s extensive database.
3 Calculate royalty rate. The BSI score is applied to the royalty range to arrive at a royalty rate. For example, if the royalty range in a sector is 0-5% and a brand has a BSI score of 80 out of 100, then an appropriate royalty rate for the use of this brand in the given sector will be 4%.
4 Determine brand-specific revenues by estimating a proportion of parent company revenues attributable to a brand.
5 Determine forecast revenues using a function of historic revenues, equity analyst forecasts, and economic growth rates.
6 Apply the royalty rate to the forecast revenues to derive brand revenues.
7 Discount post-tax brand revenues to a net present value which equals the brand value.
Brand Finance has produced this study with an independent and unbiased analysis. The values derived and opinions presented in this study are based on publicly available information and certain assumptions that Brand Finance used where such data was deficient or unclear. Brand Finance accepts no responsibility and will not be liable in the event that the publicly available information relied upon is subsequently found to be inaccurate. The opinions and financial analysis expressed in the study are not to be construed as providing investment or business advice. Brand Finance does not intend the study to be relied upon for any reason and excludes all liability to any body, government, or organisation.
The data presented in this study form part of Brand Finance's proprietary database, are provided for the benefit of the media, and are not to be used in part or in full for any commercial or technical purpose without written permission from Brand Finance.
