New Brand Finance data reveals semiconductors, advanced manufacturing and defence power South Korea’s brand growth in 2026
SEOUL, 19 August 2026 – South Korea's 150 most valuable brands are worth a combined USD357 billion in 2026, up 4% year-on-year, according to the South Korea 150 2026 report by Brand Finance, the world's leading brand valuation consultancy.
Growth was supported by renewed momentum across semiconductors, artificial intelligence (AI), advanced manufacturing and defence, with technology, automotive and financial services remaining the country's leading brand value generators.
Samsung (brand value up 9% to USD97.4 billion) retains its position as South Korea's most valuable brand. Continued leadership in semiconductors, smartphones and consumer electronics, alongside growing demand for AI-enabled devices and memory chips, has reinforced its leadership in the South Korea 150 ranking.
Hyundai (brand value down 6% to USD24.8 billion) remains South Korea's second most valuable brand. Despite a slight brand value dip, strong global demand for its hybrid and electric vehicle lineup, together with continued investment in advanced mobility technologies, has supported the brand's resilience in a competitive automotive market.
SK hynix (brand value up 15% to USD15.8 billion) is South Korea’s third most valuable brand. The brand benefited from rising AI-driven demand for high-bandwidth and server memory, underscoring how AI infrastructure investment is strengthening South Korea’s semiconductor-led brand growth.
Alex Haigh, Managing Director Asia Pacific, Brand Finance, commented:
"South Korea's leading brands continue to demonstrate remarkable resilience by capitalising on long-term structural trends shaping the global economy. The rapid expansion of artificial intelligence, advanced manufacturing and defence has created new opportunities for value creation, while established leaders such as Samsung, Hyundai and SK hynix continue to strengthen their competitive positions through sustained investment in innovation. As global competition intensifies, the brands that combine technological leadership with strong stakeholder perceptions will be best placed to deliver long-term growth."
Hanwha Aerospace (brand value up 118% to USD3.1 billion) is South Korea's fastest-growing brand, as rising global defence demand, major export contracts and Middle East partnerships strengthened its long-term growth outlook. Its rapid rise also reflects the growing strategic importance of defence within South Korea’s brand economy, as exporters with advanced manufacturing capabilities and strong order backlogs gain greater visibility on the global stage.
Hyundai Rotem (brand value up 62% to USD917 million) is one of South Korea's brands to watch. Continued growth in defence exports and rail systems has strengthened the company's international profile and supported its rapid rise in brand value. Korea Aerospace Industries (brand value up 41% to USD582 million) also emerges as a brand to watch, as growth in defence aviation programmes and aircraft exports enhanced the company's reputation and reinforced its long-term growth prospects.
Samsung Heavy Industries (brand value down 2% to USD566 million) is South Korea’s strongest brand, with a Brand Strength Index (BSI) score of 94.7/100 and an AAA+ brand strength rating. According to Brand Finance market research data, the shipbuilder continues to benefit from its reputation for engineering excellence, technological innovation and consistent delivery of complex offshore and marine projects, reinforcing stakeholder confidence in the brand.
Samsung C&T (brand value up 3% to USD6.2 billion) ranks second with a BSI score of 93.3/100 and an AAA+ brand strength rating. Its diversified portfolio across engineering and construction, trading, fashion and renewable energy has supported strong stakeholder perceptions and reinforced the brand's reputation for reliability and execution.
HD Korea Shipbuilding & Offshore Engineering (brand value up 15% to USD2.3 billion) is the country’s third strongest brand, with a BSI score of 91.2/100 and an AAA+ brand strength rating. Continued investment in advanced shipbuilding technologies and a strong order backlog have helped strengthen perceptions of quality, innovation and long-term competitiveness.
Among South Korean brands, Samsung records the highest Sustainability Perceptions Value (SPV) at USD5.2 billion, reflecting the brand value linked to its sustainability perception. Meanwhile, Kia records the largest positive Sustainability Gap at USD84 million, highlighting significant potential to unlock additional brand value through stronger communication of its sustainability initiatives.
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, 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.
