{"id":35583,"date":"2025-09-23T03:01:26","date_gmt":"2025-09-23T02:01:26","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/brandfinance.com\/?post_type=press-release&#038;p=35583"},"modified":"2025-09-24T14:20:34","modified_gmt":"2025-09-24T13:20:34","slug":"south-korean-brands-overcome-political-headwinds-to-record-7-growth-in-2025","status":"publish","type":"press-release","link":"https:\/\/brandfinance.com\/press-releases\/south-korean-brands-overcome-political-headwinds-to-record-7-growth-in-2025","title":{"rendered":"South Korean brands overcome political headwinds to record 7% growth in 2025"},"content":{"rendered":"\n<p><strong><em>New Brand Finance\u2019s research shows that the combined value of South Korea\u2019s top 150 brands stands at USD342.2 billion<\/em><\/strong><\/p>\n\n\n\n<ul class=\"wp-block-list\">\n<li><strong>Samsung on cloud nine: remains South Korea\u2019s most valuable brand<\/strong><\/li>\n\n\n\n<li><strong>Samsung Heavy Industries\u2019 strong credibility and familiarity makes it South Korea\u2019s strongest brand ranked<\/strong><\/li>\n\n\n\n<li><strong>104% brand value surge: GS EPS crowned fastest growing brand in South Korea<\/strong><\/li>\n\n\n\n<li><strong>Samsung and Hyundai lead South Korean brands in sustainability efforts<\/strong><\/li>\n<\/ul>\n\n\n\n<p><strong>SEOUL, 23 September 2025<\/strong> \u2013 Despite a challenging backdrop, South Korea\u2019s 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 <a href=\"https:\/\/brandirectory.com\/reports\/south-korea\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener\">South Korea 150 2025<\/a> report by Brand Finance, the world\u2019s 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.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p><strong>Samsung<\/strong> continues its reign at the summit of South Korea\u2019s brand landscape for the ninth consecutive year, with its brand value rising 9% to USD89.4 billion. The tech titan\u2019s dominance is driven by global scale, innovation, and its symbolic role in South Korea\u2019s 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.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p><strong>Hyundai<\/strong> and <strong>SK hynix<\/strong> complete the top three in this year\u2019s ranking. Hyundai\u2019s 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&amp;D, while sustainability efforts and global leadership moves continue to strengthen its industrial and technological profile.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>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.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p><strong>Samsung Heavy Industries<\/strong> (brand value up 32% to USD577 million) is South Korea\u2019s 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\u2019s 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.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>The second and third strongest South Korean brands of 2025 are <strong>Samsung C&amp;T<\/strong> (brand value up 15% to USD6.0 billion) and <strong>Samsung Securities<\/strong> (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.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>With its brand value soaring 104% to USD340 million, <strong>GS EPS<\/strong> is South Korea\u2019s 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\u2019s future, driving its impressive value growth.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<blockquote class=\"wp-block-quote is-layout-flow wp-block-quote-is-layout-flow\">\n<p><strong>Alex Haigh, Managing Director Asia Pacific, Brand Finance, <\/strong>commented:\u202f&nbsp;<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p><em>\u201cSouth Korean brands are proving that resilience is not just about weathering challenges, but about evolving through them. Market leaders like <strong>Samsung<\/strong> and <strong>Hyundai<\/strong> continue to set the benchmark with bold investments in AI, chipmaking, and sustainable mobility, reinforcing their global relevance. Meanwhile, fast risers such as <strong>GS EPS<\/strong> 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\u2019s brand ecosystem is underpinned by deep trust, strategic agility, and a strong commitment to innovation.\u201d<\/em><\/p>\n<\/blockquote>\n\n\n\n<p>In addition to being South Korea\u2019s most valuable brand, Samsung also recorded the highest Sustainability Perceptions Value (SPV) in the country. According to the <a href=\"https:\/\/brandirectory.com\/reports\/sustainability-perceptions-index\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener\">Sustainability Perceptions Index 2025<\/a>, the brand\u2019s SPV stands at USD7.9 billion, the highest among South Korean brands ranked.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p><\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"<p>New Brand Finance\u2019s research shows that the combined value of South Korea\u2019s top 150 brands stands at USD342.2 billion SEOUL, 23 September 2025 \u2013 Despite a challenging backdrop, South Korea\u2019s 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 [&hellip;]<\/p>\n","protected":false},"featured_media":4452,"comment_status":"closed","ping_status":"closed","template":"","tags":[12,11,114],"class_list":["post-35583","press-release","type-press-release","status-publish","has-post-thumbnail","hentry","tag-brand-valuation","tag-featured","tag-south-korea"],"acf":[],"_links":{"self":[{"href":"https:\/\/brandfinance.com\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/press-release\/35583","targetHints":{"allow":["GET"]}}],"collection":[{"href":"https:\/\/brandfinance.com\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/press-release"}],"about":[{"href":"https:\/\/brandfinance.com\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/types\/press-release"}],"replies":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/brandfinance.com\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/comments?post=35583"}],"version-history":[{"count":5,"href":"https:\/\/brandfinance.com\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/press-release\/35583\/revisions"}],"predecessor-version":[{"id":35712,"href":"https:\/\/brandfinance.com\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/press-release\/35583\/revisions\/35712"}],"wp:featuredmedia":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/brandfinance.com\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media\/4452"}],"wp:attachment":[{"href":"https:\/\/brandfinance.com\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media?parent=35583"}],"wp:term":[{"taxonomy":"post_tag","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/brandfinance.com\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/tags?post=35583"}],"curies":[{"name":"wp","href":"https:\/\/api.w.org\/{rel}","templated":true}]}}