Lisa became the first Asian woman to cross 100 million Instagram followers in early 2025. That milestone pushed the “most followed K-pop idols 2025” debate back into the spotlight — and the latest counts show how firmly BLACKPINK and BTS still lead.
As of early 2025, Lisa sits at roughly 106 million followers. Jennie (89M), Rosé (84.4M), and Jisoo (80.3M) hold the next three spots. BTS members remain close behind despite military schedules, with V at 70M and Jimin, J-Hope, Jin, and Suga all in the 50M range. The headline: BLACKPINK’s combined footprint is massive — about 360 million across four accounts — while BTS’s individual profiles keep pace even during service pauses.
As of January 2025, BLACKPINK’s Lisa is the most followed K-pop artist on Instagram, leading a ranking still dominated by BLACKPINK and BTS. Statista
Snapshot and time stamp
The figures below capture a snapshot from January–December 2025 roundups and live platform counters. Follower totals shift daily, so treat these as “as of early 2025” unless noted. Top-line references include Statista and late-December summaries from Kpopbeen, reviewed against year-end videos like this compilation.
- Lisa passed 100M in early 2025; now ~106M (first Asian woman to hit the mark).
- BLACKPINK holds the entire top four (Jennie 89M; Rosé 84.4M; Jisoo 80.3M).
- BTS’s V (70M), Jimin (55M), J-Hope (53M), Jin (52M), Suga (51.3M) remain in the upper tier.
- Cha Eunwoo (~48M) and IU (~33.5M) anchor the next wave; 4th-gen stars are climbing.
Top 15 by Instagram followers (as of early 2025)
Lisa (BLACKPINK) — ~106M | Instagram.
First Asian woman to hit 100M; viral dance clips and global endorsements keep expanding her audience. Why to watch: New campaigns and solo windows often trigger fast spikes. [Kpopbeen]
Jennie (BLACKPINK) — ~89M | Instagram.
Music, fashion, and variety appearances anchor engagement; strong brand synergy keeps the feed evergreen. Why to watch: Solo releases or fashion-week cycles can push her past 90M. [Kpopbeen]
Rosé (BLACKPINK) — ~84.4M | Instagram.
Music-first posts and live clips land globally. Why to watch: Solo teasers tend to create short, sharp growth bursts. [Kpopbeen]
Jisoo (BLACKPINK) — ~80.3M | Instagram.
Balances K-pop, acting, and fashion; editorial shoots drive saves and shares. Why to watch: Drama projects and brand activations usually lift weekly growth. [Kpopbeen]
V (BTS) — ~70M | Instagram.
Few posts, huge impact; luxury editorials and OSTs perform well. Why to watch: Post-discharge activity often coincides with growth surges. [Kpopbeen]
Jimin (BTS) — ~55M | Instagram.
Dance content and behind-the-scenes clips keep fans active in quiet periods. Why to watch: Solo promotions typically boost follower velocity. [Kpopbeen]
J-Hope (BTS) — ~53M | Instagram.
Festival energy and street-style aesthetics pair well with collabs. Why to watch: Dance challenges and surprise drops tend to go viral. [Kpopbeen]
Jin (BTS) — ~52M | Instagram
. Warm, personal posts draw strong comments. Why to watch: Variety appearances and music updates convert to steady gains. [Kpopbeen]
Suga (BTS) — ~51.3M | Instagram.
Producer content and studio snapshots attract fans and musicians alike. Why to watch: Post-service projects (concert films, docs) could reignite growth. [Kpopbeen]
Cha Eunwoo (ASTRO) — ~48M | Instagram.
Singer-actor duality and global fan meetings fuel reach. Why to watch: New drama/film cycles usually spark jumps in follows. [Kpopbeen]
IU — ~33.5M | Instagram.
Long-running solo career with strong goodwill; thoughtful captions drive saves. Why to watch: Album tours and film roles bring cross-audience discovery. [Kpopbeen]
Hyunjin (Stray Kids) — ~24.2M | Instagram
. Performance edits and tour photos travel well in short-form. Why to watch: 4th-gen touring in 2025–26 could accelerate growth. [Kpopbeen]
G-Dragon (BIGBANG) — ~24M | Instagram.
3rd-gen icon whose fashion/art crossovers sustain interest. Why to watch: Music or brand pivots still spark instant media coverage. [Kpopbeen]
Jeon Somi — ~18.9M | Instagram.
Pop visuals and variety appearances attract younger demos. Why to watch: International stages and collabs convert well. [Kpopbeen]
Jungkook (BTS) — ~14M | Instagram.
Appears in multiple late-2025 “most followed” lists, though position fluctuates due to account changes and posting pauses. Why to watch: Any account update or new solo activity tends to trend instantly. [Video roundup]
Also regularly cited in the Top 20 (counts and exact order vary)
- Jackson Wang (solo/GOT7): Cross-border popularity and global touring keep him high on follower charts. [Kpopbeen]
- Felix (Stray Kids): Often places within the top 20; dance-centric content travels well internationally. [Video roundup]
- Karina (aespa): 4th-gen leader emerging as a fashion favorite; steady growth through comeback cycles. [Kpopbeen]
- Taeyeon (Girls’ Generation): Veteran soloist with strong digital loyalty; new music spikes engagement.
- Kai & Baekhyun (EXO): Appear in late-2025 lists; choreography clips and solo releases fuel consistent waves of follows.
Note: Ranks 16–20 shift between sources and may swap places week to week. Re-check counts on-platform before citing exact positions.
Beyond the scoreboard: what follower counts do (and don’t) show
High follower totals signal global reach, but they don’t always equal high engagement per post. Agencies and brands look at likes-to-follower ratios, comment quality, story retention, and short-form views to gauge how “alive” an account is. For example, Lisa’s dance clips often outperform static editorials, while actors like Cha Eunwoo see spikes tied to broadcast schedules.
- Engagement nuance: Likes and views can lag during quiet periods even as followers rise.
- Brand reputation: December 2025 brand-reputation rankings weighed social buzz alongside media coverage and consumer sentiment — follower size is only one input.
- Business impact: Luxury houses and tech brands use these lists in negotiations, but also weigh regional sales, event draw, and platform fit. Lisa’s global campaign record is a common template for cross-market appeal.
- Measurement tip: Cross-check Instagram with YouTube subs, Spotify monthly listeners, and tour sell-outs for a fuller picture of demand.
BLACKPINK vs BTS: two different roads to massive reach
BLACKPINK’s all-four-at-the-top dominance is rare in pop. The ~17M gap between Lisa and Jennie shows how one member’s international momentum can stretch beyond group activity. Solo projects, dance challenges, and fashion stages widened Lisa’s funnel to casual audiences.
BTS members, meanwhile, sustained high placements amid military timelines. V’s ~70M with limited posting shows the power of legacy content and pent-up demand for updates. The group’s individual accounts continue to pull global attention even during pauses.
Generations and global mix
It’s not only 3rd-gen vs 4th-gen. The list spans eras: 3rd-gen legends like G-Dragon and Taeyeon remain strong, while 4th-gen names such as Karina, Hyunjin, and Felix climb steadily. Non-Korean nationals — Lisa (Thai), Jackson Wang (Chinese), Felix (Australian) — underline K-pop’s international talent pipeline and cross-border appeal. [Kpopbeen]
Reaction check: fans, media, and industry voices
When Lisa crossed 100M, celebratory hashtags trended on X and Instagram. Fans shared milestone edits and donation drives, while international outlets spotlighted BLACKPINK’s combined following and the “first Asian woman at 100M” moment.
- Fan celebration: Global BLINK bases posted billboards and charity projects to mark the 100M milestone.
- Media framing: Korean and overseas entertainment media cited it as proof of growing non-Korean fandoms.
- Nuanced takes: Some Korean netizens argued, “글로벌 팔로워 많아도 국내 스트리밍이랑은 별개” (“Global followers don’t always match domestic charts”).
- Industry POV: PR and marketing sources called these rankings “useful but incomplete,” emphasizing engagement and sales over raw totals.
Why brands care
A top-heavy leaderboard concentrates influence — and bargaining power. With BLACKPINK owning the top four, luxury and tech campaigns can book one group and reach multiple massive audiences at once. For BTS, even in quieter periods, member-specific ambassadorships remain attractive thanks to huge individual pools.
- Endorsement calculus: Mega-follower concentration justifies global rollouts, from billboards to short-form blitzes.
- Streaming & touring: Strong overseas follows correlate with faster international sell-outs and bigger arenas.
- PR strategy: Agencies lean into short-form and cross-posting to convert passive followers into buyers (teasers → pre-orders → tour announcements).
What to watch next
Expect movement through 2025 as comebacks, tours, and military discharges reshuffle the order. BTS social updates around discharge dates have historically triggered spikes. For BLACKPINK, any official group or solo news tends to reignite acceleration.
- Platform refresh: Double-check live Instagram counts right before citing ranks, and revisit after major award shows and tour starts.
- BTS updates: Watch for account reactivations or first posts after service — these can add hundreds of thousands of followers in days.
- Endorsement news: Agencies often confirm renewals and ambassadorships around fashion weeks and Q4 holiday campaigns.
- 4th-gen surge: aespa and Stray Kids members are steady climbers; new eras often bring sharp jumps.
Quick facts
- Lisa is the first Asian woman to pass 100M on Instagram (early 2025). [Kpopbeen]
- BLACKPINK’s four members combined ≈ 360M followers.
- The Top 10 is dominated by BLACKPINK and BTS; 4th-gen idols are rising fast.
- Data snapshot: follower counts cited from Jan–Dec 2025 roundups (Statista, Kpopbeen, platform counters).
The short version: this Top 20 snapshot captures global attention in early 2025. As comebacks roll out, military returns land, and brand campaigns stack up, expect the leaderboard to shift. And remember: look beyond the follow button to see who is truly moving listeners, tickets, and trends.
