In February 2026, the top 10 Winter Olympics stars in the K-Brand Index were announced. This ranking is based on the analysis of over 94.09 million online big data entries, combining data from eight indices including Trend, Social, and Media, reflecting the popularity and brand value of the athletes who shone at the Milan-Cortina d'Ampezzo Winter Olympics.

The most notable point is that short track skater Kim Gilli took the top spot. He surpassed his senior and legendary athlete Choi Minjeong to become the new "Ice Queen." This generational shift is regarded as proof of the birth of a national hero on the global stage of the Olympics.

In second place was also short track skater Choi Minjeong, and in third place was snowboarding star Choi Gaon. Other athletes who made the top 10 include Hwang Daeheon, Kim Sangkyum, Shim Seokhee, Lim Jong-eon, Yoo Seung-eun, Lee Jeongmin, and Noh Dohee, who excelled in short track and snowboarding events.

This ranking reflects both consistent competition results throughout the season and high online interest, interpreted as a result of passionate support and encouragement from fans and consumers.

Meanwhile, this announcement can be continuously checked through the monthly updated K-Brand Index, allowing ongoing monitoring of the brand value of winter sports stars. Along with this, public interest in the achievements of Winter Olympics stars is expected to increase further.