[THE FACT | Reporter Choi Soo-jung] WHIB has continued its growth as a next-generation K-pop group by securing consecutive No. 1 finishes on the New Star Ranking operated by weekly idol ranking site FANNSTAR.

WHIB claimed the top spot with 264,060 votes in FANNSTAR’s third-week-of-July New Star Ranking vote, which ran from July 13 to 20. CORTIS ranked second, followed by CLOSE YOUR EYES in third place.

The New Star Ranking is open to rookie idols who debuted in or after 2023. It not only shows how quickly artists are building their fandoms during the early stages of their careers, but is also gaining attention as an indicator of the growth potential of next-generation acts expected to lead the future K-pop market.

WHIB previously ranked No. 1 on the New Star Ranking for five consecutive weeks and earned a main banner advertisement on the “ALL THE K-POP” YouTube channel. This time, the group has once again continued a five-week No. 1 streak, creating another meaningful achievement and raising expectations for an even longer consecutive record in the future.

Attention is now focused on whether WHIB can achieve 10 consecutive weeks at No. 1. If the group’s current momentum continues, WHIB will challenge another milestone on the New Star Ranking. As competition among rookie groups becomes increasingly fierce, fans are watching closely to see whether WHIB can maintain its lead in the remaining votes.

Meanwhile, WHIB has also been nominated in the Choice Award Group category in the FANNSTAR division of the 2026 THE FACT MUSIC AWARDS (TMA). The first round of voting for the category will continue until 12 p.m. on August 3.

The 2026 THE FACT MUSIC AWARDS is scheduled to be held on September 19 at Busan Asiad Main Stadium.