Suncheon mayor tops K-Brand Index for South Jeolla, Gwangju 2 months running

Big data analysis ranks Suncheon Mayor Son Hun-mo No. 1 among South Jeolla Province and Gwangju local government heads for two consecutive months.

Suncheon Mayor Son Hun-mo has topped the K-Brand Index — an online big data ranking — among local government heads in South Jeolla Province and Gwangju for the second consecutive month.

The Asia Brand Research Institute, a big data evaluation agency, analyzed about 2.10 million online data points covering the 27 heads of basic local governments — cities, counties and districts — in the combined South Jeolla Province and Gwangju area from Aug. 1 to Aug. 31.

The survey compiled and analyzed digital data generated online during that period, including search activity, content consumption, and positive and negative reactions.

Son topped the South Jeolla Province local government heads category of the K-Brand Index, following his first-place finish in the July survey, claiming the top spot for two months in a row.

The South Jeolla Province category covered all 27 basic local government heads — the heads of 22 cities and counties in South Jeolla Province and the five district mayors of Gwangju.

Unlike political preference polls, which gauge public sentiment at a specific point in time through questions and responses, the K-Brand Index aggregates digital data from everyday activity — including searches, content consumption, and positive and negative reactions — to produce its rankings.

The head of the Asia Brand Research Institute said the South Jeolla Province local government heads category tends to shift significantly depending on regional issues, external activities and the spread of digital content during the survey period. "Rather than being driven by existing name recognition, the exposure and communication efforts of each local leader translate into public attention, which is quickly reflected in brand perception," the official said.

Son, who won election in the June 3 local elections, has shown decisive leadership despite being a first-term administrator — announcing plans to remove the lion statue at Jukdobong and restore two-way traffic in the area.