KPOP RANKINGS / KPOP DISCOVER metric
K-pop groups by Japan affinity
The Japan affinity score measures five factors on a 100-point scale: Japanese members, Japanese releases, official Japanese social accounts, THE FIRST TAKE appearances and concerts in Japan.
- 20Groups
- 5Factors
- 2026-09-15Last updated
How the score is calculated
| Japanese members | 10 points per member (up to 30) |
|---|---|
| Original Japanese releases | 5 points per release (up to 25) |
| Official Japanese social accounts and websites | 5 points per account (up to 20) |
| THE FIRST TAKE appearances | 10 points for any appearance |
| Concert and tour history in Japan | 10 points for past concerts, plus 5 for a concert within the last two years (up to 15) |
KPOP DISCOVER defines this metric and calculates it from registered data. Scores may change as the database is updated.
Japan affinity: top 20
| # | Group | Agency | Generation | Japanese members | Japanese releases | Score |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | TWICE | JYP Entertainment | Generation 3 | 3 | 15 | 90/100 |
| 2 | NiziU | JYP Entertainment / Sony Music | Generation 4 | 9 | 15 | 85/100 |
| 3 | &TEAM | YX LABELS | Generation 4 | 7 | 11 | 85/100 |
| 4 | ILLIT | BELIFT LAB | Generation 5 | 2 | 5 | 80/100 |
| 5 | BABYMONSTER | YG Entertainment | Generation 5 | 2 | 5 | 75/100 |
| 6 | INI | LAPONE | Generation 4 | 10 | 27 | 75/100 |
| 7 | IVE | STARSHIP Entertainment | Generation 4 | 1 | 7 | 70/100 |
| 8 | LE SSERAFIM | SOURCE MUSIC | Generation 4 | 2 | 12 | 70/100 |
| 9 | TREASURE | YG Entertainment | Generation 4 | 4 | 11 | 70/100 |
| 10 | Kep1er | WAKEONE | Generation 4 | 2 | 3 | 70/100 |
| 11 | tripleS | MODHAUS | Generation 5 | 4 | 6 | 70/100 |
| 12 | aespa | SM Entertainment | Generation 4 | 1 | 4 | 65/100 |
| 13 | NCT WISH | SM Entertainment | Generation 5 | 4 | 3 | 65/100 |
| 14 | JO1 | LAPONE | Generation 4 | 11 | 50 | 65/100 |
| 15 | ITZY | JYP Entertainment | Generation 4 | - | 6 | 60/100 |
| 16 | RIIZE | SM Entertainment | Generation 5 | 1 | 3 | 60/100 |
| 17 | IZ*ONE | Off The Record / Swing Entertainment | Generation 4 | 3 | 4 | 60/100 |
| 18 | FANTASY BOYS | PocketDol Studio | Generation 5 | 2 | 6 | 60/100 |
| 19 | ENHYPEN | BELIFT LAB | Generation 4 | 1 | 7 | 55/100 |
| 20 | NEXZ | JYP Entertainment | Generation 5 | 6 | 2 | 55/100 |
How to read this ranking
Higher scores suggest that a group is easier for Japanese-speaking fans to follow. Japanese members, official Japanese content and concerts offer more ways to follow a group in Japan. Original Japanese releases reflect music and activities made for that market.
This score is a reference based on data registered by KPOP DISCOVER. It cannot measure everything that makes a group appealing. Explore each group’s profile, music and members for the full picture.