This photo provided by Samsung Electronics Co. shows an invitation to a Galaxy event to unveil a new headset powered by the Android XR platform on Oct. 22, 2025. (Yonhap)
SEOUL, Dec. 15 (Korea Bizwire) — Samsung Electronics’ Galaxy smartphone line has once again been named South Korea’s most valuable brand, extending its reign to 15 consecutive years, according to a widely watched industry index released Sunday.
Branding consultancy Brandstock said Galaxy earned a Brand Stock Top Index (BSTI) score of 948 in its 2025 ranking of Korea’s top 100 brands, placing it firmly at No. 1. Despite heightened global trade tensions and fierce competition, Samsung maintained a 19 percent share of global smartphone sales in the third quarter of 2025, according to Counterpoint Research.
Brandstock noted that strong sales of the Galaxy S25 series and the company’s latest foldable devices — the Galaxy Z Fold and Z Flip — expanded Samsung’s premium product mix, though it added that the company’s continued leadership will depend on “relentless innovation.”
Samsung Electronics’ latest foldable smartphones, the Galaxy Z Fold7 and Flip7 (Image provided by Samsung Electronics)
Online-based brands continued to climb the rankings. YouTube rose from fourth to third place, earning a BSTI score of 926.5, while Netflix jumped ten spots to ninth, marking its first entry into the top 10.
But the fallout from this year’s major SIM-swap hacking scandal took a toll on SK Telecom, whose brand value plunged from 13th to 31st place. The drop cost the company its long-held position as the top mobile carrier brand, with rival KT moving ahead to No. 29.
Buoyant stock markets in the second half of the year helped lift securities firms. Mirae Asset Securities climbed from 22nd to 17th, approaching the top tier of the list, while KB Securities, Samsung Securities and Hana Securities also posted notable gains.
KakaoTalk, most popular messenger app in S. Korea (Image courtesy of Yonhap)
Offline retailers, by contrast, saw broad declines. Emart slipped two spots to 13th, while major Lotte Group retail brands — including Lotte Hi-Mart, Lotte Department Store and Lotte Mart — all fell sharply. Hyundai Department Store and Shinsegae Department Store also remained in the lower ranks.
Four brands newly entered this year’s top 100: Nike (90th), Esse (96th), Samsung Card (97th) and Lotte Super (100th).
The BSTI evaluates about 1,000 representative brands across 230 sectors by combining simulated stock-market trading data (70 percent) with regular consumer surveys (30 percent). The maximum score is 1,000.
The image shows a branch of KB Kookmin Bank in Seoul. (Image courtesy of Yonhap)
Kevin Lee (kevinlee@koreabizwire.com)
