FROM FAME TO DOWNFALL:
RANKING THE TOP 10 MOST FOLLOWED COUPLE INFLUENCERS BASED ON THEIR POPULARITY AND PUBLIC PERCEPTION
Compared to individual creators, couple influencers (KOLs) have an advantage in attracting followers due to the authentic interaction between the two and the emotional connection they share. If both individuals already have a strong following, their combined presence amplifies their appeal even more. Not only can they continue to produce content around their original themes, but they can also naturally expand into popular topics like couple daily life, relationship management, and long-distance romance, sparking strong curiosity and engagement from their audience. Moreover, romantic relationships and intimate interactions are relatable topics for a broad audience, making it easier for couple KOLs to build emotional trust with their followers, which can influence purchasing decisions and create an emotional bridge between brands and fans.
However, in recent years, there have been several high-profile cases of couple YouTubers experiencing breakups, controversies, and financial disputes, which have even led to disputes over channel ownership, loss of followers, and damaged reputations. Despite this, there are still many stable and sweet couple KOLs who continue to accumulate popularity online, successfully transitioning from long-term relationships to marriage, and gaining the blessings of their followers and the favor of brands. This article will focus on the most notable recent breakup event – “CROWD”, analyzing the differences in public sentiment through online volume and P/N value data. It will also take stock of high-profile couple KOLs who are still in love or married, exploring their influence on fans and the potential for brand collaborations.
1. Analysis of the “CROWD” Couple KOL Breakup: Shifts in Online Volume and Public Sentiment
The “CROWD” YouTube channel was originally co-founded by Andy and Jia Ning in 2016. The channel mainly focused on documenting their daily interactions as a couple, and over the course of 10 years, it accumulated nearly 2.3 million subscribers, making it one of Taiwan's most well-known couple YouTube channels. However, after the couple broke up, Andy exposed numerous malicious behaviors by Jia Ning and her family, such as embezzling channel earnings and monopolizing the channel's management role. Following this scandal, Andy's online presence surged, attracting a large number of supporters and fans. His new personal channel saw an explosive increase in subscribers, becoming the fastest YouTube channel in Taiwan to surpass 2 million subscribers. The controversy continued to escalate for over two months, and Andy's new content consistently received attention and positive discussions from viewers. This attention led to multiple brand collaborations and endorsements, proving that his rise in popularity was not just a temporary trend.
AsiaKOL analyzed the online sentiment toward Andy and Jia Ning after the incident broke out. The data shows a stark contrast between their respective volumes of positive and negative mentions as well as their favorability scores (P/N values), with netizens overwhelmingly supporting Andy. Jia Ning received as many as 20,000 negative mentions, and her favorability score was only 0.53 (a score below 1 indicates that negative sentiment outweighs positive sentiment). Her negative mentions were nearly double her positive ones, reflecting strong condemnation and criticism from netizens. Andy, on the other hand, had more positive mentions than negative ones, with a P/N value of 1.14.
A closer look at the keyword word cloud from discussions about Andy shows that most comments are filled with positive and encouraging messages, such as “keep it up,” “best wishes,” “great,” and “looking forward to more,” reflecting strong support. In addition, Andy’s subsequent videos featuring family-related content have received a great deal of positive feedback. Topics involving his mother, in particular, generated significant discussion, with many viewers commenting that the warm and heartfelt interactions between Andy and his family were deeply touching.
2. 2025 Popular Couple KOL Rankings: An Overview of Volume and Favorability Scores
Netizens show a high level of attention to couple KOLs, with their sweet and adorable interactions often becoming viral, while even small disputes between them tend to be amplified for public scrutiny. Aside from those couples who have already broken up, which are excluded from this list, who are the current couples still in relationships or marriage, frequently sharing their couple lives on social media? AsiaKOL has compiled a list of the top 10 popular couple KOLs, providing a detailed ranking based on their online volume and favorability scores.
(*Note: Favorability score (P/N value) = Number of positive mentions/Number of negative mentions)
(1) Illyandlean
Illyandlean is a couple KOL team consisting of Illy and Lean, who primarily share content about their travels, food experiences, and technology photography, all with a relaxed and casual style. Their main platform is their YouTube channel, where the genuine interactions between the two make it clear that their personalities are well-suited for each other and they share a strong chemistry. Their natural and sweet interactions have led many fans to regard them as a model of true love. In March, Lean also shared news of their marriage on his personal Instagram, receiving a wave of congratulatory messages from netizens.
(2) Ironbulltingting
Ironbull & Ting Ting have been married for over seven years and have a son. Ironbull originally ran a YouTube channel focused on gaming content, but later shifted to sharing family travel experiences and daily interactions between the couple and their child. The contrast between his image as a "gaming geek" and a "warm, caring dad" adds a fresh and interesting dynamic to their content. Ting Ting also shares parenting moments and sweet interactions with her husband on her personal Instagram, creating a warm, loving family atmosphere and a sense of harmony in their relationship.
(3) Gina & Roseman
Beauty influencer Gina and illustrator Roseman have been in a relationship for nearly 20 years, making them a representative example of an “ideal couple” in the KOL community. Gina, known for her sweet, Japanese-inspired look and her sincere, detailed sharing style, has long been loved by fans in the beauty scene. Her boyfriend Roseman, meanwhile, works as a dedicated photographer behind the camera, and the two demonstrate excellent teamwork. They frequently share stunning travel photos and sweet couple pictures on their respective social media accounts, immersing followers in their romantic, love-filled atmosphere. Their nearly two-decade-long, stable relationship is rare among KOLs and serves as an ideal model of love in the eyes of many fans.
(4) Chris Liu & Megan
Chris Liu is an active Taiwanese-American YouTuber, best known for his main channel theLiuPei, where he shares content about daily life, parenting interactions, and gaming. In 2020, he married his American wife Megan, with whom he had been in a relationship for several years. The couple later welcomed two sons, "Little Bacon" and "Little Egg Pancake." As an international couple, they naturally attract a lot of attention from netizens, and their status as influencers has led to even more discussions. Chris Liu and Megan frequently share travel experiences, technology-related topics, and their positive, healthy lifestyle. Their content also highlights the warmth and authenticity of their cross-cultural marriage. Now five years into their marriage, their relationship remains passionate and sweet. Recently, Chris posted a video celebrating their fifth wedding anniversary, showcasing the strong bond between them.
(5) Charlie & Jonas
Charlie is a Taiwanese beauty and skincare creator, known for her natural and sincere tone as she shares her daily life, relationship stories, and cultural observations. She is well-loved by her followers and married her Swedish husband, Jonas, in 2019. Jonas, originally an engineer in Sweden, later transitioned to becoming a YouTuber. Through his videos, he documents his life experiences in Taiwan and shares his love for Taiwanese culture. Unlike the previous couples, Charlie and Jonas each focus on managing their own Instagram and YouTube channels. Having been married for over seven years, they are open about the challenges and growth within their cross-cultural marriage, showing mutual understanding and tolerance. They also take their Taiwanese followers on journeys to explore Swedish culture and Europe’s beautiful landscapes. As a Taiwanese wife and Swedish husband duo, their content has become a favorite for fans interested in international relationships and cross-cultural topics.
3. How Can Brands Collaborate with Couple KOLs? Taking Chris Liu's Endorsement as an Example
Couple or married influencer KOLs have a distinct advantage over single influencers when it comes to sharing topics related to relationships, family, and parenting. Their recommendations carry more credibility, making consumers more willing to make a purchase. For example, Chris Liu once endorsed a coffee machine, and in his short video content, he humorously compared the coffee machine to a "third party". This playful approach highlighted the product’s excellent performance, and the lighthearted arguments between him and his wife in the video added a warm and charming touch. For household appliances commonly used in family life, it is particularly effective to have influencer couples who have children and are established in their own family lives endorse the products. Additionally, the age range of KOLs' fans is often more aligned with that of family-oriented consumers, which helps brands target their marketing more effectively toward this demographic.
Conclusion: The Enduring Appeal of Couple KOLs and the Growing Potential for Brand Collaborations
Couple KOLs leverage their shared charm, authentic interactions, and emotional resonance to showcase a powerful influence in social media management. Whether sharing daily life, cross-cultural exchanges, or the genuine journey of parenting and long-term relationships, they connect deeply with fans and create highly engaged communities. Compared to individual KOLs, couple or married influencer teams not only have double the popularity but also offer broader content development potential, bringing brands both significant exposure and trust conversion—dual value that makes them an increasingly important partner in brand collaborations in recent years.
However, relationships between couple KOLs also carry inherent risks. If their relationship changes or ends, it could negatively impact their personal image and the management of their channels. Therefore, brands should carefully evaluate the stability and public image of the couple when choosing to collaborate with them. Moving forward, AsiaKOL will continue to monitor the dynamics of the couple KOL ecosystem, combining influencer and public sentiment data to track their volume and favorability. This will help brands precisely identify the right collaborators and strategies in the rapidly evolving influencer marketing landscape.
