LOTTE Chilsung Beverage's 'Saero,' which opened the domestic zero sugar soju market, is solidifying its position by surpassing cumulative sales of 500 million bottles. LOTTE Chilsung noted on the 25th that it is accelerating various marketing activities to enhance the identity of zero sugar soju and expand its brand universe.
'Saero' is a low-sugar soju introduced by LOTTE Chilsung Beverage in mid-September 2022 that does not contain fructose. It features a refreshing and smooth taste compared to traditional diluted soju. To enhance the flavor of soju, it blends some distilled soju, and it has also gained attention for being the first in the alcoholic beverage industry to apply nutritional information labeling on its products.
From the moment of its launch, it gained popularity with consumer reviews stating 'smooth throat feel' and 'less alcohol aroma, making it easy to drink,' surpassing 50 million bottles sold within 4 months and 100 million bottles sold within 7 months. The upward trend continued, and as of October 2024, cumulative sales surpassed 500 million bottles. It has also expanded its lineup with products like 'Saero apricot' and 'Saero Korean greengage' to broaden consumer choices.
'Saero' was inspired by the captivating presence of 'gumiho,' a character from traditional folktales and pop culture, leading to the creation of its brand ambassador, 'Saerogumi' (Saero + gumiho). This character, featured prominently on the product packaging, symbolizes Saero's distinctive identity.
The brand campaign, which started with 'The story of the birth of soju Saero,' later expanded into localized content such as 'Let's see the new nationwide,' creating a unique brand universe. This strategy has been recognized in the advertising industry, winning awards at major domestic and international events such as the 'Korea Advertising Awards,' 'YouTube Works,' and 'K Design Awards,' achieving a triple crown and also winning a bronze in the creative strategy category at the 2025 'Spikes Asia.'
The product packaging is also eye-catching. The 'Saero apricot,' which includes apricot juice, features an illustration of the gumiho smelling the fragrance, curves of traditional jars, and a vertical droplet pattern, expressing luxury and freshness at the same time, and this design won the main award in the packaging sector at the 2025 'iF Design Award.'
Saero is also actively working to expand consumer touchpoints through offline experiences. Starting in September 2023 in Seongsu-dong, it has held pop-up stores in Daejeon, Busan, and Daegu, and has been operating the 'Saerodowon' pop-up store in Apgujeong, Seoul, from the end of March to the end of June this year.
This pop-up is themed 'We eliminate sugar and worries in Mureungdowon,' enhancing the experience with a dining concept in collaboration with famous chef Cho Seo-hyung, offering a differentiated premium experience compared to existing soju brands.
LOTTE Chilsung has also renewed and reopened the 'Saero' brand experience hall at its Gangneung factory to inform consumers about product history, while simultaneously engaging in overseas marketing efforts such as collaborations with famous clubs and guerrilla promotion events to commemorate the first anniversary of its entry into the U.S. market last year.
A representative from LOTTE Chilsung Beverage said, 'Saero, which has established itself as a new trend in the domestic soju market, plans to undertake active marketing activities to become a leading representative of soju that represents Korea beyond just zero sugar soju.'