Zero-sugar soju Saero by LOTTE Chilsung Beverage has surpassed a cumulative 700 million bottles sold three years after its launch.
According to LOTTE Chilsung Beverage on the 30th, unlike conventional soju, Saero uses no fructose at all and blends distilled soju to deliver a smooth, refreshing taste. It was launched in mid-Sep. 2022. After launching, it spread by word of mouth to surpass 50 million bottles in four months and 100 million bottles in seven months, and as of the end of Jul., it recorded a cumulative 700 million bottles sold.
Saero also pursued differentiation in design. By applying a transparent bottle design with the curvaceous beauty of Korean ceramics and vertical grooves that look like flowing droplets, it emphasized a modern yet distinctly Korean sensibility.
From the early stages of the product launch, LOTTE Chilsung built out the soju's universe by introducing a character called "Saero-gumi" (Saero + gumiho) as a brand ambassador. This character, a modern reinterpretation of the gumiho from traditional folktales, appeared across ads and social media campaigns, boosting familiarity with consumers.
Saero also carried out active offline marketing to strengthen brand experience. Starting in Sep. 2023 in Seongsu-dong, it operated brand experience centers in major cities nationwide, including Daejeon, Busan, and Daegu, and this year opened the "Saerodowon" pop-up store in Apgujeong, Seoul. Created under the concept of "zeroing out sugar and worries," Saerodowon drew more than 40,000 visitors over five months, and the collaborative menu with Chef Cho Seohyeong from "Culinary Class Wars" earned a Catch Table rating of 4.9 points (more than 2,000 reviews), receiving a strong response.
Saero's marketing campaigns also drew attention at domestic and international design and advertising awards. It achieved a triple crown by winning at the 2024 Korea Advertising Awards, YouTube Works, and the K-Design Awards, and at Spikes Asia in 2025, it won bronze in the creative strategy category. The label design for "Saero Apricot," which combines patterns of traditional Korean jars and water droplets, won a main award in the packaging category at the 2025 iF Design Award, one of the world's three major design awards.
A LOTTE Chilsung Beverage official said, "Having established itself as a new trend in the domestic soju market, Saero plans to roll out active marketing efforts to grow beyond zero-sugar soju into a soju brand that represents Korea."