Jipyeong Brewery said on the 6th that its "Jipyeong makgeolli" won the top honor in the makgeolli institutional sector at the 2026 Korea First Brand Awards. It is No. 1 for the seventh straight year.
The Korea First Brand Awards is a prize organized by the Korea Consumer Forum. It is held each year for about 3,000 brands across 16 industries. This year, about 450,000 people in four Asian countries—Korea, China, Vietnam and Indonesia—participated to comprehensively assess brand expectations, satisfaction and purchase experience.
Jipyeong makgeolli, which kept the No. 1 spot in the makgeolli institutional sector, scored 5.68 in the satisfaction evaluation. It is reportedly the only entry in the 5-point range among the makgeolli institutional sector. In particular, the number exceeds last year's satisfaction score of 5.55 and this year's makgeolli institutional sector score of 5.51.
Jipyeong Brewery interpreted the achievement as the result of its strategy to enhance quality. The company has improved product completeness by applying modern process systems based on traditional brewing techniques, and strengthened quality competitiveness by using domestically grown rice as the main ingredient. It also improved the liquor's quality through flavor and package renewals that reflect consumer preferences.
A Jipyeong Brewery official said, "Quality-centered management based on consumer trust led to the award for seven consecutive years," adding, "We will continue to grow by preserving traditional brewing techniques while adapting to the changing consumer environment."