Korean alcohol is shedding its image as a "strong drink." By adding fruit aromas, lowering the alcohol content, and switching to an RTD (ready to drink) format that you can sip right after popping a can, "easy-to-drink" products are building a presence in the global market.
According to the liquor industry on the 12th, recent K-alcohol is being reorganized around fruit aromas, low alcohol content, and RTD. As the trend of "light drinking" spreads worldwide, not only in the United States but also in Japan and Southeast Asia, more consumers are choosing highballs over whiskey and fruit soju over regular soju, and the industry is responding.
A representative case of this shift is singer G-Dragon's (GD) "PEACEMINUSONE Highball." Based on wine, it has an alcohol content of 4.5%, featuring a lighter profile than a traditional whiskey highball. Since its launch in Apr. last year in Korea, the initial batch of 880,000 cans sold out in three days, and cumulative sales topped 10 million cans. It is now sold in major Asian markets including Hong Kong, Taiwan, Japan, and China.
It recently entered the U.S. market. According to Food & Beverage Magazine, PEACEMINUSONE Highball has partnered with Los Angeles' flagship RTD brand "LA Soju." Through this, the highball series will be sold at select restaurants and 7-Eleven stores in California, and at locations such as Zen Korea BBQ House in New Jersey and New York.
Fruit soju is also making clear gains. According to the Korea Customs Service, exports of other liqueurs including fruit soju jumped more than 150 times from $610,000 (about 890 million won) in 2011 to $96.29 million (about 140.5 billion won) in 2024. Exports of regular soju stood at $103.41 million (about 150.9 billion won) in 2024. Fruit soju has nearly caught up to regular soju in scale.
Overall soju export volumes also grew. According to the Korea Customs Service, exports of Korean soju products (including regular soju and other liqueurs) surpassed $200 million (about 291.9 billion won) for the first time in 2024, and the number of destination countries expanded to more than 90. A market that was once limited to Korean enclaves is widening to Japan, China, Southeast Asia, North America, and Europe.
A liquor industry official said, "Imports of low-alcohol Korean drinks and fruit soju are steadily increasing, centered on Japan, Vietnam, Thailand, the Philippines, and some parts of the United States," and added, "In particular, in recent years, the sweet flavors and low alcohol content have matched well with local drinking cultures in Southeast Asia and the United States, expanding consumption among younger consumers."
Corporate strategies in Korea are changing accordingly. LOTTE Chilsung Beverage is expanding its distribution network to the United States, Europe, and Southeast Asia with its flagship fruit soju "Soonhari" and its unsweetened soju "Saero." In particular, it plans to build a long-term global production and distribution system by leveraging overseas manufacturing and distribution hubs.
HiteJinro has moved to establish an overseas production system. It aims to complete its first overseas soju plant, now under construction in Thai Binh Province, Vietnam, this year. Using this as a global hub, the company plans to cut logistics and tariff costs, secure price competitiveness, and build a supply structure that reaches North America and Europe beyond Southeast Asia. CJ CheilJedang is also expanding its sales channels from the U.S. to Japan and Europe by linking with its core food business and promoting its premium distilled spirits brand "JARI."
A liquor industry official said, "Enjoying easy-to-drink alcohol is becoming a culture," and added, "How well products are localized to suit each country's consumers will determine the success or failure of K-alcohol."
Lee Eun-hee, a professor of consumer studies at Inha University, said, "With heightened interest in Korea, Korean alcohol combined with K-content and food is highly competitive in the global market," and added, "If we discover and present Korean alcohol, including traditional liquor, well, the K-alcohol market will grow further on the momentum of the K-food boom."