The black liquor bottle that appeared in the scene where game participants enjoyed their last supper in Netflix's popular series "Squid Game" Season 3 has been identified as Cheongmyeongju, a intangible cultural asset of North Chungcheong Province.
North Chungcheong Province announced on the 30th that the liquor is 'Cheongmyeongju,' the traditional liquor designated as the second intangible cultural asset of Chungbuk. Cheongmyeongju is produced in Chungju and was featured in a black ceramic bottle, which was exposed for about 10 minutes in the dinner scene of Squid Game Season 3. Characters toasted with Cheongmyeongju poured into golden cups, and dialogue asking for more liquor highlighted its presence.
This scene was made possible when Firstman Studio, the producer of Squid Game, requested sponsorship for Cheongmyeongju before filming. The food was also mainly composed of Korean dishes, enhancing the atmosphere of traditional liquor.
Cheongmyeongju is a traditional liquor restored based on the historical text Hyangjeongnu. It has an alcohol content of 17 degrees but is praised for its smooth throat feel and umami flavor. Cheongmyeongju was selected as a Chuseok gift for the Blue House in 2021 and won the Presidential Award at the 2022 Korean Liquor Contest. It also includes a variety of products ranging from 12 degrees Korean rice wine to 52 degrees distilled liquor.
Kim Yeong-seob, the representative of Jungwondang, said, "It seems that using Korean traditional liquor in a global work will serve as a significant promotion," and noted, "I want to proudly introduce North Chungcheong Province's intangible cultural asset Cheongmyeongju to the world."
Meanwhile, Squid Game Season 3 topped the charts in 91 countries worldwide just one day after its release. Interest in Korean traditional liquor, alongside K-food, is expected to grow.