South Korea Alcoholic Beverage insights

Jeonnam Province has selected "Jindo Hongju 58 degrees" from Jindo County Daedaeryoung Farm Corporation (Representative Kim Ae-ran) as the representative traditional liquor for August. The producer, Daedaeryoung Farm Corporation, has developed a variety of products such as Jindo Hongju 38 degrees, Jindo Hongju Arar, and Jindo Hongju Rubicon by combining traditional manufacturing methods with advanced brewing techniques researched by liquor experts from Korea and Japan. As a result, the products have been stocked in overseas duty-free shops in Incheon and Singapore, achieving 200 million won in exports, and are focusing on expanding exports to the United States and China. "Jindo Hongju 58 degrees" is a pure grain liquor made from Jindo rice and sweet potatoes, and its flavor improves with time, resulting from long-term aging.

[Korea Farmers' News Agency, Reporter Seo Sang-hyun] "Cheonbihyang liquor 15 degrees," produced by the agricultural corporation Good Wine Co., Ltd. located in Pyeongtaek City, Gyeonggi Province, received the President's Award at the "2025 Republic of Korea Our Wine Appraisal." The Ministry of Agriculture, Food and Rural Affairs and the Korea Agro-Fisheries & Food Trade Corporation announced the 18 winning products of the "2025 Republic of Korea Our Wine Appraisal" last Friday. The Republic of Korea Our Wine Appraisal, the nation's only traditional liquor competition, began in 2010 to improve the quality and competitiveness of Korean liquor. This year's appraisal was divided into six categories: medicinal liquor, low-turbidity liquor, high-turbidity liquor, fruit liquor, distilled liquor, and other liquors, with 246 entries.

(Seoul=Yonhap News) Reporter Sin Seon-mi = At the national competition where distilleries across the country compete to showcase their liquor skills, this year, the 'Cheonbihyang Yakju 15 degrees' from the agricultural corporation Joeunsul received the President's Award. The Ministry of Agriculture, Food and Rural Affairs and the Korea Agro-Fisheries & Food Trade Corporation (aT) announced the 18 winning products of the '2025 Republic of Korea Makgeolli Evaluation Contest' on the 4th. The Makgeolli Evaluation Contest is the only government-led traditional liquor competition in the country, having started in 2010. This year, 402 products were submitted by 246 distilleries nationwide, and the evaluation was conducted by a panel consisting of liquor experts and public members. Among the award-winning products, the President's Award was given to Joeunsul's 'Cheonbihyang Yakju 15 degrees'. Other category winners include Bae Hye-jeong's 'Tiger Yuja Makgeolli' (low-alcohol cloudy liquor), Fermentation Workshop 1991's 'Milky Way Starry Night' (high-alcohol cloudy liquor), Geumyong Agricultural Products' 'Miruato Shine Muscat White Sparkling' (fruit wine), Danong Bio's 'Gamuchi Soju 25 degrees' (distilled liquor), and Ivy Farming Cooperative's 'Honeymoon' (other liquor). The awards ceremony will take place at the Republic of Korea Makgeolli Festival in November. The Ministry of Agriculture, Food and Rural Affairs and aT will provide prize money to the winning distilleries, along with opportunities for buyer invitation tastings, bar placements, online promotion, and more.