"The 'Common People's Alcohol' Is Now a Thing of the Past... MZ Generation Enjoys Premium Soju in the 10,000 Won Range"

Convenience Store 'Premium Soju' Popularity
Varied Aroma and Flavor Spark Hot Response from MZ Generation
Celebrity-Modeled Products Released One After Another

Customers are lining up and waiting before the opening of the Busan Wonsoju popup store 'GS One'.

[Asia Economy Intern Reporter Seohee Lee] Among the MZ generation (Millennials + Generation Z), there is a growing trend of seeking out ‘premium soju’ that is priced higher than regular soju. This is attributed to the recent release of products featuring celebrities popular among young people as models, as well as the fact that premium soju aligns well with the MZ generation’s preference for diversity and rarity.

According to data released by convenience store CU, premium soju sales in June of this year increased by 75.1% compared to the same period last year. The response was especially strong among people in their 20s and 30s. The proportion of sales accounted for by those in their 20s and 30s was 32.2% and 30.6%, respectively, making up over 60% of total sales.

Premium soju is on average 4 to 5 times more expensive than regular soju. Despite this, the reason premium soju is well received by the MZ generation appears to be due to its diversity and rarity. Most premium soju is ‘distilled soju,’ not diluted soju commonly sold in restaurants. Distilled soju’s aroma and flavor vary depending on the raw materials used during production. Unlike diluted soju, which extracts only high-purity alcohol through continuous distillation and loses flavor and aroma in the process, distilled soju produces a soju base with an alcohol concentration of 40-60% and then undergoes single distillation, allowing flavor components such as esters and the original flavors of ingredients like rice and barley to be much more pronounced. This means it is well suited for enjoying the inherent aroma and flavor of the soju ingredients.

There is also the fun of mixing it with various beverages to find the ‘best pairing.’ Premium soju generally has a higher alcohol content than diluted soju. Therefore, depending on personal preference, water can be added to adjust the alcohol level, and ice, sparkling water, fruit juice, and lemon can be added to enjoy a wide variety of flavors. For the MZ generation, who value individuality and rarity, this offers a new enjoyment that cannot be experienced with regular soju.

'Uirinam Soju' featuring actor Kim Bo-sung as the model

Additionally, the fact that celebrities popular among young people such as Jay Park, Kim Bo-sung, and Lim Chang-jung have appeared as models for premium soju also played a significant role. ‘Won Soju,’ which rapper Jay Park participated in producing, caused an ‘open-run’ frenzy at The Hyundai Seoul popup store on its launch day, and sold out its initial stock of 200,000 bottles within a week at convenience store GS25, leading to a ‘halt in orders’ due to its explosive sales. Riding on the popularity of Won Soju, ‘Uirinam Soju,’ modeled by actor Kim Bo-sung, was released on the 25th, and ‘Soju Hanjan,’ named after singer Lim Chang-jung’s hit song, is also set to be launched soon. All of these sojus are premium distilled soju made from domestically grown rice and are priced at more than twice the cost of regular soju at convenience stores.

Oh Hyung-wook (29), who participated in the ‘open-run’ queue at the popup store in Sinsa-dong to purchase Won Soju, said about premium soju, “There was a lot of buzz on internet communities and everyone around me was talking about Won Soju, so I got curious and bought it once. It definitely seems like a unique soju is popular among young people,” adding, “Though I’m not good at expressing it, after trying it, it definitely has a deeper flavor and a smoother finish compared to regular soju.” Another Won Soju buyer, Kim Kang-wook (32, pseudonym), said, “Distilled soju feels different depending on whether you drink it at room temperature or chilled in the refrigerator,” and added, “It’s fun to prepare it in various ways depending on the side dishes of the day.”

This content was produced with the assistance of AI translation services.