[Koo Eunmo’s Jujeori] Heekyung Kim, CEO of Dalbit Sullae: “I Will Create Authentic Liquor That Is Alive and Breathing”

Nuruk, the Identity of Korean Liquor
Pursuing the Restoration of Nuruk Diversity

Yeoongpyeong 'Dalbit Sulrae Brewery' Exterior View

[Asia Economy, reporter Koo Eunmo] Wang Chong, a philosopher of the Later Han Dynasty in China, believed that all things in the world came into being by chance. While Confucian scholars thought that heaven intervened in the creation of all things with clear will and purpose, Wang Chong saw the world as nothing more than the result of accidental encounters.

According to Wang Chong, even the fate of a raindrop is not predetermined. As it falls, a raindrop does not know which river it will flow into or which land it will seep into. Its direction is only altered, gradually or suddenly, by the chance winds it encounters. Even after falling, it remains uncertain where and for how long it will flow. Similarly, Heekyung Kim, CEO of Dalbit Sullae Brewery, ended up on the banks of the Bukhan River as a result of such an accidental encounter.

Kim was not someone who had any particular connection to traditional Korean liquor to begin with. She was not even someone who particularly enjoyed drinking. Then, by chance, she came across the “Our Liquor Culture Center Hyangum.” She recalls, “It was around 2014. I happened to discover it in my neighborhood on my way home. I thought it would be fun to brew and share liquor with friends, so I decided to give it a try.”

It was there that she first learned how to brew. As she brewed and researched with like-minded people, her affection for traditional Korean liquor grew. She found joy in the brewing process. The positive feedback from those who tasted her creations also encouraged her. Eventually, she wanted to brew authentic Korean liquor that was alive and breathing, not fossilized under the name of tradition. So, in November 2019, she opened Dalbit Sullae Brewery in Munho-ri, Yangpyeong County, Gyeonggi Province.

Nuruk, the Identity of Korean Liquor… Pursuing the Restoration of Nuruk Diversity

Heekyung Kim, CEO of Dalbit Sullae.

Her affection for Korean liquor extended to the land that forms its foundation. She said, “I often thought it would be wonderful if the land could remain alive as land. For that to happen, we need to consume crops grown here, and I realized that what I could do was to brew liquor.” Once she decided to make brewing her profession, she resolved to do it right. She made up her mind to create authentic Korean liquor using native agricultural products, tailored to modern tastes.

To her, the element that most clearly represents the identity of Korean liquor is nuruk. Also known as gokja, nuruk is a fermentation starter made by cultivating enzyme-producing molds on grains such as wheat, barley, or rice. Traditional Korean brewing is distinct from foreign liquors like beer, which separate saccharification and alcoholic fermentation, in that it uses nuruk to simultaneously saccharify and ferment the main ingredient, rice.

Although it is difficult to manage nuruk quality uniformly, its advantage lies in containing a variety of microorganisms, which create complex flavors. Kim emphasizes, “Nuruk is the key element that makes Korean liquor different not only from Western liquors but also from those of other East Asian countries like Japan. The complexity of Korean liquor originates from the diversity of naturally fermented nuruk.”

Nuruk used in Dalbit Sullae.

Although nuruk expresses the identity of Korean liquor, traditional nuruk, along with home-brewing culture, largely disappeared from history due to the Japanese colonial era, the Grain Management Act, and economic hardships. In the 1920s, there were nuruk factories in every village, numbering in the thousands nationwide, but now only three remain: Jinju Gokja, Songhak Gokja, and Geumjeongsanseong Nuruk.

As nuruk diversity was lost, Korean liquor faced criticism for its lack of variety. To overturn this diminished reputation, it became necessary to restore the diversity of nuruk. Kim explained, “All of Dalbit Sullae’s liquors are brewed with nuruk we make ourselves, in order to restore the lost diversity and complexity of Korean liquor, and to create distinctive flavors and character. We have patented a method of fermenting at low temperatures for about five to six months.”

Dreaming of Healing Liquor in the Organic Special Zone of Yangpyeong

A product brewed by Dalbit Sullae.

Although Kim is originally from Imsil, North Jeolla Province, she has no connections to Yangpyeong. She simply visited by chance, but was captivated by the natural surroundings and decided to settle there. Although her arrival was accidental, she says Yangpyeong is an ideal place for brewing excellent liquor. Yangpyeong County, designated as a special zone for eco-friendly agriculture, established a native crop hub last year, planting and cultivating about 250 varieties of native rice on 10.9 hectares. This organically grown native rice has become both inspiration and foundation for Dalbit Sullae’s research and development of diverse Korean liquors.

Through Dalbit Sullae, Kim has also continued a life of healing. Before opening the brewery, she spent nearly 30 years working in alternative therapies such as muscle relaxation. Although it was a paid profession, she liked that it allowed her to help others. Now, guided by her heart, she has flowed into Yangpyeong to brew liquor, but the essence remains the same. She concluded, “I want to make liquor that can heal people’s hearts and add joy to their lives.”

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