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“I thought I was saving on alcohol costs, but where on earth can I buy a glass of leftover alcohol?”

When asked about leftover alcohol around 10 p.m. on the 29th in the bar district of Anam-dong, Seongbuk-gu, Seoul, university student Kim Ji-won (21) responded like this. Kim said, “The other day, I saw on Instagram that leftover alcohol could be sold,” adding, “Since alcohol prices are already a burden, I thought I could save money, but it seems there are no places selling it nearby.” In fact, among about 10 bars visited in Seoul that day, none said they planned to sell leftover alcohol.

Although the sale of leftover alcohol served by the glass rather than by the bottle has been permitted, restaurant and bar owners are showing reluctance to sell leftover alcohol, considering hygiene issues and profitability.

According to the Ministry of Economy and Finance, on the 28th, an amendment to the Liquor License Act was passed at the Cabinet meeting, adding an exception to liquor license cancellations for “cases where liquor is divided and sold in empty containers such as glasses.” This recognizes the act of selling leftover alcohol as a simple processing or manipulation of liquor, exempting it from license cancellation.

Around 10 p.m. on the 29th, at a bar in Anam-dong, Seongbuk-gu, Seoul. A citizen is pouring a drink into a friend's glass.
[Photo by Sim Seong-a]

Leftover alcohol is emerging as a way to expand consumer choices and minimize wasted liquor, aligning with a culture of enjoying alcohol in small amounts tailored to taste in this era of high prices. The consumer price index for soju rose significantly from 100.58 in 2021 to 108.64 in April this year, and for beer from 100.17 to 112.46. In Seoul, it is not difficult to find bars or restaurants in the so-called Gangnam 3 districts such as Gangnam or Songpa selling a bottle of soju for 8,000 to 9,000 won.

Consumers’ wallets continue to freeze up. In the ‘April 2024 Consumer Sentiment Survey’ conducted by the Bank of Korea, the consumer sentiment index for April was 100.7, the same as the previous month, analyzed as a weakening of consumption capacity due to prolonged inflation and interest rate burdens. Office worker Yoo (25) said, “I don’t know about places selling cheaply, but in busy areas like Gangnam, some places sell a bottle of soju for up to 10,000 won,” adding, “For people who don’t drink much, leftover alcohol seems like a good option.”

However, there is still a long way to go for leftover alcohol sales to take root on site. Park Geon-woo (25), owner of a bar in Anam-dong, Seongbuk-gu, Seoul, said, “Customers who don’t want to leave alcohol behind sometimes take the remaining bottle home, so from a business perspective, there’s no reason to sell by the glass.” He added, “Even now, people who don’t drink well order only one bottle and occupy the seat,” and “If these people order only one glass, the store’s profit gets worse.” Another bar owner, Kang Min-joo (56), said, “Unlike vodka or whiskey, soju and Makgeolli spoil and smell once the cap is opened,” adding, “The shelf life is relatively short, and even if managed, it probably won’t work well, so it’s better to sell by the bottle.”

Questions have also been raised about the price of leftover alcohol. Kim, owner of a cooking pub in Yeonnam-dong, Mapo-gu, Seoul, has been selling traditional liquor by the glass in 120?150 ml servings. Kim said, “We mainly sell glasses of liquor with relatively high unit prices and alcohol content,” adding, “The price per glass is around 8,000 to 12,000 won, but since soju and Makgeolli have low unit prices, it seems better to sell by the bottle than by the glass.” Lee, owner of a Makgeolli house in Hoegi-dong, Dongdaemun-gu, Seoul (65), also said, “We sell a bottle of Makgeolli for 4,000 won, but it’s difficult to price just one glass,” expressing concern, “The rent is high, and if customers order only one or two glasses of soju or Makgeolli, there won’t be any profit.”

Experts suggest that time is needed for the amendment to settle in. Choi Cheol, professor of Consumer Economics at Sookmyung Women’s University, said, “Right now, both owners and consumers might find this situation unfamiliar,” adding, “If services develop, such as blending newly permitted liquors and selling them, and demand increases, there may come a day when owners compete to sell leftover alcohol.” However, he also urged, “While expanding consumer benefits is desirable, it is important to establish proper hygiene environments required for storage and management when providing new services.”

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