Liquor distributor eyes making Korean traditional alcohol go global

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Liquor distributor eyes making Korean traditional alcohol go global

Published: 02 Jan. 2025, 16:07 Updated: 02 Jan. 2025, 18:50

Audio report: written by reporters, read by AI

Clockwise from second row left: Moon Kyung-hoe, Vice Chairman of the Shin-aju group, Lee Se-min and Lee Ji-min, co-CEOs of Daedongyeojudo and Han Young-seok, the CEO of Han Young Seok Fermentation Research Institute [JOONGANG SUNDAY]

A traditional Korean alcoholic beverage named Return of the Blossoming Blade Cheongmyeongju caught the eyes of drinkers when it surpassed 300 million won ($203,404) in only five days during a crowdfunding campaign.

Using the intellectual property (IP) of the popular Naver webtoon “Return of the Blossoming Blade” (2019-) the liquor takes inspiration from the protagonist Cheongmyeong, who is depicted as a connoisseur of alcohol. This beverage was created by Han Young-seok, Korea’s first fermented yeast master and CEO of the Han Young Seok Fermentation Research Institute in Jeongeup, North Jeolla.

Traditional liquor curation and distribution platform Daedongyeojudo was behind connecting the IP of the Naver webtoon and the fermented yeast master for the project. The platform was founded in 2014 by CEO Lee Ji-min, who used to work in the imported wine division at LG. She later resigned and became intrigued by traditional liquor.

As traditional liquor was recognized as “plain old liquor” 10 years ago, Daedongyeojudo started small.

The traditional liquor Return of the Blossoming Blade Cheongmyeongju, left, and the liquor it was modeled after, Cheongmyeongju, right, crafted by Han Young-seok, a renowned master in traditional Korean nuruk (fermentation starter). [DAEDONGYEOJUDO]

The company’s main content was a comic that told “the story of traditional liquor told by a woman who loves alcohol.”

It started off as a blog reflecting Lee’s personal tastes, but over the past decade, Daedongyeojudo has made remarkable contributions to the popularization of traditional Korean liquor. The company has introduced 2,000 types of domestic traditional liquor that were previously unknown to the world and provided consulting to 300 breweries.

Known as the “national tavern keeper,” Lee also served as a traditional liquor adviser for major national events. Notable achievements include recommending the celebratory drink for the Pyeongchang Winter Olympics, the dinner wine for the World Knowledge Forum, traditional holiday gifts for the Blue House and even the banquet liquor for former U.S. President Donald Trump during his 2017 visit to Korea.

Daedongyeojudo took another important leap last October. It raised 10 billion won from the Shin-aju group, which operates primarily in the automotive, real estate development and social contribution sectors.

With its goal of growing traditional Korean liquor, Daedongyeojudo selected the Han Young Seok Fermentation Research Institute as its first investment brewery and signed a 4-billion-won investment agreement in November.

A screen capture of the Naver Webtoon ″Return of the Blossoming Blade″ [NAVER WEBTOON]

Moon Kyung-hoe, vice chairman of the Shin-aju group, became interested in traditional liquor thanks to Lee Se-min, the co-CEO of Daedongyeojudo. Seven years ago, Moon met Lee Se-min while operating the group’s imported car dealership business, working for Volkswagen at the time. They became drinking buddies, and Lee Se-min introduced Moon to his sister Lee Ji-min’s company.

“I loved alcohol so much that I’d say, ‘Even if you leave food behind, don’t leave alcohol behind,’” Moon said. “But I was shocked to discover such high-quality traditional liquor in Korea.”

Despite his reputation as a connoisseur, Moon completely quit drinking for a year while contemplating investing in Daedongyeojudo.

“To think clearly about ‘alcohol’ and ‘business,’ I needed a sober mind,” Moon said with a laugh.

As a businessman, Moon is optimistic about the future of the traditional liquor market. “It’s natural to think of good liquor when eating good food,” Moon explained. “Korean chefs, especially, want traditional liquor pairings. The first reason is that Korean liquor pairs best with Korean food, but it’s also efficient from a business perspective. Wine oxidizes rapidly after being opened, making it difficult to store. In contrast, traditional Korean liquor can be stored for six months to a year if refrigerated and even improves its flavor as it continues to age.”

According to Moon, while wine comes in varieties based on region and grape type, the difference in taste is not as pronounced. Traditional liquor, however, offers a range of flavors depending on the base ingredients, such as rice, wheat, glutinous rice or barley and added ingredients like fruits and herbs.

“Is there a liquor more appropriate and fun to pair with diverse types of meals?” he asked.

“The common goal of the four people who met here today is export,” Lee Se-min said. “The domestic market is limited to around 200 billion won, but once distribution channels are established, exports present an opportunity to pioneer an enormous new market. This groundwork underpins the decision to select Han Yeong Seok Fermentation Research Institute as the first brewery for the traditional liquor incubating project.”

The traditional liquor Return of the Blossoming Blade Cheongmyeongju [DAEDONGYEOJUDO]

Lee Se-min added that the alcohol produced by Han doesn’t have the polarizing yeast scent.

“The feedback from foreign experts in the World Spirits Competition was all favorable, so there were already 100,000 bottles of bulk orders from France and New Zealand, but the current facility and system were inadequate to produce them, so he refused,” he said. “The investment cash will be used to solve these issues by expanding the facility and modernizing the system.”

“I’m the type to keep my word no matter what,” said Lee Ji-min with a laugh. “First of all, the goal is to put traditional Korean liquor on the New York dining market. A huge Korean shopping mall is set to open in Texas next year, and one section of its F&B facilities will feature a curated selection by Daedongyeojudo.”

She added that Daedongyeojudo and the Han Yeong Seok Fermentation Research Institute are researching the strengths of raw and pasteurized liquor right now, “focusing on creating longlasting alcohol with exceptional scent and taste that can be exported.”

Her role is to deeply research traditional liquor, while her brother's is to expand its fan base.

With a background in finance and the imported car market, Lee Se-min initially lacked expertise in traditional liquor, but upon joining Daedongyeojudo, with his sharp business acumen, he successfully planned an unprecedented collaboration with webtoon IPs.

Traditional Korean premium liquor Cheongmyeongju [DAEDONGYEOJUDO]

“The possibilities for collaboration are endless,” he said. “Now that traditional liquor has become youthful, any brand targeting Gen Z is available. Personally, I think it would be exciting to collaborate with iconic Gen Z brands like Gentle Monster or luxury brands.”

Business, however, isn’t everything. The ultimate goal is to create a gukju, or national liquor.

“Just like Japan has sake and China has baijiu, we want to create a dignified liquor that represents Korea, something so irresistible that people around the world fall in love with it,” said Lee Ji-min. “Until now, this was a dream I pursued alone, but now that I am working with everyone here, I think we can achieve it much faster.”

BY SEO JEONG-MIN [[email protected]]