In the first three months of 2023, Korea recorded a whopping 78% increase in whiskey imports from the UK and US, totaling 8,443 tonnes, according to data released by the US Customs Service. country.
This notable increase in the volume of whiskey imports is the largest in recent years, reflecting the preferences of the so-called South Korean “MZ generation”, composed of young people belonging to generations Millennials and Z.
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This movement gained strength after the end of pandemic restrictions, when young Koreans began to show a growing interest in distilled alcoholic beverage.
Jihong Park, owner of a bar located in the Hongdae neighborhood in western Seoul, reported that it has noticed a significant increase in the consumption of whiskey by its most young people.
“Whiskey is becoming more and more popular among young people, and they consume it in greater quantities compared to our generation. I believe they are interested in trying different flavors of whiskey,” said the 56-year-old.
More alcohol, demanded by young people
Despite the increase in whiskey imports, it is important to highlight that beer is still the alcoholic beverage most imported by Korea, surpassing whiskey by about seven times in the period from January to March of this year.
On the other hand, sales of whiskey, cognac and rum have outperformed soju, which is the most in Korea, in the first two months of 2023, according to data released by E-Mart Inc., one of the leading operators of country retail.
Furthermore, data from the Yonhap News agency, based on information from GS25, a major operator of convenience stores in Korea, reveal that over a third of whiskey sales in 2022 were to consumers in their 20s, and nearly half to consumers in their 30s years. This is evidence of the growing interest of young South Koreans in this distilled beverage.
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