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Korea Herald
12-06-2025
- Business
- Korea Herald
[Photo News] HiteJinro pop-up in Paris
HiteJinro's toad mascot greets visitors at the Korean soju maker's pop-up store in Paris. The event, which ran from May 24 to Saturday, attracted nearly 8,000 visitors, the company said Thursday. HiteJinro's soju exports to France recorded a cumulative growth of over 70 percent from 2020 to 2024, thanks to the growing local interest and expanding distribution channels. (HiteJinro)
Yahoo
11-06-2025
- Entertainment
- Yahoo
JINRO Unveils Global Collaboration with Netflix's Season 3
Limited-Edition Soju Set Inspired by New Characters and Iconic Symbols from the Global Phenomenon Series to Launch -Launch of a new limited-edition JINRO Chamisul soju reflecting the universe and new characters of the Netflix series Season 3-Large-scale collaboration including character-based game machine and collectible goods-Expansion to 18 countries globally, riding on the popularity of the Season 2 collaboration SEOUL, South Korea, June 11, 2025 /PRNewswire/ -- JINRO, the world's No.1 soju brand by HiteJinro, announced on June 10 its latest collaboration with Season 3 - the highly anticipated season of Netflix's globally acclaimed series. Building on the success of its Season 2 partnership, JINRO is launching a limited-edition Chamisul soju set inspired by the Season 3 universe and its new characters. The collection showcases key figures such as the iconic Pink Guards, the Young-hee doll now appearing in a new outfit distinct from Seasons 1 and 2, and the newly introduced Chul-su doll from Season 3. Also featured is the beloved JINRO toad, now dressed in a contestant uniform, further enhancing the collection's visual appeal. The limited-edition set also includes the Young-hee game machine, which went viral during the Season 2 campaign, sparking memes and online challenges worldwide. Rounding out the experience is a set of collectible, soju glasses, each concealing dalgona patterns at the bottom, offering fans an interactive nod to the series' infamous game. This expanded collaboration follows the major success of the Season 2 launch in late 2024 across Korea, Japan, Australia, and Mexico. That release saw all products sold out within a month while related content featuring the Young-hee game machine amassed over 100 million views across social media platforms like YouTube and Instagram. Due to strong demand from additional markets, the Season 3 edition will be released across 18 countries: Korea, the United States, Japan, the Philippines, Malaysia, Indonesia, Thailand, Cambodia, Hong Kong, the United Kingdom, Mexico, Australia, Taiwan, Mongolia, France, Bahrain, the United Arab Emirates, and Laos. To celebrate the launch, JINRO has been invited by Netflix as an exclusive brand partner to host a booth at the Season 3 global fan event. Scheduled for June 20 at Domino Park in New York City, USA, the JINRO booth will feature JINRO product tastings and giveaways, including a special limited-edition JINRO x gift kit. "We are delighted to connect with global consumers through partnerships with internationally renowned pop culture content," said Hwang Jung-Ho, head of HiteJinro's Overseas Business Division. "JINRO will continue to lead in brand outreach through friendly yet innovative marketing efforts." JINRO BRAND STORY Since its founding in 1924, JINRO - HiteJinro's global soju brand- has become Korea's leading soju brand and the world's No.1 distilled spirit. Far beyond just a drink, JINRO soju is a cultural connector—bringing people together across countries, communities, and conversations. Connect with JINRO on social media:YouTube: Instagram: Facebook: View original content to download multimedia: SOURCE HITEJINRO
Yahoo
10-06-2025
- Entertainment
- Yahoo
JINRO Unveils Global Collaboration with Netflix's Season 3
Limited-Edition Soju Set Inspired by New Characters and Iconic Symbols from the Global Phenomenon Series to Launch -Launch of a new limited-edition JINRO Chamisul soju reflecting the universe and new characters of the Netflix series Season 3-Large-scale collaboration including character-based game machine and collectible goods-Expansion to 18 countries globally, riding on the popularity of the Season 2 collaboration SEOUL, South Korea, June 10, 2025 /PRNewswire/ -- JINRO, the world's No.1 soju brand by HiteJinro, announced on June 10 its latest collaboration with Season 3 - the highly anticipated season of Netflix's globally acclaimed series. Building on the success of its Season 2 partnership, JINRO is launching a limited-edition Chamisul soju set inspired by the Season 3 universe and its new characters. The collection showcases key figures such as the iconic Pink Guards, the Young-hee doll now appearing in a new outfit distinct from Seasons 1 and 2, and the newly introduced Chul-su doll from Season 3. Also featured is the beloved JINRO toad, now dressed in a contestant uniform, further enhancing the collection's visual appeal. The limited-edition set also includes the Young-hee game machine, which went viral during the Season 2 campaign, sparking memes and online challenges worldwide. Rounding out the experience is a set of collectible, soju glasses, each concealing dalgona patterns at the bottom, offering fans an interactive nod to the series' infamous game. This expanded collaboration follows the major success of the Season 2 launch in late 2024 across Korea, Japan, Australia, and Mexico. That release saw all products sold out within a month while related content featuring the Young-hee game machine amassed over 100 million views across social media platforms like YouTube and Instagram. Due to strong demand from additional markets, the Season 3 edition will be released across 18 countries: Korea, the United States, Japan, the Philippines, Malaysia, Indonesia, Thailand, Cambodia, Hong Kong, the United Kingdom, Mexico, Australia, Taiwan, Mongolia, France, Bahrain, the United Arab Emirates, and Laos. To celebrate the launch, JINRO has been invited by Netflix as an exclusive brand partner to host a booth at the Season 3 global fan event. Scheduled for June 20 at Domino Park in New York City, USA, the JINRO booth will feature JINRO product tastings and giveaways, including a special limited-edition JINRO x gift kit. "We are delighted to connect with global consumers through partnerships with internationally renowned pop culture content," said Hwang Jung-Ho, head of HiteJinro's Overseas Business Division. "JINRO will continue to lead in brand outreach through friendly yet innovative marketing efforts." JINRO BRAND STORY Since its founding in 1924, JINRO - HiteJinro's global soju brand- has become Korea's leading soju brand and the world's No.1 distilled spirit. Far beyond just a drink, JINRO soju is a cultural connector—bringing people together across countries, communities, and conversations. Connect with JINRO on social media:YouTube: Instagram: Facebook: View original content to download multimedia: SOURCE HITEJINRO
Forbes
06-06-2025
- Business
- Forbes
These Korean Whiskeys Are Giving Japan And Scotland A Run For Their Money
A line of tasting glasses filled with different types of Whiskies for tasting, with the focus on the ... More second glass, the rest is out of focus For years, whisky in Korea was something you poured at a karaoke bar to impress your boss—or drank with imported Scotch while making awkward small talk at a business dinner. But in the past few years, the country's relationship with whiskey has shifted from boardroom obligation to genuine obsession. Today, a new generation of distillers is shaping Korea's whisky future with locally distilled, aged, and blended spirits that stand proudly on their own. It's not just imitation Scotch anymore—these bottles are uniquely Korean, expressive, and in many cases, surprisingly delicious. Here's what you need to know about Korean whisky's roots, and a few bottles you should seek out if you want to drink like you're ahead of the trend. Glass of whiskey with ice cubes on the old barrel. With copy space on wooden background Whisky in Korea has long been synonymous with imports—mostly Scotch and, more recently, Japanese whisky. Local conglomerates like HiteJinro and Doosan dabbled in bottling blends under license, but true domestic whisky? Not so much. That started to change in the 2010s. Changes to Korea's liquor laws made small-scale distilling more feasible, and a few adventurous makers—some with Scotch whisky pedigrees—began laying down barrels. Thus the country's decision to go with that whisky spelling rather than whiskey. Now, Korea is starting to produce some genuinely interesting whiskeys of its own. They may not have decades in the barrel (yet), but they do have something Scotch never will: a Korean passport and a local perspective. Ki One 'Tiger Edition' Namyangju, Gyeonggi Province Three Societies is where Korean whisky officially found its cool older cousin who studied abroad and came back with stories. Founded by Korean-American entrepreneur Bryan Do and helmed by Scottish master distiller Andrew Shand (formerly of The Macallan), this is the country's first true single malt distillery. The Ki One Tiger Edition—their first release—was bottled at a cask-strength 56.2% ABV and made from 100% Korean barley. It's got warm notes of roasted chestnut, apricot jam, grain biscuits, and a whisper of citrus peel, with a surprisingly structured finish for something so young. Think of it as Korea's whisky debutante ball—and yes, she wore tiger stripes. The Signature Busan Golden Blue is kind of like Korea's Crown Royal: loved, ubiquitous, and smoother than you'd expect. It's technically a blend and clocks in at a modest 36.5% ABV, which means it's legally whiskey in Korea, but it might raise eyebrows elsewhere. That said, this is a bottle built for session sipping. The Signature offers flavors of light honey, grain toast, and a faint floral tea finish, and it goes down easier than a Zoom call with the camera off. It's especially popular with Korean drinkers who are just starting to explore whisky, or anyone who wants to feel fancy without working too hard for it. Photography of a glass whisky with ice. North Gyeongsang Province Named after Korea's mythical white tiger and Mount Paektu (the spiritual 'roof' of the Korean peninsula), this new distillery is aiming for myth-making right out of the gate. And surprisingly? They might just pull it off. The Paektu Malt offers delicate notes of Asian pear, almond, oak spice, and jujube, wrapped in a silky texture that suggests careful blending and a lot of taste-testing (for science, of course). With more regional cask experiments on the way, White Tiger could be the one to watch if you like your whisky with a backstory and a bite. Korean whiskey is still in its early chapters—but it's already telling some compelling stories. While many of these bottles are hard to find outside Korea (for now), that's part of the fun. Next time you're browsing the spirits aisle or stocking your global whiskey shelf, leave a little room for Seoul. You'll be glad you did.
Korea Herald
28-05-2025
- Business
- Korea Herald
Soju from shelves to tables: HiteJinro raises toast to Philippines
Targeting every retail touchpoint, HiteJinro pushes to make Korean soju staple in Filipino drinking culture MANILA, Philippines — A shared glass of liquor, known as tagay in the Philippines, has long been central to Filipino communal drinking. Yet while the drinking tradition has endured, what fills those glasses is shifting — especially among K-pop fans and spirit lovers — from familiar gin or rum to soju bearing the Jinro label from South Korea's leading soju-maker, HiteJinro. The once-exotic green bottles now have greater visibility, not only in Korean barbecue joints, but also in supermarkets, convenience stores and Filipino households. Supermarket essential In the city of Paranaque's Puregold, one of Manila's major hypermarket chains, the liquor aisle tells the story. Browsing the shelves stocked with Jinro soju bottles is Andrea, a 21-year-old Filipina consumer introduced to the world of soju through K-pop and Korean TV dramas. 'I prefer drinking soju because its taste is smoother than strong Filipino spirits, and I experience less of a hangover the next day,' she said. 'I drink soju about once or twice a week, mostly with family or while watching Korean dramas on Netflix or YouTube.' A Puregold official took note of the brand's current popularity: 'Despite its foreign origin, it has become a go-to drink for many local families.' At S&R Membership Shopping, a membership-based warehouse club, in the capital Manila, Jinro set up a small tasting booth where Erwin, a 43-year-old former bartender, sampled a shot of soju. 'There's definitely a strong sense of trust in Korean-made products in the Philippines,' he noted. 'I often drink soju when gathering with friends on weekends. With the variety of options like fruit flavors, we enjoy mixing it in different ways. 'But most of all, I like the original soju the most because it's the cleanest and smoothest.' Marie Phil Reyes, managing director at HiteJinro Philippines, explained the shifting trend, 'Fruit-flavored soju helped introduce locals to soju, and more recently, the share of regular soju consumption among locals has grown significantly.' Distribution networks Behind expanded distribution into both the Korean community and mainstream retail are local partners: Premier Wines & Spirits, which focuses on distributing soju through local channels, and K&L, which primarily supplies Korean restaurants and convenience stores. In terms of sales volume, the total comes to around 550 to 600 containers a year, with each container holding 1,260 boxes of soju, and each box consisting of 20 bottles. K&L accounts for roughly 60 percent of the market share. At K&L's office, with a warehouse stocked with 36 containers' worth of soju just next door, CEO Kang Jung-hee recounted the transformation firsthand. 'Back when the company first started 30 years ago, soju sales were minimal, with few Korean expatriates and tourists,' Kang said. 'But over time, particularly after establishing the local subsidiary, we've been able to greatly expand retail channels and step up our marketing efforts.' Embedded in local life Jinro's integration into the local market was not simply about placing bottles on shelves, as Kang noted. It was also driven by marketing campaigns to make Korean drinking culture feel like a natural part of local social life, integrated into traditions like pulutan — snacks and plates akin to tapas shared while drinking — and videoke, a portmanteau of karaoke and video, to forge deeper connections with Filipino drinkers. Events include sponsoring local K-content fan gatherings and gourmet events, while actively engaging with the nation's younger generations through a strong digital presence on social media platforms. Among the standout campaigns was the launch of Jinro Live, a local adaptation of HiteJinro's decade-old Korean live-singing series Isul Live, to bring the energy of Korean-style drinking shows to Manila's social scene. Livestreamed from a Samgyupsalamat restaurant, a Korean barbecue chain with 70 locations, the event featured Filipino hip-hop duo GY. Groups of consumers packed the two-story venue, enjoying sizzling pork belly and clinking soju glasses. 'I love how well soju pairs with samgyeopsal, and I especially enjoy it while watching sports with friends,' said Goldi, a 21-year-old customer. Another customer, Lalli, added, 'Among Korean dishes, I love samgyeopsal and tteokbokki the most — they go really well with soju.' The show, meanwhile, engaged the audience with the traditional tagay toast and flowed into drinking games, personal anecdotes and live performances. 'More than a typical drinking show, Jinro Live is content that highlights how Jinro can fit in with Philippine pop culture,' said an official from HiteJinro. 'With key themes of Korean food, soju and music in focus, we're building brand affinity and plan to continue expanding our localized marketing efforts aimed at younger generations in the Philippines.' minmin@
