Japan's market for Korean 'makgeolli' has room to grow

TOKYO, Nov. 30 (Yonhap) -- The Japanese market for Korea's traditional rice wine,
"makgeolli," still has much room for growth, a South Korean businessman familiar
with the sector said Monday.

Kim Hyo-seop, who runs Idong Japan Co., the largest business for traditional
Korean alcoholic beverages in Japan, has been promoting makgeolli, a milky brew
with an alcohol content of 6-7 percent, since he launched operations 15 years
ago. He has been pitching the drink's health and skin care benefits to women in
their 20s and 30s.
"We started out by selling makgeolli in small quantities, such as 100 or 200
boxes. But we've been seeing an increase in sales of 20 percent annually," Kim
said.
Total exports jumped more than 20 percent in the first nine months of this year
from the same period last year to reach US$3.56 million, according to the Korea
Customs Service. Japan was the largest buyer, accounting for around 87 percent of
the total shipped abroad.
Exports of the traditional wine have surged recently on the back of strong demand
from Japan, but Kim says the size of the makgeolli market remains small. In
comparison, exports of the Korean traditional liquor soju, a distilled Vodka-like
liquor with an alcohol content of less than 35 percent, average $80 million per
year.
"Makgeolli started gaining popularity two to three years ago, but we'll have to
wait another five to 10 years before the market takes root," he said.
ecuedy@yna.co.kr
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