[Gu Eun-mo's Sake Story] Yang Tae-seok, CEO of Geumpung Brewery, "Exploring Various Revenue Models Using the Century-old Brewery Platform"

<12> Incheon Ganghwa 'Geumpung Yangjo'②

Developing from Manufacturing Facility to Cultural Space
Increasing Visitor Attraction through Registration as Cultural Heritage

"We plan to utilize the brewery space as a platform that can generate various sources of revenue."

Yang Taeseok, CEO of Geumpung Brewery, expressed in an interview with Asia Economy on the 1st that he intends to explore and continue attempts to use the brewery, which has a long history of a hundred years, not merely as a manufacturing space for making alcohol but as a new cultural enjoyment space.

Yang Tae-seok, CEO of Geumpung Brewery

He revealed that while the nearly hundred-year history and tradition of the brewery are important, he hopes people will pay more attention to how the brewery transforms into a new cultural space based on its past. One of the first initiatives CEO Yang undertook to test the brewery's potential as a cultural space was the "Visiting Brewery" program. This project, started in 2013 by the Ministry of Agriculture, Food and Rural Affairs and the Korea Agro-Fisheries & Food Trade Corporation, aims to develop regional attractions combined with experiential tourism. Geumpung Brewery was the first selected in the Incheon area last year.

Geumpung Brewery operates a makgeolli-making experience program and brewery tour program for visitors. CEO Yang aims to run the brewery so that visitors can enjoy it with all five senses. He explained, "A key point is not just to have people remember the brewery by taste but also by scent." To this end, they created goods like incense and scented candles themed around Ganghwa-gun, Gilsang-myeon, and Onsu-ri, and collaborated with florists to decorate the entire brewery with fresh flowers, increasing visitor attraction. He added, "We plan to create various revenue models so that visitors do not just buy alcohol and leave but find it fun to look around and purchase after tasting what suits their palate, thereby boosting sales." He also said, "In the future, we intend to maintain a sales ratio of about 60% from paid brewery experience programs and 40% from alcohol sales."

The second floor of Geumpung Brewery preserving its past appearance

In addition to being selected as a Visiting Brewery last year, Geumpung Brewery was also registered as a cultural heritage site by Incheon City. Built in 1931 during the Japanese colonial period, it preserves and maintains the architectural style of a modern factory and is historically recognized for showcasing the industrialization process and development of the Ganghwa area after the opening of the port. Currently, the first floor of the brewery still has a well over 100 years old and walls made using rice husks, and the second floor houses a warehouse where nuruk (fermentation starter) was stored.

CEO Yang explained the background of pursuing cultural heritage registration, saying, "Although some discouraged me because registering a privately owned building as cultural heritage restricts property rights, I wanted to create more reasons for many people to visit and see it." He added, "Personally, I wanted to give the cultural heritage registration as a gift to my father," and emphasized, "For our family, owning and operating a cultural heritage brewery holds significant meaning."

This year, he is also preparing a new project to create a lounge-style space on the land next to the brewery. CEO Yang said, "We plan to establish a space within this year, inspired by airport lounges, where tourists visiting Ganghwa can comfortably visit, enjoy not only the brewery’s alcohol but also various local specialties, and enjoy performances." He emphasized, "Geumpung Brewery will continue to plan and create diverse content so that it becomes a lively space where many people can visit, enjoy, and make memories."