[Report] "Young customers come a lot" MZ Generation captivated by the charm of whiskey

Popular Whiskey Bought in Lines by 20s and 30s... Popular for 'Home Parties' and 'Hon-sul'
Whiskey Imports from January to May Increased 1.6 Times Compared to Last Year
Distribution Industry Launches Customized Events for MZ Amid Soaring Whiskey Demand

A whiskey store in Namdaemun Market, Seoul. Recently, whiskey has gained a lot of popularity among people in their 20s and 30s. Photo by Kim Jeongwan kjw106@

[Asia Economy Reporter Kim Jung-wan] "These days, most customers are young people," "Many come with friends and buy together."

At 12 p.m. on the 22nd, despite it being a weekday lunchtime, young people in their 20s and 30s were gathered at a whiskey store in Namdaemun Market, Jung-gu, Seoul. They said they came to buy whiskey for a special day’s 'home party.' Some even shared their own tips on enjoying whiskey, saying it tastes better when stored at room temperature.

While whiskey used to be considered a drink exclusive to middle-aged and older adults and an expensive liquor, it is now popular among young people as a more affordable drink with various flavors to enjoy with friends. For popular whiskeys, people sometimes line up as if waiting at a famous restaurant to purchase them.

At a whiskey store that day, a university student, Mr. Shin (25), said, "I originally thought whiskey was a drink for older people, so I wasn’t very interested. But as COVID-19 worsened and we couldn’t drink at bars, we started gathering at home for 'home parties,' and my friends and I decided to try expensive drinks, so I got into whiskey." He added, "When it’s someone’s birthday like today, we pool money together and drink." He mentioned he came to buy 'Balvenie,' a popular liquor among the MZ generation recently.

The high interest of the MZ generation in whiskey can also be easily confirmed by statistics. CU convenience store’s event selling the `Macallan Rare Cask` to only six people had a competition rate of 9,453 to 1, receiving enthusiastic responses. Among the applicants, those in their 30s (56%) were the largest group, followed by those in their 20s (27%), with participants in their 20s and 30s making up over 80% of all applicants.

When GS25 analyzed liquor sales data in February, a similar pattern was observed. The proportion of consumers in their 20s and 30s purchasing whiskey exceeded 70%, showing a sharp increase over two years. Also, searching `#whiskey` on Instagram, which is widely used by young people, yields over 610,000 posts.

Around 12:30 PM on the 22nd, citizens are purchasing whiskey at a whiskey store in Namdaemun Market, Seoul. Photo by Jeongwan Kim kjw106@

Whiskey import volume is also increasing. According to customs export-import trade statistics, whiskey imports from January to May reached 97.7 million dollars, about 1.6 times higher than the same period last year. Whiskey import performance increased by 32.4%, from 132.46 million dollars in 2020 to 175.34 million dollars last year.

The industry analyzes that the culture of home parties, which has become more established due to the impact of COVID-19, influenced this trend. Ms. A, a woman in her 50s who runs a liquor store, said, "Young people come the most, saying they want to enjoy drinking alone or home parties. They even line up to buy whiskey alone. I feel the culture has changed a lot."

Mr. Lee (40), who runs another liquor store, said he has recently often encountered young customers buying whiskey. He said, "These days, groups of 3 to 4 young people come, pool money, and buy one or two bottles. There are many drinks in the 100,000 won range, and many buy more expensive ones too. In the past, mostly older people came, but now most customers are young."

Young people in their 20s and 30s sometimes visited whiskey stores in groups of three to four, and sometimes came alone. Photo by Kim Jeongwan kjw106@

Mr. Kim (27), who often visits Namdaemun Market to enjoy drinking alone, said, "I saw a friend enjoying whiskey on SNS, and after COVID, I started enjoying drinking alone and also drinking whiskey." He added, "Before, I thought whiskey was expensive and tasted strong, so I thought people who enjoyed it were showing off, but after learning more, I realized it has various flavors and is a good drink to enjoy since you can drink it one glass at a time after opening and store it at room temperature."

Experts diagnose this as a phenomenon well reflecting the characteristics of the MZ generation, who actively invest time in what they like and enjoy it. They analyze that various whiskey purchase events and searching for affordable prices are also related to the information power of people in their 20s and 30s during the whiskey consumption process.

Professor Lee Eun-hee of Inha University’s Consumer Studies Department explained, "Now, it is much easier to search for information online than before, and the MZ generation understands very well which products or services are good. So they compare and try various products or services even if they are a bit more expensive."

Professor Kwak Geum-ju of Seoul National University’s Psychology Department said, "They are very good at finding information about discounts or cheap options when buying products or choosing travel destinations. Because of their information power, they seem to be a generation that enjoys high-priced products relatively cheaply." He added, "They also tend to try things they like or want to experience even if they have to save money elsewhere."