[Gu Eun-mo's Sake Story] Choi Young-eun, CEO of C Makgeolli, "The Traditional Liquor Boom Reflects a Desire for Diversity"

<7> Gyeonggi Yangpyeong 'C Makgeolli'②

Recent Korean Alcohol Boom, Expression and Relief of Thirst for Various Drinks
Result of Institutional Support and Brewers' Efforts
To Sustain the Trend, Must Continuously Create Irreplaceable Alcohols

Choi Young-eun, CEO of C Makgeolli

[Asia Economy Reporter Eunmo Koo] "I believe the growing interest in our traditional alcohol reflects a yearning for diversity."

Choi Young-eun, CEO of C Makgeolli, stated in an interview with Asia Economy on the 16th that the recent craze for traditional liquors, including Makgeolli, is due to the traditional liquor market responding to social and contemporary demands for diversity.

As drinking culture rapidly changes, cracks are appearing even in the uniform market dominated by large corporations. CEO Choi pointed to various institutional measures established to promote traditional liquors and the efforts of producers and industry workers as the driving forces behind these cracks and changes. Institutional support such as allowing online sales and small-scale liquor manufacturing licenses has created an environment where diversity in our traditional alcohol can take root. Based on this foundation, many breweries have crafted distinctive liquors, allowing the long-suppressed desire for diverse drinks to be expressed and satisfied.

However, he cautioned that we must not forget that the recent cultural trend benefiting traditional liquors is part of a broader shift away from uniformity toward diversity. While it is true that the diversity of our traditional alcohol is gaining more attention and positive response than before, institutional support is only now beginning to show effects, and the efforts of breweries are becoming noticeable. The potential, quality, and overall industry have yet to be fully recognized and stabilized.

Therefore, to maintain this positive momentum, he emphasized the need to continuously create irreplaceable liquors rather than monotonous ones. He explained, "If producers keep making the same liquor repeatedly, they will not be respected by consumers or within the distribution structure. C Makgeolli uses various ingredients to introduce new liquors every month because we want to secure differentiation from other liquors."

C Makgeolli 'Mediterranean Pink'

C Makgeolli has established a core product line that includes the flagship ‘Signature Cuvee’ and ‘Signature Nine,’ which is a version of the Signature Cuvee with alcohol content lowered to 9% and adjusted ingredient ratios. They strive to capture both the fun of choosing and the excitement of waiting by releasing new liquors every month. Recently, they introduced ‘Mediterranean Pink,’ made with organic basil and tomato, and ‘Wild Green,’ using kale and Artemisia annua. Through detailed tasting notes and specific pairing suggestions, they actively propose ways to enhance the taste, aroma, and drinking pleasure.

When discussing famous foreign liquors like wine, whiskey, or sake, stories about the history and philosophy of wineries or distilleries are often shared. However, such narratives are still lacking in Korean traditional liquors. This is likely due to insufficient differentiation among products and a lack of deeply built stories by producers. Yet, CEO Choi believes it is too early to be discouraged. The change has only just begun. He concluded, "Our goal is to create liquors that are like soulful works of art, and I believe we are on that path. I hope liquors like C Makgeolli become a genre of their own and that future generations will recognize them as such."