Hallyu to Soju

The Korean Wave is opening up new taste profiles.

Soju is the next big thing in spirits.

The IWSR is forecasting a CAGR volume growth of +16% between 2024 and 2029.

This is particularly notable for two reasons:

• Total US spirits volumes are predicted to decline 2% over the same timescale.
• The CAGR is comparable to that of tequila and RTDs when they were in their early emergence stage.

Soju is a clear, fairly neutral-tasting spirit, traditionally made from the fermentation of rice.

Similar in taste to vodka but with half the ABV, it is perfectly positioned for the moderation era.

With K-Pop, K-Dramas and K-Beauty driving global interest in Korean culture, consumers are entering a new phase of cultural exploration that extends into food and drink.

Korea refuses to assimilate into the global Western cultural machine, so consumers are coming to them.

With taste profiles just foreign enough to feel exciting, yet not too challenging, Korean food and drink are set to dominate menus.

Soju is just the tip of the iceberg.

Makgeolli

Cloudy, bubbly and sweet, Makgeolli is Korea’s rice wine.

Korean brewer Jipyeong reported record sales in 2025 and is expecting further growth in 2026.

Look out for it on bar menus soon.