While soju's staggering production of over 1.2 billion liters—commanding a colossal 92% share of Korea's liquor output—anchors the industry, a dynamic story of craft beer surges, booming exports, and evolving domestic tastes reveals a market fermenting with change.
Key Takeaways
- In 2022, South Korea's soju production totaled 1,234 million liters, accounting for 92% of total liquor production.
- Makgeolli production in South Korea reached 45.6 million liters in 2022, up 12% from 2021.
- Beer production volume in South Korea was 1,456 million liters in 2022, with HiteJinro leading at 45% market share.
- Per capita pure alcohol from domestic production: 6.2 liters in 2022.
- Soju consumption volume: 85 million cases (360ml) in 2022.
- Average annual soju consumption per adult: 90 bottles in 2022.
- Liquor industry revenue: 12.5 trillion KRW in 2022.
- Soju market size: 5.8 trillion KRW, 65% of liquor revenue in 2022.
- Beer market revenue: 3.2 trillion KRW in 2022.
- Soju exports value: 1.2 billion USD in 2022.
- Beer exports volume: 89 million liters in 2022.
- Top soju export market USA: 320 million USD in 2022.
- Liquor imports value: 2.8 billion USD in 2022.
- Wine imports volume: 145 million liters, 65% of total alcohol imports in 2022.
- Whisky imports: 45 million liters valued at 1.2 billion USD in 2022.
The Korean alcohol industry is dominated by soju, while craft and premium segments grow significantly.
Consumption
- Per capita pure alcohol from domestic production: 6.2 liters in 2022.
- Soju consumption volume: 85 million cases (360ml) in 2022.
- Average annual soju consumption per adult: 90 bottles in 2022.
- Beer consumption: 42.3 liters per capita in 2022.
- Total alcohol consumption: 8.92 liters pure alcohol per capita aged 15+ in 2022.
- Soju market share in liquor consumption: 76.4% in 2022.
- Off-trade soju sales volume: 1,089 million liters in 2022.
- On-trade beer consumption: 55% of total beer sales in 2022.
- Makgeolli consumption per capita: 0.9 liters in 2022.
- Whiskey consumption growth: 15% YoY to 12.4 million liters in 2022.
- Female soju drinkers: 45% of adult females consumed at least weekly in 2022.
- Youth (19-29) alcohol consumption rate: 68.3% in 2022.
- Home consumption of liquor: 62% of total in 2022 post-COVID.
- Premium soju consumption: 25% of total soju intake in 2022.
- Beer consumption occasions: 2.1 times per week average in 2022.
- Wine consumption per capita: 2.3 liters in 2022.
- Cocktail ready-to-drink consumption: 8.5 million liters in 2022.
- Abstinence rate among adults: 32.1% in 2022.
- Soju with meals consumption: 78% of drinkers in 2022.
- Low/no alcohol beer consumption: 15% market penetration in 2022.
- Regional consumption: Seoul soju intake 28% of national total in 2022.
- Weekend binge drinking rate: 22.4% in 2022.
- Imported spirits consumption: 18% of total spirits in 2022.
- Age 30-39 peak consumption group: 4.5 liters pure alcohol monthly avg.
- Non-carbonated RTD consumption growth: 22% in 2022.
- Traditional liquor consumption revival: 18% increase in 2022.
- Per capita spirits consumption: 5.8 liters pure alcohol equivalent in 2022.
- Online alcohol purchase for consumption: 35% of sales in 2022.
- Health-conscious low-ABV consumption: 42% preference in 2022.
- Group drinking sessions average: 3.2 participants, 2.5 liters total in 2022.
Consumption Interpretation
Korea’s identity is still bottled in soju, but the national drinking culture is fermenting with change as health-consciousness, premium sips, and home pours slowly dilute the old rituals of group binges.
Exports
- Soju exports value: 1.2 billion USD in 2022.
- Beer exports volume: 89 million liters in 2022.
- Top soju export market USA: 320 million USD in 2022.
- Makgeolli exports: 12.5 million liters valued at 45 million USD in 2022.
- Whisky exports from Korea: 25 million liters in 2022.
- Total liquor exports volume: 156 million liters in 2022.
- China soju imports from Korea: 150 million USD in 2022.
- Japan beer exports: 12 million liters in 2022.
- Growth in soju exports to Vietnam: 45% YoY to 80 million USD in 2022.
- Premium soju export share: 28% of total export value in 2022.
- USA makgeolli imports: 5.2 million USD in 2022.
- Korean craft beer exports: 3.4 million liters to 20 countries in 2022.
- EU soju market penetration: 15% growth, 45 million USD in 2022.
- Traditional liquor exports: 8.7 million USD in 2022.
- Australia liquor imports from Korea: 22 million USD in 2022.
- Export packaging innovation: 60% PET bottles for soju exports in 2022.
- Top export product soju cases: 25 million to USA in 2022.
- Southeast Asia total exports: 210 million USD in 2022.
- Whisky export to duty-free shops: 40% of total whisky exports in 2022.
- Year-over-year export growth: 18% for all liquor in 2022.
- Number of export markets: 85 countries for Korean liquor in 2022.
- Canada soju sales via export: 35 million USD in 2022.
- Low-alcohol export variants: 55% of soju exported in 2022.
- Beer export to China recovery: 20 million liters in 2022.
- Fruit wine exports: 4.5 million liters in 2022.
- Export promotion events: 120 participated in 2022.
- Soju export volume growth to Asia: 22% in 2022.
- Total export revenue growth: 25.3% from 2021 to 2022.
Exports Interpretation
While Soju is leading the global charge as Korea’s liquid diplomat, the figures reveal a cunning, multi-pronged strategy where premium sips conquer the West, PET-clad bottles conquer logistics, and a tipsy 85 countries are happily raising a glass to this well-orchestrated spirit of export.
Imports & Regulations
- Liquor imports value: 2.8 billion USD in 2022.
- Wine imports volume: 145 million liters, 65% of total alcohol imports in 2022.
- Whisky imports: 45 million liters valued at 1.2 billion USD in 2022.
- Beer imports: 12.3 million liters in 2022.
- France wine import share: 32% of total wine imports in 2022.
- Liquor import tariff rate: 20-40% depending on category in 2022.
- USA spirits imports to Korea: 450 million USD in 2022.
- Imported wine consumption share: 92% of total wine consumed in 2022.
- Cognac imports volume: 8.7 million liters in 2022.
- Import licenses issued: 2,450 for liquor in 2022.
- Australia wine imports: 15% share, 22 million liters in 2022.
- Scotch whisky import dominance: 75% of whisky imports in 2022.
- Low-alcohol import regulations tightened: Max 8% ABV cap review in 2022.
- Chile wine FTA impact: 25% duty reduction in 2022.
- Import rejection rate for liquor: 1.2% due to standards in 2022.
- EU spirits imports growth: 12% to 650 million USD in 2022.
- Labeling regulations: 100% compliance required for imports since 2022.
- Quota on rice liquor imports: 5,000 tons annually in 2022.
- Online import sales platforms regulated: 40% of imports via e-com in 2022.
- Health warning labels mandatory on all imports from 2022.
- VAT on imports: 10% standard rate in 2022.
- Inspection centers for liquor imports: 15 operational in 2022.
- Counterfeit import seizures: 1,200 cases valued 45 million USD in 2022.
- Japan sake imports: 2.1 million liters in 2022.
- Organic import certification: 320 products approved in 2022.
- FTA utilization rate for alcohol imports: 68% in 2022.
Imports & Regulations Interpretation
Korea's insatiable thirst for foreign spirits, especially wine and whisky, has created a sophisticated, highly-regulated, and multi-billion-dollar import scene where France pours the wine, Scotland dominates the dram, and every bottle battles through a gauntlet of tariffs, inspections, and mandatory warnings on its way to the glass.
Market Size & Revenue
- Liquor industry revenue: 12.5 trillion KRW in 2022.
- Soju market size: 5.8 trillion KRW, 65% of liquor revenue in 2022.
- Beer market revenue: 3.2 trillion KRW in 2022.
- Total alcohol retail sales: 15.4 trillion KRW including VAT in 2022.
- HiteJinro revenue from alcohol: 2.1 trillion KRW in 2022.
- Lotte Chilsung Beverage alcohol revenue: 1.8 trillion KRW in 2022.
- Off-trade alcohol sales value: 8.7 trillion KRW in 2022.
- On-premise sales recovery: 45% of pre-COVID levels at 4.2 trillion KRW in 2022.
- Premium liquor segment revenue growth: 14% to 1.9 trillion KRW in 2022.
- E-commerce alcohol sales: 1.2 trillion KRW, 12% of total in 2022.
- Convenience store liquor sales: 2.8 trillion KRW in 2022.
- Supermarket/hypermarket share: 35% of off-trade revenue in 2022.
- Whisky subcategory revenue: 850 billion KRW in 2022.
- Makgeolli market value: 320 billion KRW in 2022.
- Craft beer revenue: 180 billion KRW, up 25% in 2022.
- Average soju bottle price: 1,780 KRW in 2022.
- Beer average price per liter: 1,450 KRW in 2022.
- Liquor tax revenue contribution: 7.3 trillion KRW to government in 2022.
- Employment in alcohol industry: 45,000 direct jobs in 2022.
- Market concentration: Top 3 firms 72% of soju revenue in 2022.
- Inflation impact on alcohol prices: 4.2% average rise in 2022.
- RTD cocktails market value: 450 billion KRW in 2022.
- Wine retail revenue: 1.1 trillion KRW in 2022.
- Non-alcoholic beer revenue growth: 30% to 120 billion KRW in 2022.
Market Size & Revenue Interpretation
While soju continues to hold the nation's purse strings and its taste buds hostage, commanding an impressive 65% of liquor revenue, the industry's landscape is soberingly split between pandemic-scarred bars, a booming premium shift, and a taxman happily collecting his 7.3 trillion KRW share.
Production
- In 2022, South Korea's soju production totaled 1,234 million liters, accounting for 92% of total liquor production.
- Makgeolli production in South Korea reached 45.6 million liters in 2022, up 12% from 2021.
- Beer production volume in South Korea was 1,456 million liters in 2022, with HiteJinro leading at 45% market share.
- Total distilled spirits production excluding soju was 78.2 million liters in 2022.
- Fruit wine production grew to 23.4 million liters in 2022, driven by plum and berry variants.
- Soju production facilities numbered 156 in South Korea as of 2022.
- Average soju alcohol content standardized at 16.9% ABV in 2022 production.
- Craft beer production surged 28% to 12.5 million liters in 2022.
- Traditional liquor (yakju) production was 5.8 million liters in 2022.
- Soju bottle sizes standardized: 360ml units produced 3.2 billion bottles in 2022.
- Wine production from domestic grapes hit 8.7 million liters in 2022.
- Rice used for makgeolli production: 120,000 tons in 2022.
- Brandy production volume: 15.3 million liters in South Korea 2022.
- Low-alcohol soju (under 17% ABV) comprised 78% of total soju production in 2022.
- PET bottle soju production increased 35% to 450 million liters in 2022.
- Whiskey production by domestic firms: 4.2 million liters in 2022.
- Sake production: 2.1 million liters, mostly for export preparation in 2022.
- Carbonated alcoholic beverages production: 67 million liters in 2022.
- Organic liquor certification: 1,245 products in production as of 2022.
- Barley for beer production: 85,000 tons imported and used in 2022.
- Soju production per capita: 24 liters annually in 2022.
- High-end soju (premium) production: 156 million liters, 12% of total in 2022.
- Rice wine production excluding makgeolli: 9.4 million liters in 2022.
- Liqueur production: 11.2 million liters in South Korea 2022.
- Total liquor production value: 4.2 trillion KRW in 2022.
- Number of breweries: 1,234 active in 2022.
- Soju dilution production method used in 95% of facilities in 2022.
- Fruit liquor production: 18.7 million liters, led by plum liquor.
- Beer malt production equivalent: 250,000 tons in 2022.
- Experimental craft distillery licenses issued: 45 in 2022.
Production Interpretation
While soju utterly dominates the Korean drinking landscape like a clear, potent monarch, the spirited undercurrent of craft beer surges, makgeolli revives, and fruit wines blossom, proving the nation's palate is both proudly traditional and delightfully adventurous.
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