By Kim Tong-hyung
Staff Reporter
H1N1 influenza wasn't the only epidemic to hit Korea in 2009, as makgeolli and Kim Yu-na shook the nation just as hard, as shown in a survey from a local think tank.
Makgeoli, the milky, traditional beverage that suddenly became fashionable over the past year, finished atop the Samsung Economic Research Institute's (SERI) list of the greatest hit products of the year, which was made public Wednesday.
The top-10 list was based on a survey of more than 11,000 of SERI's online readers, who were asked to pick 10 of 52 items provided by the research institute.
Flu-themed products, such as surgical masks and sanitizers, came in second, followed by Kim Yu-na, the 19-year-old figure staking starlet and television commercial queen, who now appears to be the country's most transcendent personality bar none.
Light-emitting diode (LED) backlit liquid crystal display (LCD) televisions, currently the buzz product in consumer electronics, and smartphones, or the new generation of data-enabled handsets such as the Apple iPhone, were included in the top five.
``Queen Seondeok,'' a television drama, finished sixth, followed by pop girl groups, such as Girls' Generation and 2NE1, in seventh.
Walking tour traveling products, which have become popular in Jeju Island and other tourist destinations; the small-to-mid-sized ``bogeum jari'' apartments, popular for their affordable prices; and ``QOOK,'' the new consumer brand by telecommunications giant, KT, rounded up the top-10 in that order.
``Although the uncertainties brought by the economic downturn and the fear over the spread of the H1N1 virus dampened the mood of 2009, a number of new technologies and innovative ideas managed to spark the consumer sentiment,'' SERI said.
``Consumers this year have been delighted by rediscovering the values of old things, seen by the boom of makgeolli and walking tours. They also celebrated the emergence of new personalities giving them new hope, such as Kim Yu-na and the characters from 'Queen Seondeok,' and recognized innovations, seen by the boom of LED televisions and smartphones.''
Makgeolli, a cheap alcohol with a bittersweet taste, has never been more popular here or abroad, with the makers improving the quality of their products over the years and the economic downturn having drinkers look for more affordable booze.
The local consumption of makgeolli reached 158,309 kiloliters through October this year, representing a 38.9 percent increase from the previous year. In comparison, the consumption of beer and soju, a traditional distilled beverage, dropped 1.9 percent and 4.3 percent, respectively, during the same period.
Makgeolli is also growing as an export item, with the makers earning around $4.25 million from foreign markets, more than a 30 percent increase from last year.
The nationwide scare over the H1N1 epidemic has had flu-related items such as masks and sanitizers flying off shelves throughout the year. Masks and sanitizers, in fact, were the top two best selling items of the year by Auction (www.auction.co.kr), the country's largest online retailer.
Kim Yu-na, currently the world's No. 1 in the International Skating Union (ISU) and fresh off her win at the Grand Prix Final in Japan last week, is drawing comparisons with past figure staking greats like Michelle Kwan for her ability on the ice. Her ability to create Internet traffic is more reminiscent of Anna Kournikova.
Samsung Electronics, the world's largest flat-screen television maker, has benefited from getting early out of the gate in LED-backlit LCD televisions, while KT's release of the iPhone in November is igniting a smartphone craze in the local mobile market.
Just missing out of the top-10 list were the country's new 50,000-won banknotes; YF Sonata, the new mid-sized sedan by Hyundai Motors; bicycles; and related leisure products; leggings; ``screen golf'' indoor virtual games; the cable television show, ``Men and Women Exploration''; and budding LPGA star Shin Ji-yai.