HiteJinro brings Korean heritage to Dodger Stadium

HiteJinro's toad mascot / Courtesy of HiteJinro

Dressed in K-pop flair, HiteJinro’s iconic toad mascot took the mound at Dodger Stadium as the Los Angeles Dodgers hosted a night celebrating Korean culture’s expanding footprint in American sports.

HiteJinro said Tuesday that about 50,000 fans attended Korean Heritage Night last Thursday, when the Dodgers played against the Milwaukee Brewers.

The event, held at Dodger Stadium, featured promotions designed to give local consumers a closer experience with JINRO, the company's Korean soju brand.

The night's most conspicuous guest was HiteJinro's signature toad mascot, which appeared in a K-pop-inspired outfit and threw the ceremonial first pitch to cheers from the crowd.

Fans also visited a HiteJinro promotional booth, where they could sample fruit-flavored soju and receive discount coupons for the JINRO BAR inside the stadium.

Limited-edition Dodgers and JINRO merchandise, including a collaborative fan and key rings, was also offered during the event.

A JINRO-logo Dodgers uniform produced by the baseball club for the occasion drew a strong response from fans, the company said.

The Dodgers have held Korean Heritage Night annually since 2016 as an event intended to strengthen ties with the Korean American community and introduce Korean culture to local fans.

HiteJinro has participated in the event as part of its effort to position JINRO not simply as a Korean alcohol brand but as a representative of Korean culture.

The company has maintained a partnership with the Dodgers for 15 years since signing its agreement with the club in 2012, the company said.

Sales at the JINRO BAR at Dodger Stadium rose about 85 percent last year from the previous year, according to HiteJinro.

Hwang Jung-ho, executive vice president of HiteJinro's overseas business division, said the event offered a meaningful opportunity to connect directly with American consumers and promote JINRO's brand.

Hwang said the company would continue expanding sports and K-culture marketing to broaden JINRO's presence in the U.S. market.

This article was published with the assistance of generative AI and edited by The Korea Times.