Korea's traditional liquors step into neon-lit Seoul hotspot to woo Gen Z

International tourists sample traditional artisanal liquor from North Jeolla Province during the "Local Trip: Delicious" culinary pop-up event held on the roof of a regional tourism promotion shop in Seoul, June 17. Yonhap

Korea is bringing its ancestral spirits out of rural distilleries and into the neon-lit heart of Seoul’s fashion district, launching a high-profile retail initiative aimed at capturing global tourists and the domestic market.

The Ministry of Agriculture, Food and Rural Affairs, alongside the Korea Agro-Fisheries & Food Trade Corp. (aT), will officially open a second branch of Sool Gallery inside Doota Mall in Dongdaemun, Seoul’s bustling, neon-lit tourist and shopping hub, on Friday. The move represents a strategic push by policymakers to transform traditional alcohol into a modern cultural commodity. Rather than treating it as a legacy product from a bygone era, the ministry is re-introducing it to a target demographic of local Generation Z consumers and international travelers.

"Dongdaemun is a primary destination where younger consumers and global tourists converge," said Kim Jeong-wook, deputy minister of the Agricultural Business Innovation Policy Bureau. "We anticipate that this new Sool Gallery will become an accessible, engaging hub where visitors can experience our heritage spirits in entirely fresh and entertaining ways."

Located on the second basement floor of Doota Mall — which draws roughly 14,000 visitors daily and is located across from Dongdaemun Design Plaza (DDP) — the new complex is not just a retail shop but also a high-concept cultural venue. Visitors will be able to engage in curated tasting programs to learn about flavor profiles and explore their individual preferences. To match the sensibilities of a younger, more trend-conscious crowd, the gallery will feature specialized cocktail demonstrations showcasing how traditional spirits can serve as the backbone for contemporary mixology.

The opening event will feature a high-profile traditional liquor cocktail show and a signing ceremony, as well as serve as a launchpad for a broader campaign. The event will also spotlight three award-winning domestic bottles: Eochapi 36.5, a premium distilled spirit infused with hibiscus petals; Country Campbell Sweet, a domestic fruit wine; and Gamuchi Soju, a high-proof distilled spirit that secured the grand prize at the 2025 Korea Wine & Spirits Awards.

Government officials hope the venture will lay the groundwork for viewing traditional spirits as a core component of Korean gastronomy. Plans are already underway to expand similar interactive consumer programs across domestic duty-free shops, major airports and international rail hubs.

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