INTERVIEW ‘Makgeolli can be hip, fun’

Woori Yeahsool, a brewpub located in Jung District, Seoul, offers a unique selection of makgeolli on tap. Courtey of Woori Yeahsool

Makgeolli is often seen as a drink for older people, typically viewed as a cheap, plastic-bottled alcoholic beverage. But who says it can’t be hip and fun?

Three Gen Z entrepreneurs from the makgeolli brewpub Woori Yeahsool tackle this question as they work to bring the drink closer to people's lives. They strive to create a unique culture around makgeolli, driven by their mission to "conquer the earth with makgeolli."

Located near Dongdaemun History & Culture Park subway station in Jung District, Seoul, the pub offers self-brewed, creatively flavored makgeolli on tap, serving fresh draft cups of drinks ranging from sweet and fruity basil and yuzu to exotic wasabi and peppercorn, as well as beer-like flavors.

"We believe we can showcase how fun makgeolli can be and highlight its potential... Young, rookie players like us entering the market and finding our footing demonstrates the untapped potential of makgeolli," said Oh Ye-jun, co-founder and owner of the brewpub, in a recent interview with The Korea Times at the restaurant.

“When guests come to our space, our favorite moment is when they say, 'This doesn't taste like makgeolli.' It's when their existing prejudices about makgeolli start to break down."

Oh, who learned the art of makgeolli making in high school by visiting local breweries, began his business journey in 2022 by organizing social gatherings to share his passion with fellow makgeolli enthusiasts. A few months later, he teamed up with his high school friend Gu Dong-uk and Baek Jae-min, whom he met through the gatherings, to open the brewpub in 2023 after being accepted into Seoul city's entrepreneurial aid program.

From left, Woori Yeahsool co-founders Oh Ye-jun, Gu Dong-uk and Baek Jae-min. Courtesy of Woori Yeahsool

Gu oversees the food menu, drawing from his culinary background, while Baek manages the brewing operations and handles design work, including the colorful graffiti adorning the restaurant’s interior and the cartoons that showcase their journey and new flavors on the brewpub's social media account.

Woori Yeahsool features a variety of flavored makgeolli alcoholic drinks on tap. Courtesy of Woori Yeahsool

The owners revealed that they draw inspiration for new makgeolli flavors from everyday life, aiming to offer relatable and engaging storytelling behind each unique creation. They even came up with somaek-inspired makgeolli, which mimics the taste of a soju and beer mix, for restaurant owners who crave a cold somaek after closing up their shops.

"We look for something that can add an extra layer of story to the drink to make it more than just alcohol,” Oh said.

“When we create 10 new flavors, one or two might be quite niche, but around eight are designed to be as consumer-friendly as possible. We aim to offer a diverse range — sweet and light options, heavier and sweeter varieties, some with acidity, others without — so we can cater to all tastes."

Gu added that maintaining a balance between unique and familiar flavors is crucial for making the drink approachable to customers.

“When making makgeolli, while common and popular flavors are good, we believe the taste needs to be convincing to the customer. So, we aim to make it as interesting as possible and explore many different options,” Gu said.

“However, we're not aiming for a taste so complex that people question if it's even makgeolli. We're working hard to strike a balance — making it delicious while keeping it consumer-friendly, achieving a harmonious flavor."

A photo of coconut, orange and cinammon flavored makgeolli / Courtey of Woori Yeahsool

The brewpub serves as a testbed for the three owners to experiment with unconventional and playful makgeolli flavors while studying consumer preferences, all before expanding the brand. With makgeolli on tap, guests can sample different flavors without committing to an entire bottle for each one.

"To understand what customers like and how far we can push our ideas while still being relatable to them, the brewpub provides us with great interaction for this," Oh said.

“When customers visit, we give them a card to note their preferences, and we serve them a glass based on that. We've collected over 1,500 cards and are using this data to prepare our makgeolli."

The two emphasized that having fun is the most important aspect of their mission to spread makgeolli culture to a broader audience. This philosophy was evident at their one-year anniversary festival held at the restaurant last month, where the owners invited both regular and new customers to enjoy a party filled with games and Oh’s DJing, all while savoring their drinks and food. This event offered a glimpse into their vibrant spirit for makgeolli.

“What we always say is to be free, brave and bold. Even if it's the right path, if it's not interesting, we believe we should reconsider it,” Gu noted.

“If we find it boring, consumers will surely feel the same way. We believe that even if there's a risk involved, discovering something interesting can be exciting and sometimes lead to success."

After a year of free experimentation, the owners have embarked on a project to develop a new makgeolli product in collaboration with Gangjin County in South Jeolla Province.

“Gangjin is very famous for its high-quality rice and oats. Since this spring, we've been working on projects with Gangjin to promote the excellence of their rice and to secure more data (from consumers),” Oh said.

Pomegranate flavored makgeolli of Woori Yeahsool / Courtey of Woori Yeahsool

Once they finalize the product recipe, they plan to partner with a local brewery for manufacturing and distribution to various restaurants and shops in Seoul.

The owners said this brewpub is just a small step toward their ultimate goal of introducing makgeolli and its culture to the global market.

“Our goal is to keep expanding various spaces related to makgeolli. Our vision is to blend makgeolli with other cultures to create places that offer consumers extraordinary and unique experiences — whether it’s a makgeolli sound bar, a space combining makgeolli with surfing, a makgeolli club, or, my personal wish, a makgeolli stay,” Oh said.

"As we progressively and systematically open these spaces one by one, I believe consumers' understanding and experience of makgeolli will gradually deepen. At that point, I think we will truly have established ourselves as a recognized brand."

Gu also expressed his hope for their brand to become influential in the makgeolli business, encouraging more players to enter the market.

“As a makgeolli brand, it's great to have an impact and encourage more people to drink it, but what I really want is to widely promote the culture of makgeolli itself,” he said.

“Despite its recent rise in popularity, it’s still seen as nothing more than a drink for rainy days because it lacks its own distinct culture. But, we believe that this makes it an excellent candidate to blend with other genres. In the future, we even hope to create a makgeolli village.”