Last year, South Korea achieved a historic high in whiskey imports, surpassing 30,000 tons. In contrast, wine imports decreased by over 20 percent, showing a downward trend for the second consecutive year.
According to the trade statistics released by the Korea Customs Service on Jan. 30, the import volume of whiskey, including scotch, bourbon, and rye, reached 30,586 tons last year, marking a 13.1 percent increase compared to the previous year. This is the first time that the import volume of whiskey has exceeded 30,000 tons.
The significant increase in whiskey imports can be attributed to the popularity of the “highball” trend, where whiskey is mixed with sparkling water or tonic water. Especially among the MZ generation, or those born in the 1980s and 2000s, the highball has gained popularity, transforming whiskey from a pricey and strong alcoholic beverage into a more mainstream and approachable drink. This shift in perception has contributed to the surge in whiskey consumption.
Looking at the whiskey import value last year, it decreased by 2.7 percent to US$259.57 million compared to the previous year. Despite a more than 10 percent increase in whiskey import volume, the decrease in import value suggests that a significant number of lower-priced products were imported.
The beverage industry anticipates that whiskey will continue its growth trajectory as the highball trend solidifies as a prominent consumer preference. On the contrary, wine import volume decreased by 20.4 percent to 56,542 tons compared to the previous year, marking the largest decline in history.