Soju
An influential British daily newspaper’s article on soju is drawing a lot of attention. It says, “The South Korean spirit is the globe’s best-selling alcohol. But they’re not just drinking it in Korea these days – you can try chilled shots or soju cocktails in New York and London.”
In a December 2 article titled “Soju: the most popular booze in the world” the Guardian said, “There’s a brand of one particular spirit that sells more than twice as much as any other in the world. Any guesses? If you said vodka, back of the class. The answer is soju, national hooch of South Korea.”
Jinro Soju has maintained the top spot on Drinks International’s annual list of best-selling global spirits for years, owing to its sales of 65 million nine-liter cases so far this year. The British newspaper commented, “That would be three times more than Smirnoff.”
It went on to say, “Soju now sells in 80 countries, with a rising profile helped by Korean superstar Psy,” adding, “K-Pop K-Shot billboards sprouted across America, showing Psy clutching a bottle of Chamisulsoju. A pioneering soju outlet at the LA Dodgers baseball arena sold out its supply after three games. In New York, bars hawk apple soju aperitifs and lychee soju slushies to Big Apple hipsters.”