K-pop star G-Dragon’s latest venture into the beverage market has become one of South Korea’s biggest drink success stories of the year. Read More
South Korea
At the flagship Hyundai Department Store in Seoul, a limited-edition bottle of Macallan whisky sold out in under ten minutes. In the lobby, young customers queued for what many described as a “different kind of shopping experience.” Read More
Wine25Plus has generated ₩500 million (US$365,000) in sales within just seven months of launching its “Négociant Direct” programme. Read More
China’s most traditional spirit is going abroad — but not quite the way it seems. New trade data shows millions worth of baijiu are being exported, then re-imported back home. Hong Kong is snapping up top-shelf bottles, South Korea is awash with cheap liquor, and the industry’s “globalization” push might just be one giant loop. Read More
California Wines staged its first-ever Buyers Marketplace: Asia Edition in Seoul last week, marking a major step in its efforts to deepen ties with the region’s growing wine markets. Read More
Korean liquor giants including Lotte had teamed up with celebrity chefs to unlock opportunities for alcoholic drinks. Read More
Hong Kong Customs has intercepted HK$140 million (US$18 million) worth of smuggled goods — including Macallan 12-Year-Old whisky — hidden in containers bound for South Korea. Read More
South Korea’s wine market is bubbling with star power — from actress Kim Hee-sun’s California Pinot Noir to Ha Jung-woo’s $7 Sauvignon Blanc that sold 200,000 bottles in just three weeks. Here’s why celebrity wines — and budget labels — are shaking up a soju-dominated market. Read More
South Korean customs authorities say international drug traffickers are disguising narcotics as everyday consumer goods — including wine — as part of increasingly sophisticated smuggling operations into Asia. Read More
The rebound in Korea's wine imports marks a turning point following sharp declines in 2023 and 2024, when the market cooled after a pandemic-driven boom. White wine again is gaining momentum. Read More