Korean Traditional Alcohol: Makgeolli — JIPYEONG BREWERY

Every country has its own traditional alcohol.

Due to the global popularity of K-content, Soju is probably the most internationally recognized Korean alcohol today. However, Soju became popular more because of Korea’s drinking culture than for its complexity of flavor, and historically, it is not Korea’s oldest traditional alcohol either.

Beyond Soju, there is another drink that represents Korea just as strongly: Makgeolli.

If you ever travel to Korea, I strongly recommend trying Makgeolli at least once.

And if you already know what Makgeolli is, there is a good chance you are genuinely interested in Korean culture. Unlike Soju, Makgeolli is not the dominant choice among younger Korean drinkers today, and it rarely appears in K-dramas or films.

Anyway, the brand I want to introduce today is one of my favorite alcohol brands in Korea: Jipyeong Makgeolli.

What is Jipyeong Makgeolli?

Jipyeong Makgeolli is produced by JIPYEONG BREWERY, a brewery founded in 1925 with more than 100 years of history.

After the fourth-generation CEO took over in 2010, JIPYEONG BREWERY expanded its nationwide distribution network, introduced new marketing strategies, modernized production methods, and steadily increased exports.

In a relatively short period of time, the company overtook Seoul Jangsoo — the long-time leader of the Makgeolli industry — and became the second-largest Makgeolli company in Korea.

Although the company spent decades focusing almost entirely on Makgeolli, it has recently expanded into distilled Soju and overseas exports, making it one of the more innovative companies in the traditional alcohol industry.

Despite this growth, however, the Makgeolli market is still dramatically smaller than the Soju market. In Korea, the Soju market is roughly five times larger.

So why did Makgeolli fail to grow as much as Soju?

Was it simply a matter of taste?

The Distribution Restrictions That Held Makgeolli Back

In 1970, the Korean government introduced a law called the “Takju Supply Zone Restriction System.”

Under this system, Makgeolli could only be distributed within the administrative region where it was produced. Even if a store was physically nearby, selling Makgeolli across a regional border was illegal.

The law was introduced due to public health concerns at the time. Most Makgeolli was unpasteurized Saeng-Makgeolli, which spoiled easily and had an extremely short shelf life.

Although the law was abolished in December 2000, its effects lasted much longer. For decades, many Makgeolli breweries outside Seoul struggled to build nationwide brands or distribution networks.

How JIPYEONG BREWERY Overcame Nationwide Distribution Challenges

Makgeolli is made by fermenting rice with Nuruk, a traditional Korean fermentation starter.

Because of this, its shelf life used to be around seven days at most.

For small regional breweries with limited manpower and capital, supplying restaurants, supermarkets, and convenience stores nationwide — while also maintaining refrigerated distribution — was extremely difficult.

At the time, grocery and alcohol purchases in Korea were almost entirely offline. Without scale or distribution power, small breweries had little chance of entering large supermarket chains or convenience store networks.

Things changed after CEO Kim Ki-hwan inherited the family business.

JIPYEONG BREWERY expanded production sites beyond Gyeonggi Province into Gangwon and Chungcheong regions, introduced automation systems, and strengthened nationwide logistics and distribution.

In 2022, the company recorded approximately KRW 44.7 billion in sales, surpassing Seoul Jangsoo’s KRW 40.6 billion in revenue.

Why JIPYEONG BREWERY Succeeded

• Expanded production sites to support nationwide distribution
• Introduced automated manufacturing systems to standardize quality and extend shelf life
• Increased offline consumer exposure through regional festivals and tasting events
• Collaborated with various brands to appeal to younger consumers

How JIPYEONG BREWERY Makes Makgeolli

The Future of Makgeolli

It is true that Makgeolli remains less popular than Soju.

Because it is grain-based, it feels heavier when paired with food and generally contains more calories than Soju.

Korean drinking culture also tends to place more emphasis on social gatherings than on the alcohol itself. In many restaurants, Makgeolli is either unavailable or limited to one or two basic options. Food menus are usually designed more naturally around Soju or beer as well.

Even in convenience stores, Makgeolli is often unavailable or limited in selection because its short shelf life makes inventory management difficult for store owners.

Considering all these factors, it makes sense that the Soju market is significantly larger.

Still, I personally respect what JIPYEONG BREWERY has accomplished.

The company worked hard to move beyond the old image of Makgeolli as “an old man’s drink” through modern branding and marketing. More importantly, it continuously improved manufacturing technology to extend shelf life from only a few days to nearly a year, making exports possible.

A Final Recommendation

Even today, there are still many excellent traditional alcohol brands in Korea that struggle because of distribution limitations.

Although I praised Jipyeong throughout this article, if someone asked me which Makgeolli tastes the best, my answer would easily be Haechang Makgeolli from Jeolla Province.

Depending on the alcohol percentage and product type, it can cost anywhere from two to fifty-five times more than standard Jipyeong Makgeolli. Because of this, some people jokingly call it the “Rolls-Royce of Makgeolli.”

But getting Haechang Makgeolli in Seoul is not easy.

I usually have to search for bars that serve it, order it through delivery apps together with food, search for specific convenience stores that carry it, visit large supermarkets, or purchase it from specialty online stores such as Kurly.

Compared to brands like Seoul Jangsoo or Jipyeong — which can easily be found at local convenience stores or supermarkets — it requires considerably more effort.

So if you ever visit Korea, I strongly recommend trying authentic unpasteurized Saeng-Makgeolli rather than only the long-shelf-life pasteurized versions.