“Today, thirty bottles prepared have sold out. Tomorrow, an additional 30 bottles will come in.”
On the afternoon of the 8th, at 4 p.m., the second day of the “2025 Korea Wine & Spirits Awards EXPO” at the SETEC exhibition hall near Hangnyeoul station in Seoul. Yoon Ji-ryang, 28, was walking around the booths with a shopping cart typically seen in traditional markets, when she showed her boyfriend Kim Min-jun, 30, a bottle of traditional liquor.
It was “Chusa 50,” a domestic apple distillate made from apples in Yesan, Chungcheongnam-do. They succeeded in obtaining this liquor, which has only 3,500 bottles in the world, after waiting in line for an hour before the entrance.
Chusa 50 is a premium distillate made by Yesan Apple Wine Agricultural Company using a European copper distiller and French oak barrels. It is not easy to obtain because it is limited to 20 to 30 bottles sold each time, mainly through social media.
◇ “Limited editions you can’t even find at the supermarket all in one place”
“After six hours of walking since lining up in the morning, my feet hurt. Still, I wonder when I will have another opportunity like this. There are limited editions gathered here that I can't even see at the supermarket normally.”
Kim pushed the shopping cart steadily alongside Yoon as they headed to the next booth. Their cart was already stacked with more than 10 bottles of liquor. Nevertheless, their liquor hunt continued until evening.
The second day of the 2025 Korea Wine & Spirits Awards EXPO was lively with a shopping frenzy searching for personal signature drinks from the opening at 11 a.m. to 7 p.m. Shopping carts and travel carry-on bags were commonly seen. Some opened large hiking backpacks and filled them with the liquor they had just purchased.
Some booths, featuring rare liquors, displayed “sold out” signs shortly after 2 p.m. The shelf for Beompyo Makgeolli, which won the best award in the Korean rice wine sector, was empty for the second day in a row.
Visitors to the expo sought rare liquors that are not commonly encountered, rather than simply tasting a lot of drinks. There were no visible signs of drunkenness, which is often seen at liquor expos. Some booths offered hidden limited edition liquors to serious enthusiasts showing genuine interest in their products.
“There are many liquors that you wouldn’t get to try at other times. It’s not often you get the chance to drink soju, beer, and makgeolli all at once. Today, I found my signature soju and signature makgeolli.” Hwang Jeong-sook, 65, a retired teacher, said with pride while showcasing her shopping bags filled with liquor, although she noted, “I’m getting older and can’t carry much more.”
Booths that had been popular since the previous day, such as NARA CELLAR and Zennihon Liquor, continued to attract long lines on the second day. Some booths sold key products for over 30% off the market price.
◇ Various side events like ‘whiskey introductory classes’
The interest in diverse liquors led to learning opportunities.
The “whiskey introductory class” with YouTuber Kim Bit-na, which started at 1 p.m., filled a lecture hall with 200 seats. After the lecture, a crowd headed to the distillate booths. When asked about his impressions, college student Lee Joon-ho, 24, who was leaving the lecture hall, said as he headed toward the whiskey corner.
“I came here to buy blended whiskey that was recommended right after the lecture. When I get home, I plan to order imported sparkling water recommended for highballs, just like I learned today.”
The expo captivated visitors with a variety of experiences beyond simple tastings and sales. Starting at 2 p.m., a game was held where participants had to identify a specific brand among three soju bottles covered.
◇ On Sunday, the 9th, a variety of programs including ‘homemade highball recipes’
On the final day of the expo, the 9th, even more abundant programs await visitors.
From 9:30 a.m. to 11 a.m., awards ceremonies will be held for each institutional sector. Awards will be given for the best liquors selected during this tasting event.
Starting at 1:30 p.m., Kim Sang-mi, head of the WSA Wine Academy, will give a lecture on “interesting wine stories.” Following that, at 2 p.m., bartender Park Joo-seong will present “NEW homemade highball recipes.” A variety of highball recipes that can easily be followed at home are expected to be introduced.
From 3 p.m., comedians Park Seong-kyun, Park Hyeon-seok, and Moon Ji-wan will perform stand-up comedy. The last program will hold a prize drawing event starting at 5 p.m.