On the 19th, in a restaurant in Manila, Philippines, lettuce wraps with pork belly, and a bottle of Jinro soju placed nearby. It was a scene commonly seen in any restaurant in Seoul. Each table filled with Filipino consumers also had a bottle of soju accompanying their dinner. The restaurant was filled with words that were hard to understand, but there was one phrase that was repeated: 'Tagay!' This means 'cheers' in Korean.

On the evening of the 19th, a Korean cuisine franchise restaurant named Samgyeopsalramat, which has over 70 locations across the Philippines, is serving lettuce wraps with pork belly and soju./Courtesy of HiteJinro

HiteJinro's soju brand 'Jinro' naturally fit into the traditional Filipino drinking culture of 'Tagay.' In the local drinking culture, which emphasizes sharing drinks and enjoying food together, Jinro was no longer an unfamiliar liquor.

Thanks to the rapidly increasing number of Filipino consumers choosing soju, the Philippine branch of HiteJinro experienced rapid growth in a short period. In its first year of establishment in 2019, revenue was about 90 million won, but last year's revenue reached 11 billion won. Combining the total amount of soju exports to the Philippines calculated by the tariff office and HiteJinro's own export performance, Jinro's market share in the Philippines last year reached 67%.

The reason why soju was able to settle in the Philippine market is largely due to the Korean wave, especially Korean dramas. Kang Jeong-hee, head of HiteJinro's local distributor KL, noted, 'During the COVID-19 period, going out was prohibited in the Philippines. Filipino consumers who watched Korean dramas during this time developed an interest in soju.' She added, 'Since then, the number of Filipino consumers looking for soju has definitely increased.'

At the membership-based S&R club, a tasting event for Jinro is taking place. A Filipino consumer says right after the tasting, “Soju has a clean taste, so I enjoy it.”/Courtesy of HiteJinro

Rosie, 22, who was dining at the Korean franchise 'Samgyeopsalamat' with over 70 locations in the Philippines, said, 'There are many scenes in Korean dramas where soju is consumed, and out of curiosity, I tried it. Its clean taste has made me a regular.' She added, 'I usually drink it 1 to 2 times a week with friends. Among various sojus, I like 'Strawberry Soju' the most.' Strawberry Soju is a fruit liqueur developed by HiteJinro for export.

HiteJinro also delved into the drinking culture in the Philippines. They focused on promoting foods that pair well with soju through social networking services (SNS). They are actively engaged in marketing ways to enjoy soju mixed with coffee or beer, catering to Filipino consumers' preferences for cocktail-style drinking.

Kook Dong-kyun, head of HiteJinro's Philippine branch, mentioned, 'The Philippines has drinking cultures, such as Tagay (cheers), Pulutan (eating food alongside drinks), and Timplado (mixing soju with carbonated drinks, juices, coffee, and milk to enjoy in one's own way).' He added, 'We are focusing on marketing that integrates into these local cultures.'

Strategically transforming the distribution structure has also helped. In the past, Jinro was distributed mainly through Korean-centric networks, but that has changed. They are now expanding local retail and wholesale distribution, focusing on large supermarkets and grocery specialty stores, which make up about 50% of the Philippine liquor market. Notable examples are 'Puregold,' a leading wholesale discount store in the Philippines, and 'S&R Club,' a membership warehouse-style discount store similar to Costco.

The soju sold at Puregold handles distribution in Filipino alleyways. This channel is frequently visited by sari-sari store operators who purchase goods, making it a high-frequency distribution channel. The word 'sari-sari' means various items in Tagalog. Sari-sari stores play a significant role as a popular distribution channel in the Philippine economy and society.

Jinro soju is filling the logistics warehouse of HiteJinro's distribution partner KL in the Philippines./Courtesy of HiteJinro

A Puregold representative stated, 'Although it's a foreign brand, it's establishing itself as a 'daily drink' not only in Korean restaurants but also in regular households,' adding, 'The sales speed has especially increased rapidly in the last 1 to 2 years.'

HiteJinro expects growth to continue in the Philippine market. According to global market research firm IMARC Group, the Philippine liquor market size last year (2024) was $7.03 billion (about 9.59 trillion won). It is projected to grow at an average annual rate of 2.1% to reach $8.48 billion (about 11.57 trillion won) by 2033.

Initially, sales in the Philippines focused on fruit soju, but the growing preference for Jinro Fresh and Original is why HiteJinro believes the market will continue to grow. Filipino consumers have begun to recognize the intrinsic charm of soju. According to HiteJinro, as of 2021, fruit soju accounted for about 61% of soju sales in the Philippines, but last year, the proportion of regular soju reached about 68%.

Kim In-kyu, head of HiteJinro, emphasized, 'We want to instill the culture of 'Shall we have a drink of soju today?' among Filipino consumers, stating, 'It is essential to consider overseas markets for HiteJinro's new 100 years of development, and we will actively engage in attracting overseas consumers.'