Whisky sales at E-Mart outlets exceed soju sales in Jan.-Feb. period

Economy 11:21 March 19, 2023

SEOUL, March 19 (Yonhap) -- E-Mart Inc. said Sunday that whisky sales at the outlets of South Korea's leading discount store chain exceeded sales of the country's distilled liquor soju in the January-February period.

Demand for whisky soared among younger people, known as the "MZ Generation," as they currently view drinking whisky, which was once regarded as a drink for middle-aged men, as very trendy, according to E-Mart.

"Young generations enjoy whisky in the form of highballs mixed with sparkling water, a lemon garnish and others amid new drinking trends called 'homesul' and 'honsul' in Korea," an E-Mart official said.

The concepts of homesul and honsul, which mean drinking at home and drinking alone, respectively, popped up years ago and have recently resulted in strong whisky sales amid the prolonged COVID-19 pandemic.

Generation MZ, a term only used here, refers collectively to millennials, who were born in the early 1980s to early 1990s, and Generation Z, born in the mid-1990s to early 2000s.

From January to February, whisky sales were 3.6 percent higher than soju sales as consumers aged under 30 rushed to discount stores to buy whisky.