NEWS
S. KOREA: WHISKY SUPERMARKET SALES SURPASSED DOMESTIC BEER
By Staff Reporter
14-4-2026
Source: EMart
Whisky has overtaken domestic beer as the top-selling alcoholic beverage by value in major South Korean supermarkets, marking a seismic shift in the country’s drinking patterns, according to retail giant E-Mart.
2025 data shows whisky commanding a 24.2 percent share of total alcohol sales at E-Mart, narrowly edging out domestic beer’s 23.8 percent.
Wine followed at 19.7 percent, soju at 14.5 percent, and imported beer at 11 percent. The milestone ends beer’s decades-long dominance in retail alcohol rankings.
The ascent of whisky has been years in the making. It claimed second place in 2022 with a 51.4 percent sales surge, then grew 25.2 percent in 2023 and 16.6 percent in 2024 before securing t
Driving forces include the explosive popularity of the highball cocktail—with E-Mart reporting a skyrocketing preference for pre-mixed highball products—and a post-pandemic emhe top position with approximately 5 percent growth in 2025.
Industry analysts attribute the trend primarily to MZ generation consumers (Millennials and Gen Z), who have redefined whiskey from a stodgy staple of middle-aged business culture to a fashionable, versatile choice for social and at-home consumption.
brace of premiumisation.
Notably, sales are split between affordable bottles under ₩30,000 (USD20) and high-end expressions over ₩100,000, with premium whisky now accounting for 49 percent of the category, up from 42.9 percent the previous year.
Conversely, beer has endured a decade-long decline. National shipments have fallen 21.5 percent since 2015, from 4.01 million kiloliters to 3.15 million in 2024.
The slump is linked to rising health consciousness, a stagnant market controlled by a duopoly, and a growing “sober curious” movement that has reduced binge-drinking rates for two consecutive years, hitting 33.8 percent in 2025.
E-Mart officials describe the shift as a structural change in Korean drinking habits, with whisky now suitable for all occasions.
Domestic brewers are responding by expanding low- and non-alcoholic lines and pursuing overseas markets, where Korean beer remains popular alongside K-content.
Globally, South Korea has emerged as one of the world’s fastest-growing whisky markets, with Scotch imports valued at USD226.85 million in 2025.
The country is now the 15th largest whiskey market globally, a position fuelled by innovation in premium expressions and the rise of craft Korean distilleries.
(the writer can be contacted at: info@thewinechronicle.com)
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