Korean Singer Sung Si Kyung's Rice Wine Brand Quickly Become Popular After Launch

Sung Si Kyung is a well-known balladeer in South Korea. Recently, he became a full-fledged businessman when he launched his own brand of rice wine, which the Koreans commonly call the “makgeolli.”

How the New Rice Wine Was Named

It has been reported that Sung Si Kyung’s alcoholic beverage product has unexpectedly taken the market by storm. As per The Korea Times, the singer’s alcohol brand was named after the singer himself. The makgeolli is called “Kyungtakju 12 Degrees,” where the term “Kyung,” was combined with “Takju,” which means opaque wine in the Korean language.

The new product was released to the market under the unrefined, fermented alcoholic beverage category, where makgeolli is usually listed in the Korean market. Si Kyung’s alcoholic beverage was introduced in partnership with an agricultural company.

Kyungtakju’s Surprising Market Success

Makgeolli is one of the country's favorite traditional alcoholic drinks. It is made with fermented rice, and Si Kyung’s brand is said to have a tag price of KRW28,000 or about $21.40 for a pack of two bottles.

However, despite the high price, as it is above the normal range of KRW2,500 to KRW10,000 for other makgeolli brands, the product was always sold out within minutes every day, and stores started selling at 11 a.m.

"I finally succeeded in securing a bottle after 10 failed attempts,” one of those who finally purchased Si Kyung’s drink brand said. “As advised, I tried the first sip straight and then on the rocks version. It has a yogurt-like texture with a rich and deep flavor and it goes perfectly with Sung Si-kyung's favorite kimchi from the Jeolla region."

Introduction of Si Kyung’s Makgeolli in Korea

It was only last month when the 44-year-old singer launched his Kyungtakju rice wine. The Korea Herald reported that this product was made in collaboration with brewery J1 startup brewing firm. Finally, with the success of his alcoholic drink, Sung Si Kyung is planning to expand his product line to include soju which he will call “Kyungsoju.”

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