Soju from shelves to tables: HiteJinro raises toast to Philippines
MANILA, Philippines — A shared glass of liquor, known as tagay in the Philippines, has long been central to Filipino communal drinking.
Yet while the drinking tradition has endured, what fills those glasses is shifting — especially among K-pop fans and spirit lovers — from familiar gin or rum to soju bearing the Jinro label from South Korea's leading soju-maker, HiteJinro.
The once-exotic green bottles now have greater visibility, not only in Korean barbecue joints, but also in supermarkets, convenience stores and Filipino households.
Supermarket essential
In the city of Paranaque's Puregold, one of Manila's major hypermarket chains, the liquor aisle tells the story.
Browsing the shelves stocked with Jinro soju bottles is Andrea, a 21-year-old Filipina consumer introduced to the world of soju through K-pop and Korean TV dramas.
'I prefer drinking soju because its taste is smoother than strong Filipino spirits, and I experience less of a hangover the next day,' she said. 'I drink soju about once or twice a week, mostly with family or while watching Korean dramas on Netflix or YouTube.'
A Puregold official took note of the brand's current popularity: 'Despite its foreign origin, it has become a go-to drink for many local families.'
At S&R Membership Shopping, a membership-based warehouse club, in the capital Manila, Jinro set up a small tasting booth where Erwin, a 43-year-old former bartender, sampled a shot of soju.
'There's definitely a strong sense of trust in Korean-made products in the Philippines,' he noted. 'I often drink soju when gathering with friends on weekends. With the variety of options like fruit flavors, we enjoy mixing it in different ways.
'But most of all, I like the original soju the most because it's the cleanest and smoothest.'
Marie Phil Reyes, managing director at HiteJinro Philippines, explained the shifting trend, 'Fruit-flavored soju helped introduce locals to soju, and more recently, the share of regular soju consumption among locals has grown significantly.'
Distribution networks
Behind expanded distribution into both the Korean community and mainstream retail are local partners: Premier Wines & Spirits, which focuses on distributing soju through local channels, and K&L, which primarily supplies Korean restaurants and convenience stores.
In terms of sales volume, the total comes to around 550 to 600 containers a year, with each container holding 1,260 boxes of soju, and each box consisting of 20 bottles. K&L accounts for roughly 60 percent of the market share.
At K&L's office, with a warehouse stocked with 36 containers' worth of soju just next door, CEO Kang Jung-hee recounted the transformation firsthand.
'Back when the company first started 30 years ago, soju sales were minimal, with few Korean expatriates and tourists,' Kang said. 'But over time, particularly after establishing the local subsidiary, we've been able to greatly expand retail channels and step up our marketing efforts.'
Embedded in local life
Jinro's integration into the local market was not simply about placing bottles on shelves, as Kang noted.
It was also driven by marketing campaigns to make Korean drinking culture feel like a natural part of local social life, integrated into traditions like pulutan — snacks and plates akin to tapas shared while drinking — and videoke, a portmanteau of karaoke and video, to forge deeper connections with Filipino drinkers.
Events include sponsoring local K-content fan gatherings and gourmet events, while actively engaging with the nation's younger generations through a strong digital presence on social media platforms.
Among the standout campaigns was the launch of Jinro Live, a local adaptation of HiteJinro's decade-old Korean live-singing series Isul Live, to bring the energy of Korean-style drinking shows to Manila's social scene.
Livestreamed from a Samgyupsalamat restaurant, a Korean barbecue chain with 70 locations, the event featured Filipino hip-hop duo GY.
Groups of consumers packed the two-story venue, enjoying sizzling pork belly and clinking soju glasses.
'I love how well soju pairs with samgyeopsal, and I especially enjoy it while watching sports with friends,' said Goldi, a 21-year-old customer. Another customer, Lalli, added, 'Among Korean dishes, I love samgyeopsal and tteokbokki the most — they go really well with soju.'
The show, meanwhile, engaged the audience with the traditional tagay toast and flowed into drinking games, personal anecdotes and live performances.
'More than a typical drinking show, Jinro Live is content that highlights how Jinro can fit in with Philippine pop culture,' said an official from HiteJinro. 'With key themes of Korean food, soju and music in focus, we're building brand affinity and plan to continue expanding our localized marketing efforts aimed at younger generations in the Philippines.'
minmin@heraldcorp.com
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