Korean hangover cures ride global wellness wave
Once a niche market catering primarily to the country's binge-drinking culture, Korean hangover remedies are now gaining global traction, amid rising demand for functional wellness products.
According to market tracker Grand View Research, Korea's hangover remedy market, valued at $288.11 million in 2022, is projected to surpass $1 billion by 2030. On a global scale, market tracker Global Market Insights estimates that the hangover remedy market will expand from $1.9 billion in 2022 to $6.8 billion by 2032, reflecting a growing preference for natural, preventive solutions.
A prominent player in this market is Condition, the flagship product of Kolmar Korea's affiliate HK inno.N, which is currently exported to some 15 countries, including the US, Japan and China. The product holds the No. 1 market share in China, Vietnam and Mongolia, cementing its status as a leading hangover remedy in Asia.
Kolmar Global, responsible for overseas market distribution, achieved sales of 13 billion won ($9.1 million) from Condition and other health supplements last year. It has set a sales target of 21 billion won for this year.
"A country's standards for the content of key ingredients vary, so we are entering each market with customized formulations that comply with local regulations," a Kolmar official said.
"Since the second half of 2024, we have been actively launching not only Condition's bottled drink, but also jelly-type stick products. We are focusing on expanding sales in major consumer markets such as the US and Japan, while leveraging our entry into the Netherlands last year as a strategic foothold to penetrate the European market."
The hangover remedy trend is being propelled by Korean-related startups abroad, particularly in the US. One recent example is Dayguard, a US-based startup founded by two Koreans in their 20s in 2024.
"We conducted extensive consumer research at Brown University, tailoring our product to American preferences while bringing a time-tested Korean remedy to a new audience in a modern, effective way," said Gene Oh, founder of Dayguard.
"The jelly stick format, already popular in Korea, is relatively new in the US, making it more enjoyable. Unlike American remedies that focus on hydration or masking symptoms, our product proactively aids alcohol metabolism with ingredients like DHM (dihydromyricetin), cysteine, prickly pear, arginine and B vitamins."
According to Dayguard, the rising popularity of Korean content — from K-pop and K-dramas to K-beauty — has undoubtedly fueled interest in Korean wellness solutions.
"As a Korean American, and with my co-founder also being Korean, we take great pride in sharing a part of our culture with the US," Oh explained.
Meanwhile, the growth of Korea's hangover remedy market does not apparently align with the country's alcohol consumption trends.
Korea's liquor shipment volume has yet to recover to the 3.84 million kiloliters recorded in 2019 before the pandemic. As drinking habits shift, particularly among younger generations, more consumers seem to be prioritizing moderate drinking and overall health.
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