WINNERS GALLERY

Chamisul, which debuted in Korea in October 1998, made a strong impression by capturing over 50% of the national market share within just two years as a single brand. Since then, Hite Jinro has been shaking things up in the national soju market with a range of Chamisul marketing initiatives, setting new benchmarks and pioneering the way for soju to become a global brand.

Since its launch, Hite Jinro has undergone a remarkable transformation over the past 26 years, revamping Chamisul 16 times to meet the evolving needs of its customers. Notably, the patented bamboo charcoal refining method, which was introduced through a February 2024 revamp, has been upgraded from four to five steps, resulting in a cleaner taste and smoother texture through the removal of impurities and contaminants. The package design has also been updated. The font has been redesigned to resemble bamboo, with “bamboo 5th refining” prominently displayed on the front, effectively conveying the message of refined soju made with bamboo activated charcoal. Chamisul’s unique product strength is the secret to its enduring popularity.

Chamisul’s cumulative sales have reached a record 42.3 billion bottles, making it the largest player in the domestic soju market. This massive quantity can make over 11 round trips from Earth to the moon, or 234 laps around the Earth.

Hite Jinro has been a trailblazer in the liquor industry for a long time, having first introduced a 23-degree product when Chamisul was launched, shattering the conventional wisdom that soju is typically 25 degrees. In 1999, Lee Young-ae, the first female model for Soju, was chosen, and in 2014, Soju launched its first pop-up store, Iseul Pocha. In addition, he also hosted the first-ever music online content, “Isul Live” (2015), and went on to host the music festival “Isul Live Festival” (2018).