Jaejung's eyes are firm. In April, he launched the traditional alcohol brand Apgujeong Makgeolli and became a liquor entrepreneur. On the morning of the 24th, he was
He took to the stage for the first session of the K-Branding Conference held at the Grand Ballroom of the Westin Chosun Seoul, and announced that he has reached 100 million users worldwide in just four months since his launch.
At the event, JAEJUNG said, "If we had simply been in the alcoholic beverage business, we would not have even attempted it," and "We are trying to move people in a positive direction."
"It's a lot of fun. The joy you feel while eating and drinking delicious food and drinks, I think that time is meaningful and valuable."
In an atmosphere where more and more celebrities, such as G-DRAGON, Jay Park, and Sung Si Kyung, are jumping into the alcoholic beverage business, JAEJUNG's vision is unique.
He repeatedly mentioned the importance of the "story" that accompanies makgeolli, saying, "It's a drink that only people who know about it can enjoy, but I've received good feedback about the taste."
Due to our nature, we cannot secure a large amount of material in a short period of time. We plan to take our time listening to consumer feedback and making improvements, while incorporating our own unique storytelling."
Jaejung added, "There aren't many traditional alcoholic beverages made by celebrities that have made it onto the global market, so I hope this will be the first makgeolli to go global."
As expected, Apgujeong Makgeolli has already officially entered the Japanese market, supported by the power of top Korean star Kim Jaejung, and is expanding its market to China, the Chinese-speaking world, and the United States.
Since his debut in 2003, JAEJUNG has been active at the top for over 20 years. He has gone beyond the realm of artist and is now the CSO of the planning company iNKODE and a business leader.
It has even been transformed into a home. JAEJUNG, who is a "brand" and "IP" in itself, also reflected on the time he has spent working hard to protect his brand value.
"I've been trying to make a positive impact, but there have been times when I've felt tired. I thought about giving up or taking a break, but I knew I wanted to become stronger.
I chose my path. Everyone around me tells me to take breaks, but I actually feel pain when I rest. Even now, I'm busy and struggling with a lot of different roles, but at the same time, I'm happy.
"Just because you've been successful in one genre doesn't mean you can't try other genres," he said. "The Korean Wave has become so globalized that it's growing at an unstoppable pace."
"I think K-culture is sustainable and will remain a strong market for the next 10 to 20 years," he said, expressing his hope that "there is still much room for expansion in the F&B business as well."
By chunchun 2025/09/25 23:40 KST
