Whiskey has overtaken soju, South Korea's most popular liquor, in sales at a major hypermarket chain, as drinking habits shift from group gatherings toward solo and at-home consumption driven by personal taste.
Whiskey accounted for 16.3% of total alcohol sales at E-Mart in the first nine months of this year, edging past soju's 15.9% for the first time, the retailer said on the 17th. Whiskey sales rose 11.1% from a year earlier, far outpacing soju's 2.0% growth. Whiskey sales had climbed 21.8% in 2023 and 16.1% in 2024 before slowing to 2.9% in 2025, returning to double-digit growth this year.
It is the first time whiskey alone — rather than the broader spirits category that includes vodka, tequila and rum — has surpassed soju at E-Mart.
Whiskey also gained ground at Lotte Mart, where the spirits category including whiskey grew 2.3% in the first half of this year from the same period a year earlier. Blended whiskey led the gains with a 13.6% increase, while Japanese whiskey sales rose 12.6%.
The shift reflects a move away from the once-common practice of mixing soju and beer at large gatherings toward drinking alone or in small groups at home. Whiskey suits that pattern, industry officials say, because it can be enjoyed in various forms including highballs and keeps well after opening, allowing drinkers to spread a bottle over time.
Retailers are expanding their whiskey offerings in response. E-Mart is running a promotion called "Whiskovery" through the 21st, discounting about 80 whiskey labels by 10% to 50%. Roughly half of the products on offer are being introduced for the first time.
"It's not that soju sales have fallen, but that whiskey consumption has grown that quickly," an industry official said. "As with wine, consumers start with mainstream products and then begin seeking out new flavors and new regions of origin."