A consumer picks up cans of Asahi Super Dry Draft at a GS25 convenience store in Seoul. Courtesy of GS25

Driven by younger consumers who focus on what they buy rather than past grievances between Korea and Japan, Korea's imports of Japanese beer hit an all-time high of 119.2 billion won ($78.94 million) last year. The record surge suggests the 2019 ‘No Japan’ boycott has faded amid a thaw in relations and a sharp rise in tourism.

The shift is evident at the retail level. When Sapporo Beer opened its first official outlet in Korea in Seongsu, eastern Seoul, last December, the venue was crowded with visitors. Younger consumers willingly paid 9,000 won for a glass — 30 to 60 percent higher than domestic options and nearly twice the price of some Korean beers.

"The foam is soft and the mouthfeel is different," a woman in her 30s who visited the store with a friend said.

A Korean national flag and a "No Japan" banner are displayed side by side. Korea Times photo by Hong In-kee

A man in his 20s agreed, noting the appeal. "Japanese beer has a premium feel," he said. "When I want something different from what I usually drink, Japanese beer is my first choice."

The current boom stands in sharp contrast to recent years. In 2018, Japan exported 12.5 billion yen (about 118.2 billion won) worth of beer to Korea. Exports then plunged to 900 million yen (about 8.5 billion won) in 2020 following the launch of the ‘No Japan’ boycott.

The movement began in 2019 after Tokyo restricted exports of vital semiconductor materials, viewed by Korea as an economic retaliation against a Korean Supreme Court ruling that ordered Japanese companies to compensate victims of colonial-era forced labor. The COVID-19 pandemic further dampened demand before imports gradually rebounded to pre-boycott levels last year.

The rebound also reflects the effects of renewed Korea-Japan exchanges, including the restoration of summit diplomacy in 2023 and a surge in travel demand to Japan. According to the Japan National Tourism Organization, 1.08 million Korean tourists visited Japan last month, up 28.2 percent from a year earlier. Koreans are the largest group of foreign visitors to Japan.

This article from the Hankook Ilbo, the sister publication of The Korea Times, is translated by a generative AI system and edited by The Korea Times.

Source: Korea Times News