\n<\/p>\n
For some of the bar\u2019s customers, it is still a first encounter.<\/p>\n
\u201cIt\u2019s quite flavourful,\u201d said one patron. \u201cIt\u2019s quite a unique taste and it doesn’t feel like I\u2019m drinking alcohol.\u201d<\/p>\n
The rising curiosity is not accidental, said observers.<\/p>\n
\u201cSouth Korean dramas show a lot of drinking culture, not just as a transaction but as a social ritual,\u201d said Dr Dayoung Kim, a senior lecturer in marketing at the National University of Singapore (NUS).<\/p>\n
\u201cSo, specific brands and people drinking, it gets all exposed through those dramas and Singaporeans, Southeast Asians love watching those dramas. It gives legitimate access to that Korean drinking culture.\u201d\u00a0<\/p>\n
The shift is also reflected in trade data. After dropping to a pandemic low of US$270 million in 2020, South Korea’s liquor exports rebounded to about US$326 million in 2023.\u00a0<\/p>\n
Singapore is playing a role in that recovery. South Korean alcohol exports to the country hit US$6.1 million in 2024, making it the eighth-largest global destination for South Korean spirits by value.\u00a0<\/p>\n
\u201cSingapore is well known as a great testbed,\u201d said Ms Bona Kim, managing partner at The Sool Company, which aims to promote South Korean traditional alcohol on the global stage.<\/p>\n
\u201cOnce you get good recognition in Singapore, it\u2019s easier to move to countries close to it like Malaysia, Indonesia or Vietnam \u2013 or even to Europe.\u201d<\/p>\n
NUS\u2019 Dr Kim believes part of Singapore\u2019s appeal lies in its openness.<\/p>\n
\u201cTheir pallets are multicultural. Foundationally, Singaporean consumers grow up navigating Chinese, Malay, Indian, Western food and drinks all simultaneously,\u201d she said.<\/p>\n
\u201cIt\u2019s also a travel hub, so a lot of people come and go. That builds a lower barrier to try new things.\u201d<\/p>\n<\/div>\n