[Shim Hyun-hee's Drinks and People] The Birth of a Genre Called 'Jo Woong-rae'

Seonyang Soju launched ‘Seonyang Oak Somac,’ a canned soju-beer mix inspired by chairman Jo Woong-rae’s intuition.

The 5.7% ABV, 500 ml product blends oak-aged soju spirit with lager beer and was developed with Seven Bro7.

It sold 1 million cans within a month, showing strong consumer response in convenience-store liquor channels.

The product highlights how a mixed-format drink can challenge traditional soju-beer sales norms and boost a local brand’s differentiation.