Makgeolli has long been a favorite of ordinary Koreans for its blend of savoriness, sweetness, and tartness. Until recently, however, it also had the stigma of being an “old peoples’ liquor” as well as a liquor whose consumption has long-lasting and unpleasant consequences. Today, makgeolli is enjoying a second golden age among young Koreans and consumers worldwide. Let’s explore what about makgeolli, the latest “K-drink,” is catching people’s attention—as well as what is not.

Article Noh Yunyoung (Editorial Team) Sources Happy Design House editorial team, K FOOD: The Secret of Korean Food; Baek Woojin, “Carbide makgeolli: 1970s urban myth of ‘unsavory intent’?,” Asia Biz

A companion of the joys and sorrows of ordinary Koreans

Makgeolli is a traditional Korean alcoholic beverage that, because of the unfiltered rice sediment, led people to frequently call it takju (literally, “opaque wine”) because of its milky-white color, “farmer’s wine” because of its popularity during farming season, and “national liquor.” The term “makgeolli” is derived from the fact that its dregs are poorly sifted (mak means “roughly” or “carelessly”) in the filtering stage, the final step of the makgeolli-making process.

Makgeolli is the outcome of first removing the uppermost layer of the liquor (which becomes cheongju) and sifting the rest in a strainer, including the dregs, which are called jigemi. Mixing water with jigemi lowers the alcohol content and increases the amount of dregs. This makes the resulting liquor opaque in appearance but nutrient-rich. It was enjoyed during harvest season as a snack due to its filling quality and low alcohol content, which made it very difficult to get intoxicated.

Because makgeolli was easy to make in pre-modern Korea, requiring only water, rice, and yeast, the commoner class made makgeolli at home. It was served at festive and sad occasions as well. Makgeolli was an essential part of important family or village events and continues to be used today for ancestral rites or rituals praying for good fortune (e.g. building dedication, etc.).

Makgeolli as an Intangible Cultural Heritage

Experts believe that makgeolli began being made before the Three Kingdoms Period, when people began cultivating rice. The term “takju” is found in documents from the Goryeo dynasty. The jigemi produced when brewing rice-based liquor was often made into sultteok (literally, “liquor rice cakes”) by those who could not afford expensive liquors. The practice of adding leftover base liquor or powdered grain to the jigemi and then fermenting it was the origin of what we know today as makgeolli.

Generally, makgeolli was made with ingredients that were easily available in a particular region. In rice-farming areas, makgeolli was made with non-glutinous or sticky rice; in Pyeongan-do and Hamgyeong-do, with millet or sorghum; in the mountainous areas of Gangwon-do, with corn; in the southern island regions, with barley or sweet potato. As such, the ingredients varied by region, but all used a grain-based yeast as the fermenting agent.

Until the Joseon dynasty, it was common practice to brew makgeolli at home. It was, like kimchi or doenjang (soybean paste), a fermented food that tasted different at each household. In 1909, a liquor tax law was put in place that required citizens to receive state permission to brew liquor at home. From 1934 through 1995, laws were enacted that forbid people from brewing liquor at home. The decline of homemade makgeolli was accompanied by the advent of the commercialized brewery version.

Despite its multiple ups and downs over the past few decades, makgeolli has managed to survive by adapting to the times. Until the mid-1960s, rice was the main ingredient. The grain import policy of 1966, however, resulted in imported flour and powdered corn becoming the main ingredients. In 1990, all restrictions on liquor ingredients were eliminated, resulting in the re-emergence of rice-based makgeolli. In 2009, the Korean government adopted a policy that encouraged rice consumption, resulting in a sharp increase in rice-brewed makgeolli. The elimination of the restriction on alcohol content made it possible to call any beverage that is opaque and has an alcohol content of at least one percent “makgeolli.”

In June 2021, makgeolli was designated as an Intangible Cultural Heritage of Korea in recognition of its historical value, academic value, representativeness, sociocultural value, and sustainability. One interesting point is that, given its production and consumption nationwide, makgeolli was designated as a communal heritage (rather than the craft of a particular individual or organization).

Makgeolli makes global strides as a “K-drink”

The 21st century’s version of hallyu, coming on the heels of K-pop, K-drama, and K-food, is the so-called “K-drink” due to the rising popularity of Korea’s alcoholic beverages. In May, the American broadcasting network CNN touted makgeolli as the next big hallyu export that is “stepping out of soju’s shadow.” Such attention from foreign media is believed to indicate that makgeolli has boarded the most recent hallyu bandwagon launched by the global popularity of BTS. In Japan, “makkori” (Japanese pronunciation of makgeolli) already has a loyal following among young consumers. According to June statistics announced by the Korea Customs Service, makgeolli exports in 2021 added up to USD 15,702,000 (approx. KRW 19.66 billion)—a 27.6 percent increase compared to the figure for 2020. What is noteworthy is that makgeolli is not popular only overseas: in Korea, it is especially well-received by Gen MZ. What, then, is the force driving today’s unprecedented demand for makgeolli, which had been denigrated as an “older man’s liquor” and “commoner liquor” until very recently?

Prominent media outlets, including CNN, and liquor experts point to the creation of a premium market as the first and biggest reason for makgeolli’s success: namely, the spotlighting of the history of makgeolli brewing as well as its health benefits in a way that is understandable by modern consumers. The marketing of the drink as “well-being rice wine” had a particularly positive impact on makgeolli’s image—an image that is not, as consumers are quickly discovering, not too far off the mark. Makgeolli is rich in fiber, protein, and minerals. One cup has between 100 and 1,000 times more fiber than the same volume of most fiber drinks that are currently on the market. Fiber, as long as it is consumed in moderation, benefits the body by facilitating intestinal movement, thus preventing constipation (it is also helpful with cardiovascular disorders). Today, makgeolli has emerged from a long dark age to become the hippest liquor, as evidenced by Boksoondoga’s Son Makgeolli, which is naturally carbonated; Haechang Makgeolli 18 Degrees of Haechangjujo, a brewery based in Jeollanam-do; and MARK HOLY, a brewery that uses ale yeast.

Makgeolli was a byword for liquors that make you regret having consumed them the following day. The cause of the hangovers and headaches was, purportedly, the inclusion of calcium carbide, an industrial chemical—a theory that Dr. Cho Hocheol, Korea’s foremost expert on liquor sciences, strongly refutes. Cho argues that calcium carbide combined with water produces acetylene gas, the odor of which is so unpleasantly potent that no one would be able to drink it. Furthermore, acetylene gas is highly explosive. Cho points out that if calcium carbide had really been included in makgeolli, many accidents would have been reported—but such accidents have still not occurred. He conducted multiple experiments that are giving weight to the theory that calcium carbide was never mixed into makgeolli in the first place: in other words, he is revealing that the widely-held notion of makgeolli being the cause of nasty hangovers is a myth.

Makgeolli has a low alcohol content of approximately six percent, making it accessible regardless of age or gender. Since the COVID-19 pandemic, it has become famous as a fermented drink (large quantities of lactic acid bacteria). The growing range of flavors created through diverse experiments, especially those done by young brewery owners, and the use of trendy designs and marketing techniques is opening up a new golden age of makgeolli.