Can distiller Kim Chang-soo's labor of love give Korea the top-shelf whiskey it deserves?

Soju and makgeolli have seen flashes of global attention but never managed to establish a lasting foothold abroad. Now, a new contender is emerging to carry Korean liquor abroad — K-whiskey.

Kim Chang-soo at his whiskey distillery in Gimpo. [PARK SANG-MOON]

[INTERVIEW]

Soju and makgeolli have seen flashes of global attention but never managed to establish a lasting foothold abroad. Now, a new contender is emerging to carry Korean liquor abroad — K-whiskey. And at the forefront of this movement is Kim Chang-soo, a 39-year-old whiskey maker who has spent nearly half his life chasing a single dream of crafting Korean whiskey.

“Whiskey is like English, a common language,” said the distiller. “That makes it easier to introduce to the world.” He also believes that Korea’s unique environment — particularly its four distinct seasons — will help create a flavor profile that, in his words, “only Korea can produce.”

Kim’s conviction isn’t without foundation. When he was just around 20, he made the decision to devote his life to making whiskey in korea — a move many around him dismissed as nonsense. But he saw potential they didn’t. As Korea’s economic status rose, so did interest in food — and he knew it was only a matter of time before that curiosity extended to whiskey.

Years later, at the age of 28, he quit his job at a regular company and booked a flight to Scotland, the birthplace of whiskey. With just 10 million won (about $7,000) in his pocket, he knocked on the doors of 102 distilleries, looking for any opportunity for a job.

Nothing came easy — every single one turned him down. But it wasn’t all failures because at a bar that he randomly went to at the end, he met a guy who would open the door to his next chapter, ultimately helping him get a training opportunity. Years later, Kim would go on to establish his own 309-square-meter (3,326-square-feet) distillery in Gimpo.

Though relatively new — with only three to four years of aging and limited production — Kim’s whiskey is now highly sought after, with customers lining up for hours to get their hands on his limited-edition releases. Many fans cite "being Korean” and "surprising depth and flavor despite its short aging" as the main appeal behind Kim’s creation. At a recent Bar & Spirits Expo, his booth was one of the busiest, packed with whiskey lovers eager to taste a spirit that has become a symbol of years of dedication and perseverance.

The limited run of 336 bottles of his Kimchangsoo Whiskey in 2023 sold out in just 10 days, while the 2,000 bottles of his “Kimchamgsoo Whiskey Gimpo the First Edition 2024” disappeared within a minute of going on sale through distribution channels, including CU convenience stores. One of his latest special releases, the 130-bottle limited single malt “Kimchangsoo's Choice 2 — Speyside,” also sold out quickly at Shinsegae Department Store.

Kim Chang-soo speaks during an interview with the Korea JoongAng Daily at his whiskey distillery in Gimpo. [PARK SANG-MOON]

But if Korean whiskey is to go global truly, Kim says systemic barriers must be addressed — starting with Korea’s outdated liquor tax system. “Korea is one of the only countries that still enforces this law from the Japanese colonial era,” he said.

The Korea JoongAng Daily sat down with Kim at his distillery to talk about his journey, the rise of K-whiskey, and what needs to change for Korean liquor to finally take its place on the global stage.

Do you see Korean whiskey as the next global Korean drink after soju and makgeolli?

Yes. Many whiskey experts say that it’s hard or even impossible for foreigners to understand soju or makgeolli since they don’t know what they are. But everyone knows whiskey. If said more easily, whiskey is like English, a common language. For example, introducing Korean literature or what is Korean in Korean may be hard, but if we do it in English, that makes it easier to introduce to the world.

Korea’s economic and cultural level has risen greatly. Beyond music, dramas and films, even Korean food has gained global recognition — yet Korea remains the only country at this level without a globally recognized liquor. That’s why this is a national concern, although the big reason behind that is the ad valorem tariff. Look at Taiwan. Whiskey has become its signature drink. Korea can do the same, using whiskey as our common language.

What makes Kimchangsoo Whiskey appealing to international consumers?

First of all, Korea’s environment is unique, different from Taiwan’s and Japan’s. So naturally, it produces a flavor that only Korea can have. The four distinct seasons we grew up learning about are actually rare. Winters here can be colder than Russia’s, summers can be hotter than parts of Southeast Asia, and on top of that, Korea is dry in winter and humid in summer. Such extreme seasonal contracts are hard to find elsewhere, and whiskey aged in these conditions develops unique characteristics worth exploring.

Also, because we are a very small craft distillery, making everything entirely by hand, our quality is higher, and our whiskey reflects the Korean environment more faithfully. As the Korean whiskey market grows, I hope to use more locally sourced ingredients to create an even more distinctive spirit that fully captures our country’s environment.

Kimchangsoo Whiskey Gimpo the First Edition 2024 [PARK SANG-MOON]

Korea is said to be an unfavorable environment for whiskey production. Have you experienced climate, legal or environmental constraints while running your business?

It’s undeniable that Korea has a terrible legal environment. But climate-wise, it’s actually not bad at all. The idea that Korea’s climate is unsuitable is just something the established producers say. Original producers will always claim their environment is best, and newcomers will say the same about theirs. But in terms of legal and institutional conditions, Korea is the worst in the world, with an ad valorem tariff over 100 percent.

You’re referring to the liquor tax system?

Yes. That’s one of the biggest issues. Almost no countries still have such a law, only poorer developing nations or Islamic countries, where alcohol is heavily restricted. Advanced economies with Korea’s income and cultural level use ad valorem taxes or lower rates. Korea is one of the only countries that still enforces this law from the Japanese colonial era.

In Korea, whisky is classified as a distilled spirit and is subject to a 72 percent liquor tax on its factory or import price. On top of this, an education tax of 30 percent of the liquor tax and a 10 percent value-added tax are imposed, which means that the effective tax surpasses 100 percent of the original price and even doubles the retail cost compared to the production cost.

Casks are stacked inside Kimchangsoo Whiskey's distillery in Gimpo [WOO JI-WON]

Whiskey has become more popular in Korea recent years. Why do you think that is?

I expected it — if anything, it’s late. Globally, whiskey consumption closely matches economic rankings. Wealthier countries drink more whiskey. This is tied to food culture. Ten to 15 years ago in Korea, TV programs about good restaurants exploded in popularity. As people became wealthier, eating well became about more than just filling the stomach — it became a source of joy. The next step after food is alcohol. Wine came first because it’s easier to approach, and then whiskey.

But honestly, Korea should have experienced a whiskey boom earlier, but high taxes made it hard for people to access it. Interest was suppressed until it suddenly exploded during Covid-19. Even without the pandemic, the boom would have come — it just arrived more suddenly. I started making whiskey knowing the boom was inevitable, and I didn’t want Korea to face that moment without its own whiskey so that is why I tried to begin making it fast.

You originally wanted to make traditional Korean liquor. What led you to fall in love with whiskey instead?

I was around 17 when I first thought I should make alcohol. I tried out a liquor that was just launched and the master brewer who made it happened to have the same name as me. That made me more aware of liquor-making as a craft and a career. At 20, I began studying seriously. I started making traditional liquors but also explored all kinds, like wine, beer, and of course, whiskey. Out of everything I studied, whiskey stood out the most. I fell for it deeply, and naturally began thinking about making it myself. Most importantly, back then, I was drinking a lot of Japanese whiskey, and honestly, I was jealous. Japan was producing such excellent whiskey, but Korea wasn’t making any at all. That’s when I decided I should be the one to make it.

Without the long aging times of other whiskeys, how do you achieve good flavor?

Because we are small-scale, we can manage things more closely. Large producers can’t check all their thousands or tens of thousands of casks, but we can. For whiskey, smaller stills produce higher-quality spirit, so our new make is excellent. And since I began as a whiskey enthusiast, I had a clear vision from the start and made choices that suited Korea’s climate, people and environment.

Kim Chang-soo at his whiskey distillery in Gimpo. [PARK SANG-MOON]

Could you walk us through your whiskey journey?

After graduating from university, I got a job, but it wasn’t what I wanted to do. I thought that if I kept working in an unrelated field, I might forget my dream. So I quite immediately started working at a whiskey bar. I did that for about a year, but realized it wasn’t enough, so I decided to go to Scotland, the birthplace of whiskey, to ask for work.

At the time, there were about 102 distilleries, and I visited every single one of them. With 10 million won, I bought a used bicycle and a tent and spent four to five months traveling — partly to study whiskey, partly to look for work. I’m certain I was the first Korean, and perhaps even the first Asian, to attempt something like that. I had expected at least one distillery to take me in, but none did. I was 29 at the time, and in a way, it felt like my last chance to do something so daring in my twenties.

Then, at the end of that trip, you met an employee from the famous Japanese whisky company Chichibu at a bar you visited after failing to secure a job at a distillery.

Yes. Originally, the first thing I did after quitting my job was contact Chichibu, a whiskey distillery in Japan, but they turned me down. With no other option, I went to Scotland. And while I “failed” to get a job there, the meeting (with Chichibu employee) at the end could be called fateful.

We (The employee and I) grew closer over time. Whenever I asked if I could visit their distillery, they would say they were too busy, maybe later. After returning from Scotland, I began making whiskey at home using small equipment. It was then that NHK in Japan contacted me to film. It was around 2014 or 2015, and there was a lot of whiskey-related content being made [in Japan]. The drama Massan, based on the life of the “father of Japanese whiskey," Masataka Taketsuru, was popular at the time. NHK titled my segment “Korea’s Massan,” saying Korea was starting its own whiskey story.

I suggested filming at Chichibu, saying that I was trying to learn about whiskey in Japan and it would be nice to film it there. So we did. Since then, I’ve gained more confidence. In June 2020, I signed the lease for my distillery and began.

Your releases always sell out quickly. Why do you think that is? The taste is important, but I think people also support my story — the fact that I didn’t make whiskey just because it was going to be trendy or profitable, but because I have spent over a decade advocating for Korean whiskey independence and also stayed connected with fans.

Fans line up at Kimchangsoo Whiskey's booth to try his whiskeys at Seoul Bar & Spirits Show held on July 24. [WOO JI-WON]

Have your recipes or methods changed over the past five years since the establishment? There have been some changes, mostly technical adjustments. But we are also finding ways that best suit our facilities and environment. We are currently building a new distillery, set to open late this year. We also grow our own barley and plan to produce soju there.

You’ve already begun exporting, starting with Britain in March. What’s next? Right now, we are also exporting in small amounts to Singapore, Vietnam and Japan. Whiskey is consumed a lot in Korea, but it’s a global drink with a larger consumer base overseas. I want recognition not just in Korea but internationally, and I especially want to export to the biggest and most traditional market Scotland.

What are your short- and long-term goals for Kimchangsoo Whiskey? From the moment I started this journey, my goal has been to create the most delicious whiskey possible. My ultimate ambition — perhaps unattainable — is to make the best whiskey in the world, or even in the entire universe.

BY WOO JI-WON [woo.jiwon@joongang.co.kr]