Makgeolli exports to Japan peaked at $48.41 million in 2011, helped by the ever spreading phenomenon of "hallyu" or the Korean wave, before declining to $31.99 million in 2012 and further to $13.62 million in 2013, according to the statistics compiled the Korea Customs Service.
The 2014 figure marks a decrease of 81.1 percent from three years ago in 2011.
Officials attributed the drastic drop to the decline in popularity for makgeolli among Japanese consumers.
In 2011, makgeolli exports to Japan accounted for 91.8 percent of the total makgeolli shipments, but the figure dropped to 59.6 percent in 2014.
In contrast, exports of makgeolli to China, the United States, Australia and Southeast Asian countries increased over the same period. Makgeolli exports to China and the United States constituted 13 percent and 10.7 percent of the total shipments last year, up from 2.4 percent and 3.6 percent three years ago, respectively.
Copyright ⓒ Aju Press All rights reserved.