Lotte Chilsung Lowers Alcohol Content of Soju 'Chuhmchurum' to 15.7%

Lotte Chilsung Beverage is lowering the alcohol content of its soju 'Chuhmchurum' as it celebrates the product's 20th anniversary.
 
The company announced on September 1 that it will begin selling a version of Chuhmchurum with an alcohol content reduced from 16% to 15.7% starting in mid-September. The new product will be distributed across all channels, including restaurants, bars, large supermarkets, and convenience stores, as existing stock is depleted.
 
To maintain the original flavor while lowering the alcohol content, some sweetener levels have also been adjusted. The alcohol warning label has been moved to a more prominent position on the packaging.
 
When it was launched in 2006, Chuhmchurum was introduced at 20% alcohol, lower than the 21% that dominated the soju market at the time, promoting itself as a 'smooth soju.' It sold 10 million bottles within 17 days, reached 100 million bottles in less than six months, and surpassed 1 billion bottles in about four years. By the end of the first half of this year, cumulative sales exceeded 10 billion bottles.
 
Chuhmchurum has consistently lowered its alcohol content over the years. It was adjusted to 19.5% in 2007, 19% in 2012, and 18% in 2014, and last year it was reduced from 16.5% to 16%. Compared to its original launch, the alcohol content has decreased by a total of 4.3% over the past 20 years.
 
Recently, products with alcohol content below 16% have been rapidly increasing in the soju market. Lotte Chilsung lowered the alcohol content of its 'Saero' soju from 16% to 15.7% in January, and Hite Jinro adjusted its 'Jinro' from 16% to 15.7% in February. Hite Jinro cited a trend among consumers who prefer lighter alcoholic beverages while also being health-conscious.
 
Lotte Chilsung is expanding consumer choices by offering both low-alcohol and high-alcohol products. To mark the 20th anniversary of Chuhmchurum, it has introduced a 20% 'Chuhmchurum Classic' that revives the original recipe and design from 20 years ago.
 
A Lotte Chilsung representative stated, "We adjusted the alcohol content to emphasize the essential competitiveness of Chuhmchurum, which is its 'smoothness.' We will actively market the newly softened Chuhmchurum in the second half of the year."