It is no longer surprising to see more people around the world seeking out Korean food. The status of K-food continues to reach new heights each year.
And yet, when we take a closer look at a Korean meal, there is a curious sense that something is missing. A Western meal is naturally paired with wine, while a Japanese meal is often completed with sake. But beside Korean food, the table can still feel somewhat incomplete. K-food has grown into a global culinary phenomenon—so why does Korean alcohol, the drink that could complete the full Korean dining experience, seem to have remained in place?
한식을 완성하는 마지막 한 잔, ‘jari’
일본 하면 사케, 중국 하면 백주, 유럽 하면 와인이나 맥주가 자연스럽게 떠오릅니다. 그럼 한국은 어떨까요? 한식은 이제 세계 어디서나 만날 수 있지만, 그 요리에 걸맞은 '한국식 한 잔'은 아직 선명하게 떠오르지 않습니다.
한국 술의 매력이 부족해서일까요? 아닙니다. 오히려 한 번 들여다봐야 할 건, 술 자체보다 그 술이 세계로 나가는 구조입니다. 국내 전통주 양조장의 절반가량은 3인 이하의 소규모 사업장. 뛰어난 술을 빚어도 해외에서 브랜드를 알리고 유통망을 확보하기란 쉽지 않습니다. 좋은 술은 많지만, 세계 무대로 나가는 길은 늘 좁았습니다. 그래서 CJ제일제당이 해법을 꺼냈습니다. 국내 우수한 양조장들과 손잡고, 한국 술이 더 넓은 시장으로 나갈 수 있는 플랫폼이 되기로 한 거죠.
양조장은 오랜 시간 쌓아온 제조 기술과 원주의 품질을 책임지고, CJ제일제당은 비비고를 통해 축적한 글로벌 브랜딩과 마케팅, 유통 역량을 더합니다. 좋은 술을 더 많은 사람들에게 알리는 것. 이 역할 분담에서 탄생한 브랜드가 바로 jari입니다. 이름 그대로 사람들이 함께 모이는 ‘자리’에서 착안한 브랜드인데요. 한식이 세계인의 식탁에 자리 잡은 것처럼, 우리의 술이 세계인의 마음에 자리 잡길 바라는 마음을 담았습니다.
일단 미국에서 반응을 먼저 봤습니다. 지난해 뉴욕 맨해튼의 한식 다이닝 팝업에서는 문배술과 백련막걸리를 활용한 전통주 칵테일을 선보였고, 올해 5월 더 CJ컵에서는 문배술과 가무치 소주를 활용한 칵테일을 갤러리들에게 소개했습니다. 한식의 격을 올려주고 풍미를 한층 더 살려주는 페어링 경험. jari는 한식과 함께 즐기는 새로운 미식 경험을 먼저 보여줬습니다.
그리고 지난 7월, 국내에서 jari 문배술 24와 jari 가무치 24를 공개하며 본격적인 출발을 알렸습니다. 두 제품 모두 국내 양조장의 원주를 사계절 옹기 숙성해 더 부드러운 목넘김을 구현했고, 한국 술을 처음 접하는 해외 소비자도 부담 없이 즐길 수 있도록 설계했습니다. 그리고 오는 9월, 미국 시장에 정식 론칭하며 K-Food를 넘어 K-Spirits까지 글로벌 확장에 나섭니다.
이 전략에는 분명한 이유가 있습니다. 미국에서는 술을 고를 때 음식과의 페어링을 중요하게 생각하는 소비자가 꾸준히 늘고 있고, 특히 증류주는 이미 가장 큰 주류 시장을 형성하고 있습니다. 여기에 K-Food에 대한 관심까지 더해진다면, K-미식과 함께 즐기는 한국식 프리미엄 증류주 역시 충분히 가능성 있다는 판단입니다.
jari가 꿈꾸는 건 새로운 가능성을 만드는 것입니다. 한국식 프리미엄 증류주의 가치를 세계에 소개하는 K-Spirits 플랫폼. 국내 양조장과 함께 우리 술의 가치를 확장하고 세계 미식 시장에 K-Spirits라는 새로운 카테고리를 만들어 가고자 합니다.
비비고가 K-푸드를 세계인의 식탁에 올려놓았다면, 이제 jari는 그 식탁 위에 한국의 프리미엄 한 잔을 올리려 합니다. 언젠가 한식을 떠올리면 자연스럽게 한국 술도 함께 떠오르도록, 그 새로운 '자리'를 CJ제일제당이 만들어가고 있습니다.
Great Korean Spirits Are Everywhere. Why Have They Not Reached the World?
The answer is simple. It is certainly not because Korean alcohol lacks quality or flavor. From renowned liquors recognized as National Intangible Cultural Heritage to contemporary spirits now drawing attention, exceptional drinks with distinct character can be found throughout the country.
The real challenge lies not in the craft of making the alcohol, but in the structure required to introduce it to the world. Nearly half of Korea’s traditional liquor breweries are small operations with three employees or fewer. For these producers, crafting exceptional spirits with artisanal care is already a demanding task. Breaking into vast global distribution networks while managing branding and marketing can be virtually out of reach. In other words, the spirits are ready. But getting them from local breweries to dining tables around the world has not been easy.
Opening a Pathway to the World
This was precisely the gap CJ CheilJedang saw. As K-food continues to expand globally, the company recognized the absence of premium Korean spirits that could complete the culinary experience.
CJ CheilJedang therefore joined hands with outstanding small and medium-sized Korean breweries, setting out to build a path to the global market together. The breweries take responsibility for producing high-quality base spirits through techniques refined over generations. CJ CheilJedang, in turn, brings the global branding and distribution capabilities it has built while growing bibigo into the world’s No. 1 Korean food brand.
The process does not end there. To ensure that global consumers encountering Korean spirits for the first time can enjoy them with ease, the spirits undergo an additional stage of refinement. At a dedicated facility in Nonsan, Chungcheongnam-do, established by CJ CheilJedang, they are aged in traditional earthenware jars through all four seasons. This preserves the depth of the original spirit while creating a smoother finish.
This thoughtful division of roles gave rise to jari, a premium distilled spirits brand. Its name comes from the Korean word ‘자리’, meaning the space occupied by a person or an object. It reflects the hope that Korean spirits will find their own place in the hearts of consumers around the world.
Demonstrating the Potential of Korean-Style Mariage
Before its official launch, jari offered several previews in the United States to gauge local response. Last year, traditional Korean liquor cocktails featuring Munbaeju and Baekryeon Makgeolli appeared at a Korean dining pop-up in Manhattan, New York. Paired with dishes such as yukhoe tartare and potato pancakes, the drinks offered an early glimpse of how Korean spirits can elevate the flavors of Korean cuisine.
At THE CJ CUP, held in Texas this May, jari reached consumers in a more approachable way. A dedicated jari booth was set up on the golf course, serving cocktails made with Munbaeju and Gamuchi Soju. What mattered most was the response. Guests naturally reached for a cocktail as they enjoyed their food, then became curious about the food again as they sipped their drinks. It was a seamless harmony—and a direct demonstration of a new way to introduce Korean spirits to local consumers.
More than simply selling a bottle, however, jari is focused on something larger. It aims to propose a distinctly Korean form of mariage—helping overseas consumers intuitively understand when, where, and with what to enjoy Korean spirits. Just as ordering sake at a Japanese restaurant feels natural, jari is working to establish the idea that Korean food, too, has Korean.
Completing the Korean Table
Then, after marking its official beginning in Korea last July, jari finally arrived in New York, the heart of global culinary trends. At a recent launch event in Manhattan, the brand signaled the start of its global expansion in earnest. Alongside the existing jari Munbaeju 24 and jari Gamuchi 24, jari also unveiled jari Munbaeju 41, a higher-proof expression created for local consumers with a preference for premium distilled spirits.
In the United States, a growing number of consumers consider food pairing an important factor when choosing alcoholic beverages, while distilled spirits already represent one of the country’s largest alcohol categories. In step with this trend, the launch event featured Korean course dishes and cocktail pairings developed in collaboration with acclaimed local chefs and bartenders. In the heart of New York, jari demonstrated the strong potential for Korean spirits—still unfamiliar to many—to become a natural part of the local culinary experience.
jari has a clear goal: to become more than a single brand and serve as a K-Spirits platform that introduces the value of premium Korean distilled spirits to the world. At a Partners Day held the day after the launch event, jari invited key F&B professionals from across New York and introduced four outstanding Korean breweries. It was another step toward turning its vision into reality: expanding the value of Korean spirits together with local breweries and creating a new category in the global culinary market.
It took time for K-food to reach dining tables around the world. Now, it is time to fill the glass that has been missing from those tables. With the joy of eating that bibigo has shared—and the joy of drinking that jari will bring—the future of Korean food culture is ready to expand even further.
