RESEARCH NOTES

Is Soju Sales Still Tied to the Economy? The 'Inverted Correlation' Revealed by Data

Soju and alcohol are no longer 'recession buffers,' shifting instead into items where consumption declines even amid economic stagnation. Over the past decade, total alcohol and soju shipments have structurally decreased regardless of economic cycles, showing a post-COVID brief rebound followed by a continued downturn. During the sluggish domestic demand period from 2023 to 2026, household alcohol expenditure, soju retail sales, and major corporate soju revenue simultaneously declined, demonstrating that the 'soju in a recession' formula no longer works. With shrinking drinking populations and frequencies, the spread of preference-driven alcohol consumption, and the subordination of soju demand to dining-out economies, soju is becoming a product tied to dining and cultural trends rather than an inferior or recession-proof good. As the domestic market structurally stagnates, the industry is focusing on low-proof and premium products and export expansion, reading soju sales no longer as an economic thermometer, but as a cultural indicator reflecting Korean drinking culture and the spread of K-content.