According to the latest IWSR Bevtrac survey, 76% of South Korean respondents of legal drinking age and above reported consuming alcohol in the past six months. This is higher than the figure for Japan, which was only 53%.
The numbers are even more divergent for Gen Z legal drinking age (LDA+) consumers. 76% of LDA+ Gen Z consumers from South Korea consumed alcohol in the past six months (the same as the population as whole). In Japan, the number was just 40% (the lowest of the 19 countries surveyed by IWSR Bevtrac).
The two countries also differ in how and where people drink. When asked about their last occasion for drinking alcohol, South Korean drinkers are more likely to socialise with one or more people when they consume alcohol (61% reported consuming alcohol with one or more other people and 33% reported consuming alcohol at a bar, restaurant or nightclub). Meanwhile, only 52% of Japanese drinkers reported being with one or more people, and only 17% said they were at a bar, restaurant or nightclub.
Less surprisingly, drinkers from each country include local spirits in their most popular drinking choices. The top five categories that South Koreans said they had consumed in the past six months were beer, soju, makgeolli, still wine, and no-alcohol beer. For Japanese drinkers, the top five were beer, still wine, sake, shochu, and no-alcohol beer.
This was the first year South Korea has been included in the twice yearly IWSR Bevtrac survey, making a comparison between the two key Asian markets. From July 2027, Bevtrac survey reports will include comparative data to show changes in South Korean consumer behaviour over time.
Anastasia Herayanthi – Jutant, IWSR Head of Research APAC, says, “Adding South Korea alongside Japan in the latest IWSR Bevtrac survey helps us understand how consumers in two key APAC markets differ from each other. Tracking how these markets change is the next step, and I'm looking forward to seeing comparative year-on-year data for Korea next year.”
About IWSR: IWSR is the global leader in data, analytics and insights for the beverage alcohol industry covering 160 markets worldwide.
View source version on businesswire.com: https://www.businesswire.com/news/home/20261018099578/en/
Ned Vaught, press@theiwsr.com
