KOOKSOONDANG

What KOOKSOONDANG does

KOOKSOONDANG (주식회사 국순당 / Kooksoondang Brewery Co., Ltd.) is a South Korean traditional liquor producer founded in 1952 and headquartered in Hoengseong-gun, Gangwon-do. The company manufactures and sells Korean traditional alcoholic beverages including makgeolli (rice wine), soju, and other spirits, with a flagship multi-brand portfolio of Baeksego (백세고), Beopgochangsin (법고창신), Baekseju (백세주), Yedam (예담), and premium distilled soju (증류소주 려 40). Underlying production is based on traditional Korean brewing fermentation methods, with proprietary probiotic and prebiotic fermentation techniques used in functional products such as the 100 Billion Prebiotic Makgeolli (1000억 프리바이오틱스 막걸리) launched in 2020.

The company generates revenue primarily through wholesale distribution of alcoholic beverages via a nationwide network of regional 도매점 (wholesale distributors) covering all major South Korean provinces, supplemented by direct channels including own-brand retail sites (e.g., Baekseju Village), online gift-set and imported-wine sales, factory tour venues (주향로), and an emerging international channel via a global website (English, Chinese, Japanese). Its customer base consists of general Korean consumers for personal consumption and gifting, plus business partners (wholesalers, retailers), and it has recently extended into adjacent categories such as the Baeksego traditional health beverage and rice-based snack products. As a privately held corporation with 251–500 employees, ₩256.3 billion in total assets, and ₩234.2 billion in total equity as of FY2024, KOOKSOONDANG is a self-sustaining, mature traditional brewery investing in functional product innovation and incremental internationalization.

Name

KOOKSOONDANG

Legal name

주식회사 국순당

Website

https://ksdb.co.kr

Company type

Private

Founded year

1952

Operating status

Operating

Headcount range

251–500 employees

Short description

KOOKSOONDANG is a privately held South Korean traditional brewery (est. 1952) producing makgeolli, soju, and functional health beverages, distributing nationwide via regional wholesalers and own-brand retail sites.

Ownership category

akta.pro rank

Product category

Traditional Korean Alcoholic Beverages

NAICS

Beverage Manufacturing (3121), Breweries (312120), Distilleries (31214)

SIC

Beverages (2080), Wholesale-Beer, Wine & Distilled Alcoholic Beverages (5180)

akta.pro primary industry

Sake, Soju & Other Asian Alcoholic Beverages Producers & Brands (CRADAIAF)

akta.pro secondary industry

Fermented Tea & Botanical Beverage Production (Jun, Kvass, etc.) (AFAFAHAD)

Keywords

• Traditional Korean liquor
• Rice wine production
• Makgeolli brewing
• Korean distilled spirits
• Alcoholic beverage manufacturing

Headquarters

HQ city

Seoul

HQ country

South Korea

HQ region

Asia

Offices2 records

Markets served

GTM type

B2C

Offering type

Hardware or Manufacturing

Cost components

Supply Chain, Operations

Revenue model

1. Alcoholic Beverage Sales: Primary revenue from manufacturing and selling traditional Korean alcoholic beverages including makgeolli (rice wine), soju, and other spirits through domestic distribution network and retail channels.
2. Wholesale Distribution: Revenue through nationwide network of regional wholesale distributors covering all provinces in South Korea.
3. Retail and Online Sales: Direct sales of products through gift sets, imported wines, and subsidiary brand products.

Go-to-market motion1 record

Distribution channels4 records

Marketing channels5 records

Core offering

KOOKSOONDANG (국순당) is a traditional Korean brewery founded in 1952 that manufactures and sells authentic Korean alcoholic beverages, including makgeolli (unrefined rice wine), distilled soju, and refined traditional liquors. The company offers a portfolio of flagship brands such as 백세고 (Baeksego), 백세주 (Baekseju), 법고창신 (Beopgochangsin), 예담 (Yedam), and various makgeolli variants including functional prebiotic and probiotic rice wines. It also retails imported liquors, gift sets, and rice-based snack products.

Product overview

Kooksoondang (국순당) is a leading Korean traditional liquor (우리술) brewery offering a portfolio of alcoholic beverages centered on traditional Korean rice wines (makgeolli, takju), refined wines, and distilled spirits. The core product lines include: 백세고 (Baeksego), 백세주 (Baekseju) with its own dedicated village/brand site, 법고창신, 막걸리 (Makgeolli) including variants such as 1000억 유산균 막걸리 (100 Billion Probiotic Makgeolli) and 1000억 프리바이오 막걸리 (100 Billion Prebiotic Makgeolli), and 예담. Additional offerings include imported liquors (수입주류), gift sets (선물세트), and snack products like 쌀죠리퐁당 (Rice Jjolipongdang). Kooksoondang also operates specialty brand sites for 백세주 and 예담, and a global internationalization site (global.ksdb.co.kr).

Differentiator

Problem solved

Functional benefit

Brands

• 백세고 (Beksego): Traditional Korean health beverage brand. 백세고 百歲膏 launched January 2022.
• 법고창신
• 백세주
• 예담
• 주향로 (Ju-hyangno)
• 백세주마을
• 우리술 아름터
• 국순당 글로벌프로젝트 (k-brandy)

Products and services

• 백세고 (Baeksego) One of Kooksoondang's flagship traditional Korean liquor brands, with 백세고 백세膏 launched in January 2022 as a traditional Korean health beverage product.
• 법고창신 (Beopgochangsin) A premium traditional Korean liquor brand under Kooksoondang, featured as a distinct product offering on the product introduction page.

Quantifiable outcome

• Won 3 category grand prizes at 2021 Korea Liquor Awards (대한민국주류대상)
• +2 more outcomes

Segments2 records

Ideal customer profiles3 records

Technology focussed No

API detail

Has API

No

API docs

API detail

Core technology

AI maturity

App detail

Feature3 records

Scale indicators2 records

Recent moves6 records

Expansion highlights5 records

Broad incumbents

• Lotte Chilsung Beverage: Producer of Chum Churum soju and a broad portfolio of non-alcoholic beverages. Comparable to Kooksoondang as a major Korean soju manufacturer and distributor with nationwide retail penetration, but with much larger scale and a diversified non-alcoholic beverage business.
• Takara Shuzo: Japanese producer of sake, shochu, and other fermented Asian spirits. Comparable to Kooksoondang's traditional fermented Asian liquor business, with an international footprint that Kooksoondang aspires to replicate.
• Suntory Holdings: Global Japanese spirits and beverage giant (whisky, beer, RTD). Aspirational comparable for Kooksoondang's K-brandy and international expansion ambitions, illustrating how an Asian traditional-liquor brand can scale globally through premiumization.
• Hite Jinro: Korea's largest soju manufacturer (Jinro, Chamisul) and a major brewer (Hite). Direct category competitor to Kooksoondang in soju and traditional Korean alcoholic beverages, but at materially larger scale and with broader beer/spirits portfolio.
• Gekkeikan Sake: One of Japan's oldest sake producers, also producing plum wines and other fermented Asian alcoholic beverages. Useful international peer for Kooksoondang's traditional fermented rice wine (makgeolli) line, particularly as a model for heritage-led premiumization and overseas expansion.

Regional players

• Halla San Soju (Jeju Soju): Jeju-based regional soju producer with heritage branding. Comparable to Kooksoondang as a heritage-anchored Korean traditional spirits maker, though primarily serving the Jeju tourism and regional market.

Direct peers

• Muhak Co., Ltd. Manufacturer of Chamisul soju and other Korean distilled spirits. Closely comparable to Kooksoondang as a mid-sized Korean soju producer competing in the same mass and premium soju categories.
• Charm Soju (Sunyang): Manufacturer of Charm Soju (참이슬 Fresh) and other Korean spirits. Direct competitor in the mainstream Korean soju category where Kooksoondang also competes.
• Doosan Baekje (Baekje Makgeolli): Korean traditional makgeolli and liquor producer under the Doosan group, with comparable heritage positioning and nationwide distribution. Most directly comparable peer to Kooksoondang's core makgeolli franchise.
• Daesun Distilling: Producer of premium traditional Korean distilled soju (Andong Soju, Jin-Soju). Comparable to Kooksoondang's premium distilled soju line (Ryeo 40) targeting the high-ABV craft segment of the Korean market.

Market position

Strengths5 records

Weaknesses5 records

Competitive moat4 records

Key risks6 records

Key highlights7 records

Customer concentration

• LinkedInlinkedin.com/company/kook-soon-dang-brewery

Revenue estimate

Valuation estimate

Number of profiles

Profiles1 record

Subsidiaries1 record

Funding overview

Funding rounds

Investors

Funding detail is available on the Subscription and Enterprise plan.Contact sales →

M&A

Investments

M&A and investment is available on the Subscription and Enterprise plan.Contact sales →

Frequently asked questions about KOOKSOONDANG