'Makgeolli' gains nickname 'Drunken Rice'

By Kim Tae-gyu
Staff reporter

"Makgeolli," the country's traditional rice wine, has garnered the nickname "Drunken Rice" through an event aimed at boosting sales of
the milky white drink outside Asia's fourth-largest economy.

The Ministry of Food, Agriculture, Forestry and Fisheries (MOFAFF) said Wednesday that Drunken Rice got the highest score as the
nickname for makgeolli in a rivalry with such candidates as Makcohol, a combination of makgeolli and alcohol.

Other contenders included were Koju, Kori, Soolsool, McKorea and Rainydaywine but they failed to beat Drunken Rice.

"Midway through this month, up to 3,910 people offered various English nicknames for makgeolli, which is hard to pronounce and
understand for expatriates," MOFAFF official Park Seong-gi said.

"Drunken Rice topped the podium at the screening of the five-member panel, which features a linguist, a food columnist, an alcohol
specialist and tourism experts. These names will hopefully help the brisk exports of the wine."

MOFAFF explained that Korean exporters can use any of the above-mentioned nicknames to sell their products offshore because the
ministry has the copyright for them.

The Seoul administration has tried to buoy exports of makgeolli that had been highly favored in the past throughout the country thanks
to its rich taste as well as inexpensive price.

Its popularity waned in modern times since most Koreans turned to Western wines and spirits but the traditional alcohol has regained
popularity of late with premium products hitting the chord with end users.

The MOFFAF estimates the makgeolli market jumped from 300 billion won ($239.3 million) in 2008 to 420 billion won last year despite
the global financial crisis.

Its exports are also jumped from $2.9 million in 2007 to $4.4 million in 2008 and $6.2 million last year. Japan is the largest importer as
around a third of outbound shipments head toward the neighboring country. China is the second-largest, followed by the United States.

"Both consumption and exports of makgeolli are expected to rise down the road. Based on the easy-to-pronounce names, it will be able
to gain more attractiveness among foreigners," Park said.

MOFAFF proposed the cloudy wine as an official beverage for the G-20 summit slated for this November. But it remains to be seen
whether there will be an official beverage.

Observers expect that if the country could pick one, the chances are that makgeolli would be the winner.

In the meanwhile, MOFAFF asked 210 foreigners last month in 11 cities including New York, Los Angeles, Singapore, Hong Kong and
Tokyo regarding what is the best English-language explanation of makgeolli. The best one on the list was Korean rice wine

막걸리 애칭 ‘술 취한 쌀’

외국에 홍보를 위해 한국의 전통 쌀 술인 막걸리의 별명 짓기 대회에서 ‘술 취한 쌀’ 이 최다득표를 했다. 이는 막걸리와 알코올을 혼합한
막코올, 코주, 코리, 술술, 맥코리아, 레이니데이와인을 제치고 1 위를 했다.

농림수산식품부는 이들 모든 별명의 저작권은 농식품부에 있어 회사들이 수출할 때 어느 것을 써도 문제가 없다고 했다. 정부는 예부터 국
민에게 인기 있던 우리의 전통술의 수출 증대를 위해 노력했다.

막걸리의 매출은 2008 년 3,000 억 원에서 지난 해 4,200 억으로 뛰었고 수출액은 2007 년 290 만 달러, 2008 440 만 달러에서 작년 620 만
달러로 뛰었다. 수입국가로는 미국이 1 위이고 뒤이어 중국, 일본이 각각 2 위 3 위를 차지했다.
농식품부는 오는 11 월에 열릴 G-20 에서 막걸리를 공식 주류로 지정하고 제안했지만 술이 식탁에 올라 갈지는 아직 불분명하다.

한편, 농식품부는 뉴욕, LA, 홍콩, 싱가포르와 일본에 있는 외국인 210 명에게 막걸리의 영어식 이름을 조사한 결관 ‘rice wine’ 이 가장 적
합한 것으로 나타났다.