From 400,000 Won to 100 Million a Month: How One Young Brewer Turned Humiliation Into a Global Bet

"I thought if I made good liquor, it would sell itself. That was a truly naive idea — and my biggest mistake."

Jeong Chang-yun, CEO of Baekgyeong Distillery, reflected on the three years since he struck out on his own after leaving his father's brewery. In his first year, sales totaled just 400,000 won (about $290). He was confident in the taste of his liquor, but the market ignored him. Now monthly sales have reached around 100 million won ($72,000), and he is on the verge of entering the US market. With a major original equipment manufacturer contract signed, he expects monthly sales to climb to 200 million won in the second half of this year.

"Baekgyeong symbolizes the strength and challenge of crossing a vast ocean," Jeong said. "I wanted to introduce Korean liquor to the world and show that it can compete in quality on a global stage."

The brand name Baekgyeong — meaning "white whale" — was drawn from the creature in "Moby-Dick." It carries the idea that Korean liquor can sail the world market just as wine and sake have.

"Korean liquor can be as refined and dignified as wine or sake," Jeong said. "I did not want to stay confined to the frame of tradition — I wanted to make a drink that could naturally find its place at a fine dining table."

His wife took charge of the brand design. After meeting several professional designers, Jeong concluded that no one understood what Baekgyeong was and where it needed to go better than she did.

The current design went through four major rounds of revision before it was finalized.

Jeong invested 40 million won ($29,000) in brand building and design alone — a substantial sum for a young startup founder. Early versions carried many explanatory elements about the product's traditional origins, but the design was gradually refined to strip those back and convey a premium image through restraint.

Jeong positioned Baekgyeong not as a regional specialty liquor but as a "drink for the dining table." "I went back to basics from the consumer's perspective — why should someone drink this, and what food does it pair with?" he recalled.

"I consistently communicated that this is a drink that pairs not only with hansik but with French, Italian, Turkish and all kinds of cuisine," he said. "What mattered more than the liquor itself was what kind of experience it could offer."

Jeong was born into a family that had run a traditional Korean medicine clinic in Hamyang, South Gyeongsang Province, for generations. He grew up watching medicinal herbs being handled and processed. In traditional Korean medicine, herbs are often prepared using liquor, and when his father founded a brewery, Jeong naturally found himself drawn to fermentation and brewing.

His first job was at that brewery. From his mid-20s through his early 30s — about seven years — he worked alongside his father, contributing to product development. He learned every step on the floor, from selecting raw ingredients and managing fermentation to launching finished products.

But he wanted to make his own liquor, not his father's.

"I believed Korean liquor could earn recognition in the world market, just like wine and sake," Jeong said. "I wanted to prove that possibility in my own way."

Before going independent, Jeong earned around 40 million won a year. He had to give up a stable income, but ultimately chose to strike out on his own.

His first stop after independence was Jeju Island. He was drawn to its clean water and natural environment, but reality proved unforgiving. The biggest problem was logistics.

"Running a business on Jeju made me acutely aware that logistics can make or break an operation," Jeong said. "Building a reliable supply and retail distribution system was just as important as making a good product."

He ultimately relocated to Sejong Special Autonomous City, which offered far better logistics access. Production there is based on domestic rice, in-house nuruk and natural fermentation.

In 2023, his first full year in business, total sales came to just 400,000 won. "I thought the market would recognize a good product on its own," Jeong said. "The brand simply did not exist yet, and the distribution network was nowhere near sufficient."

He then shifted his approach — from the perspective of someone who makes liquor to the perspective of a consumer. A turning point came through the Youth Food Startup Package run by the Korea Food Industry Cluster Promotion Agency. Jeong used prototype tasting sessions to gauge consumer reactions to flavor and aroma, and received packaging consultations that helped him address fragrance-loss issues.

Through buyer consultations, he pursued placement in duty-free shops and department stores and negotiated initial retail distribution volumes. Investment consulting helped him prepare and present investor relations materials, ultimately securing 300 million won ($217,000) in funding, which he used to expand production capacity.

"Being able to experience the entire commercialization process — from product development to distribution to fundraising — was a great help," Jeong said.

The results showed up in the numbers. Last year's sales grew to 400 million won ($289,000), and this year monthly sales have reached around 100 million won. He recently signed a major OEM contract as well — after careful vetting to find a partner who shared his philosophy on quality standards. Full deliveries are set to begin in July.

The flagship product is Baekgyeong15, with "15" referring to its alcohol content of 15 percent. Jeong chose that level — neither too heavy nor too light — to create a Korean liquor that pairs well with hansik as well as French, Italian and other cuisines.

Baekgyeong15 is a premium yakju brewed from domestic rice, in-house nuruk and natural fermentation. The current lineup includes Gold, Black and White variants alongside Hyangmijugok and Hyangon, each differentiated by ingredients, fermentation method and flavor profile.

Baekgyeong15 Black in particular has drawn strong praise from overseas buyers.

The moment that convinced Jeong his business could work was his first export.

Last year he shipped 10 million won ($7,200) worth of product to Singapore — a modest volume, but the moment he confirmed that the brand could find traction in an overseas market.

Exports to Germany followed, and buyer meetings and trade exhibitions continued in Hong Kong and China.

"The proudest moments were when overseas buyers tasted Baekgyeong and said, 'This is a liquor that can explain itself in the world market,'" Jeong said.

He is now preparing to enter the US market. "America is a market where diverse food cultures and drinking cultures coexist," Jeong said. "I do not want to stay within the Korean-American community — I want to show the broader range of consumers what Korean liquor can be."

"Korean restaurants can be a starting point, but the ultimate goal is to put our liquor on all kinds of tables around the world — French, Italian, fine dining," he said. "I want to show that Korean liquor is not just for hansik, but something that can be enjoyed alongside all kinds of food."