Traditional liquor gallery opens in Dongdaemun to court MZ generation, foreign tourists

The Ministry of Agriculture, Food and Rural Affairs has opened the second jeontongju (traditional Korean liquor) gallery at Doota Mall in Seoul's Dongdaemun district, creating an experience-focused cultural space in a popular tourism and shopping hub to attract younger consumers and foreign visitors.

The ministry held an opening ceremony for the gallery at Doota Mall on Friday.

The jeontongju gallery is a promotional and experiential space operated by the ministry and the Korea Agro-Fisheries and Food Trade Corporation (aT), designed to let consumers see and taste a wide range of traditional Korean liquors and discover the appeal of homegrown spirits.

The Doota Mall location is the second jeontongju gallery, following the first at a hansik cultural space called "Eum" in Jongno. Situated in the Dongdaemun commercial district adjacent to Dongdaemun Design Plaza (DDP), the new gallery improves access for domestic and international tourists as well as younger consumers. Doota Mall draws an average of about 14,000 visitors a day and has a high proportion of foreign guests.

Visitors can freely sample a variety of traditional liquors and choose products to their taste. The gallery will also run a traditional liquor cocktail program aimed at younger generations and pop-up stores featuring breweries from across the country, introducing regional spirits alongside the stories behind each producer.

The ministry plans to expand consumer experience programs centered on the gallery and broaden the consumption and export base for traditional liquor by linking it with a range of retail and tourism channels — including brewery tour programs, railway platforms, convenience stores, airports and duty-free shops. It also aims to develop traditional liquor as a core element of a "K-Gourmet Journey" tied to K-food, promoting regional tourism in the process.

Jeong Gyeong-seok, the ministry's director general for food industry policy, said traditional liquor is "a precious asset that embodies the history and culture of our agriculture and regions, as well as the dedication of our brewers." He added that he hopes the Doota Mall gallery will become "the easiest and most enjoyable place to experience traditional liquor," given that Dongdaemun is a premier destination for the MZ generation and foreign tourists alike.