Hite Jinro wraps up Jinro Chimaek Fest in California with 30,000 visitors

Hite Jinro announced Wednesday that it successfully concluded the Jinro Chimaek Fest, held from Aug. 14 to 16 at Irvine Great Park Live in California. Jinro participated for the second consecutive year as the event's only liquor brand.

The Chimaek Fest is a festival connecting American consumers with Korean culture through chimaek — the Korean pairing of fried chicken and alcohol — alongside K-food and K-beauty offerings. About 30,000 people visited over the three-day event. Hite Jinro expanded its booth footprint and showcased products including Chamisul Fresh, fruit soju and Terra. The company also offered a limited daily run of 200 cups of soju served in toad-shaped figurine glasses.

A large outdoor screen at the venue played promotional videos featuring BTS member V, Jinro's global brand ambassador. Around 20 types of promotional materials were on display, including product shelves, air banners and photo zones. Interactive events drew steady crowds as well — highlights included a fruit soju flavor-guessing challenge, a ring toss game, a soju-based beer pong game and a "somaek certification" experience.

Hite Jinro's fruit soju exports to the United States posted a compound annual growth rate of about 25 percent from 2020 to 2025. The company said its consumer base, once centered on the Korean diaspora, is increasingly expanding to mainstream American consumers.

"The Jinro Chimaek Fest is establishing itself as a festival where American consumers can enjoy Jinro and K-food together while experiencing Korean culture," said Hwang Jeong-ho, executive vice president of Hite Jinro's overseas business division. "We will continue to strengthen our brand competitiveness through localized marketing and consumer experience-driven activities."