Czech winemakers presented themselves again in Seoul after a year and the interest in our products still persists
20.12.2024 / 02:44 | Aktualizováno: 20.12.2024 / 03:13
13 Czech and Moravian wine producers presented the best of their cellars to their potential partners in South Korea in mid-December. Representatives of nearly 70 Korean sommeliers, importers as well as media and influencers had the opportunity to get acquainted with a wide range of wineries, from those already available on the Korean market to those that are just getting ready to do so. The high turnout proves that our wine is capable of capturing the imagination of both ordinary consumers and connoisseurs in this challenging and distant market.
According to statistics from the Korea International Trade Association (KITA), as of October, $385.82 million worth of wine was imported into the Republic of Korea this year. The coronavirus pandemic has particularly boosted the consumption of fine wines at home, and interest continues to be directed towards easy-drinking white wines as well as premium ones such as champagne and burgundy. A new category of very inexpensive wines has also emerged on the market, which has helped to popularise the drink among another segment of Korean consumers. Among the most sought-after products at the moment are white wines, whose imports reached USD 81 million at the end of October, up 7.11% year-on-year. Premium wines, such as luxury Burgundies and Champagne, continue to be in high demand, with Champagne additionally partially replacing demand for regular sparkling wines. However, entering the Korean wine market brings several challenges. After strong years of increased alcohol consumption during the pandemic, the market has generally declined, leading importers to be cautious about launching new products, especially those from lesser-known brands. Placing new wines in restaurants, wine shops or bars is complicated, and price competition among importers is heating up due to the greater number of products on the market. Despite these obstacles, the local wine segment still offers opportunities for Czech exporters and in order to overcome the above challenges, working with and educating important South Korean stakeholders as well as actively building good brand PR is key. This is what this year's economic diplomacy project under the auspices of the Embassy of the Czech Republic in South Korea focused on.
Thirteen representatives of Czech and Moravian wine producers arrived in Seoul, South Korea, in mid-December this year to present a wide range of their products not only in traditional categories, but also in the field of sparkling and natural wines. The economic diplomacy project, funded by the Ministry of Agriculture of the Czech Republic and organised in cooperation with the CzechTourism agency in Seoul and the National Wine Centre, organised a series of masterclasses and tastings for representatives of nearly seventy South Korean sommeliers, importers as well as media and infllencers. This event was a follow-up to its very successful previous edition held in Seoul exactly one year ago.
Further relevant information are available from the links below:
1. Korean Ministry of Agriculture, Food and Rural Affairs: https://www.mafra.go.kr/english/index.do
2. Korean Ministry of Food and Drug Safety: https://www.mfds.go.kr/eng/index.do
3. Korean Ministry of Trade, Industry and Energy: https://english.motie.go.kr/www/main.do
4. Sommelier Times (in Korean): https://www.sommeliertimes.com/news/articleView.html?idxno=127628
Masterclass of the wine importer from the Czech Republic
wine event
If interested, Czech companies can contact the Commercial Department of the Czech Embassy in Seoul at seoul.commerce@mzv.gov.cz.
Jakub Kopecký, head of the economic department of the Czech Embassy Seoul