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Recently, there has been a long line at the whiskey store.

It was a so-called 'open run' procession, where people flocked in even before the doors opened, and there were especially many young customers.

It seems that whiskey is no longer a drink for men.



Reporter Jung Jun-ho followed the long line.



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There is a long line even though it is an hour before the mart opens.



Recently, after hearing the news that hard-to-find whiskey had arrived, the so-called 'open run' was made for enthusiasts to buy it as soon as the door opened.



[Jung In-soo (29 years old) / Office worker: I arrived at the store here at 7:30.

It was so hard to find things, so I had to hurry up a bit.]



All the 4,400 bottles of whiskey the mart prepared to sell for three days were sold out.



This popularity was triggered by the COVID-19 crisis.



As the culture of 'soul drinking' spreads at home due to social distancing, the awareness of drinking better alcohol is spreading.



As each product has a different scent, story, and limited edition charm, its popularity has skyrocketed among those in their 20s and 30s who value tastes different from others.



The recently held liquor fair was also crowded with young people in their 20s and 30s.



[Dayoung Dayoung (24 years old) / Office worker: I don’t feel that the price is significantly different (from other drinks) since I don’t drink a lot at once because I like the unique scent and flavor so much.]



[Baek Kyung-min (20 years old)/College student: I like it very much.

The flavor is colorful, and the taste changes depending on how it is distilled, and I buy it with trembling hands as I do part-time jobs.]



Whiskey imports are on the rise.



By July of this year, whiskey imports were up 59% from the previous year.



Whiskey's popularity is a global phenomenon, so supplies are running.



In particular, since the undiluted whiskey currently supplied was already produced several years ago, it is difficult to significantly increase the supply to meet the demand now.



[Korea Liquor Import Association official: Because demand must be predicted 10 or 20 years in advance, whiskeys that have been aged for a long time cannot be produced in large quantities.]



However, due to shortages, some companies It is pointed out that the problem is that the burden on consumers has increased due to the sharp increase in prices, and that resale between individuals, which is prohibited by law, is prevalent amid the heated competition for purchase.



(Video coverage: Park Jin-ho, video editing: Park Ji-in, VJ: Park Hyun-woo)