Rap artist Jay Park launches Korean spirit ‘Won Soju’

South Korean rapper Jay Park has produced his own Korean spirit named ‘Won Soju’ that has been made with 100% Korean rice.

Park, who is also known as Park Jae-beom, reportedly chose to steer clear of collaborations in favour of producing his own spirit and was involved in every step of the process.

According to reports, Park said: “I can recommend it to people when I’m proud of it” explaining that “the flavour of rice and yeast is dynamic yet subtle. The taste is also clean”.

He revealed: “I prefer a light and clean taste rather than a strong finish. You can eat it neat or drink it with ice. It is delicious even if you enjoy it with carbonated water and lemon. I did a lot of tasting and adjusted it to my liking.”

Park described how, when making the soju, the use of koji water, rice, and numerous yeasts were slightly different and that it was a case of examining and giving feedback while tasting dozens of drinks. The process of deciding on the final product took approximately a month and a half.

“It is a traditional liquor made with 100% domestic rice. It’s a premium local specialty and also a spirit that makes what I’ve been dreaming of for a long time a reality. As I learned more about Korean culture, I drank soju while talking about life at the bar. It’s better than drinking Champagne at a club,” he explained, before adding: “It is not easy to create a liquor brand in South Korea. It also took us a long time because of the laws and processes. From developing alcohol to tasting, designing and getting a permit, it’s so complex.”

Park recently resigned as CEO of both AOMG and H1gher Music before additonally starting his own label ‘More Vision’.