By Honorary Reporter George Barker from U.K.

Photos = The Sool Company

Bar Convent London (BCB London) was held from June 30 through July 1 at Tobacco Dock in East London. The global trade show for bars and beverages attracts industry professionals and introduces global bar trends.

The Sool (Alcohol) Company, founded by Julia Mellor in 2016 to promote Korean alcoholic drinks, also participated in BCB London this year. Sool is the Korean word for "alcoholic drink."

The following are excerpts from email interviews from Aug. 31 to Sept. 4 with Mellor on her participation at the event.

With a mission to globalize traditional Korean alcohol, Sool relocated from Seoul to the Netherlands in 2023 to spearhead its expansion in Europe.

Mellor showcased craft soju (clear liquor) and Korean alcohol in the U.K. for the first time this summer. "BCB is known for attracting bartenders, F&B professionals and people passionate about alcohol, so it was the perfect place to introduce our spirits and get honest feedback," she said.

At the tasting event, the company featured a curated portfolio of Korean spirits tailored to the British and European markets. "There is an incredible diversity within soju, and we've spent years testing and gathering feedback to understand what works internationally," Mellor added.

 

Sool also spotlighted its commercial brewing by launching Gomi Makgeolli, the first makgeolli (milky rice wine) brewed in London using all-natural techniques, and Samahak Soju, the first soju produced in the U.K.

Mellor said she was curious to see how British professionals would react to something completely unfamiliar, as the U.K. is a global booze hub. "Many visitors were excited to discover something new, but also impressed by the quality and potential of soju," she said.

Even more encouraging for her was the curiosity over how soju could be used in cocktails or paired with food. "We want soju to be seen as a true distilled spirit category in its own right," she added.

Sool is working to change the perception of soju being equated with the iconic green bottle seen in Korean dramas. "There's so much more to Korean alcohol than what we've been shown," Mellor said. "Soju deserves to stand on the same shelves as gin, whiskey or mezcal."

As the interview ended, she shared her plans for the British market. 

"We're looking forward to working with more bartenders and restaurants to create new ways for people to discover soju," she said. "We hope to keep bringing amazing sool to London and beyond." 

msjeon22@korea.kr

*This article is written by a Korea.net Honorary Reporter. Our group of Honorary Reporters are from all around the world, and they share with Korea.net their love and passion for all things Korean.