‘Knockout drink’ returns after 11 years, and young Koreans can’t get enough
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0 Captain Q, which has represented Korea’s mass-market liquor industry since the 1980s, has enjoyed a surge in popularity following its relaunch, Oct. 8, 11 years after production was discontinued. Courtesy of Lotte Chilsung Beverage
Captain Q, the legendary liquor brand, has made a comeback after 11 years, sparking a nationwide craze.
For middle-aged and older consumers who enjoyed it in the past, the relaunch evokes nostalgia. For younger generations who never got to try it, the brand has become an object of curiosity, fueled by notorious hangover tales that have evolved into entertaining internet memes. The product is now so hard to find that it is reportedly changing hands on the secondhand market for several times its retail price.
Captain Q was first launched in 1980 by Lotte Chilsung Beverage, then known as Lotte Liquor, and is considered one of the original mass-market Korean liquors. Such products were developed at a time when liquor imports were restricted. They were essentially imitation spirits made by blending neutral alcohol (ethanol) with coloring, flavoring and small amounts of liquor concentrates to mimic the taste and aroma of imported spirits. Captain Q was one such product, containing a small amount of rum concentrate. Its affordable price made it particularly popular among college students and ordinary consumers. However, as the liquor market shifted toward premium products, production was discontinued in 2015. The brand returned to store shelves last month.
The relaunched version retains the original bottle design to preserve its retro appeal, but features a significantly upgraded recipe. It is now made with 99 percent Caribbean rum and undergoes oak barrel aging to enhance its flavor and aroma. Many consumers have also noted that the notorious hangovers once associated with the drink appear to be absent from the new version.
Promotional items from a Captain Q package listed on a secondhand trading app / Captured from Karrot
Although about two weeks have passed since its launch, the buzz shows no signs of fading. Social media platforms continue to see a steady stream of purchase reviews and information on where to find the product. Captain Q has also consistently ranked among the most searched items on convenience store apps’ inventory-checking services.
The craze has even extended to a limited-edition promotional package released ahead of the official launch. Some of its accessories, including drinking glasses and commemorative coins, have recently appeared separately on secondhand marketplaces for 350,000 won. That is more than 17 times the original retail price of 19,800 won ($15) for the entire package, including the liquor.
What makes the latest Captain Q craze particularly noteworthy is that it is being driven largely by members of the MZ (Millennials and Gen Z) generation, many of whom have never tried the drink. Despite declining alcohol consumption among younger people and a slowdown in liquor sales, the combination of the “newtro” (new and retro) trend and the brand’s unusual hangover folklore appears to have piqued their curiosity.
Choi Seong-sik, 31, a whisky enthusiast, said he had long been curious about Captain Q because it was frequently referred to among drinkers as a “knockout drink.”
“I think it is popular because it is reasonably priced and appeals to young people’s curiosity,” he said.
The entire stock of Captain Q package sets are sold out at a supermarket in Seoul, Oct. 30, despite a limit on the number each customer could purchase. Korea Times photo by Woo Tae-kyung
The manufacturer has also welcomed the unexpected enthusiasm. A Lotte Chilsung Beverage official said consumer responses had been far more positive than initially anticipated.
“We find it meaningful that interest in a brand with such a long history has translated into positive responses to the actual product and purchases,” the official said.
The success of Captain Q is also prompting renewed interest in other mass-market liquors that once enjoyed widespread popularity.
Notable examples include Napoleon, launched in 1976 and discontinued in 2017, and Very Nine Gold, launched in 1976 and discontinued in 1991. Although no manufacturers have officially announced plans to bring these brands back, expectations are growing over whether the retro craze sparked by Captain Q could revive other long-forgotten favorites.
This article from the Hankook Ilbo, the sister publication of The Korea Times, is translated by a generative AI system and edited by The Korea Times.
