Surprising news came from BTS' Jin. The owner of the full name Kim Seokjin has reportedly established an agricultural company, "Yesan Doga", which will release a distilled liquor called "IGIN" later this month. Not working alone, Jin also collaborated with his close friend, Chef Baek Jong Won in this new business.
IGIN itself is a premium traditional Korean liquor made based on the specialties and traditions of Yesan, Chungcheongnam-do, Chef Baek's hometown. Along with distilled spirits, the company will launch ready-to-drink (RTD) beverages, "IGIN Sweet Tonic" and "IGIN Tangy Tonic", made with local agricultural products such as apples, watermelons, and plums.
This marks Jin's first foray into personal business as a member of BTS, reflecting his deep interest in traditional Korean liquor. In 2022, during BTS's YouTube show "Drunken Truth," Jin joined traditional liquor expert Park Rok Dam to taste and promote traditional Korean liquor.
Jin has also shown interest in liquor development, gifting his homemade drinks to fellow member J-Hope , chef Lee Yeon Bok , and others. No less surprising, Jin and Chef Baek also established the agricultural company "Jin's Lamp" in December 2022 in Yesan to begin preparations for this venture.
Jin's Lamp handles the production of IGIN, while Yesan Doga, a subsidiary of The Born Korea, oversees distribution. Expert Park Rok Dam, often referred to as the “Father of Korean Traditional Liquor,” acts as an advisor to improve product development and quality.
Jin has been preparing for this business for the past few years. An industry insider shared, “Jin and Baek Jong Won have been preparing for this project carefully for a long time, exchanging ideas and collaborating extensively,” emphasizing the passion and dedication of the two.
Jin's liquor business is expected to receive special attention among the cases of celebrities launching their own brands. That's because Jin is the first Korean to reach No. 1 on the Billboard singles chart, and Chef Baek, a giant in the domestic restaurant industry, collaborated to build the business.
The news was greeted enthusiastically by fans. They commented, “ Jin’s long-awaited project is finally here! ” “ This is a great opportunity to introduce traditional Korean liquor to the world ,” and “ I will give this as a gift to everyone this holiday season! ”
Not a few also teased Jin, saying that the 1992-born idol would become the CEO of a liquor brand company. The collaboration between the K-Pop icon and the famous culinary figure is expected to modernize traditional Korean liquor and become a stepping stone for its global recognition, beyond the limitations of celebrity branding in general.
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