HiteJinro, South Korea’s largest soju producer, has launched its first global campaign for JINRO with V, a member of BTS, the South Korean pop group with a worldwide fan base, as the brand’s global ambassador.
The campaign shows how HiteJinro plans to use the international reach of Korean entertainment to make soju more familiar outside Korea. JINRO is already the world’s best selling spirits brand by volume, but soju remains less established in many overseas markets than vodka, whiskey or tequila.
HiteJinro is betting that V can help narrow that gap. BTS has introduced millions of consumers to South Korean music and culture, giving the company a recognizable figure through whom it can present soju to people who may know Korea’s entertainment but not its most widely consumed liquor.
The campaign, called My Favorite JINRO, centers on a commercial in which V arrives at the wrong party. The mistake brings two separate groups together, with JINRO becoming part of the gathering. The company uses the scene to present soju as an easy social drink rather than a product tied only to Korean restaurants or local drinking customs.
HiteJinro also introduced the slogan Fill The Moment, emphasizing shared conversation and casual gatherings. The campaign will be distributed through digital content, consumer events and offline promotions in overseas markets.
The advertisement also includes references to HiteJinro’s product strategy. Room 306 represents three standard soju products and six flavored varieties now sold globally, while Room 307 points to plans to expand the flavored lineup beyond seven products.
That expansion matters because flavored soju offers HiteJinro a more accessible entry point in markets where many consumers are unfamiliar with traditional soju. Sweeter varieties can lower the barrier for first time buyers and help the company compete for younger legal age consumers who are already accustomed to flavored spirits and mixed drinks.
The campaign is therefore more than a celebrity endorsement. It is HiteJinro’s attempt to convert the global popularity of Korean culture into broader demand for a Korean consumer product that has already achieved enormous scale at home and in export markets.
For JINRO, the challenge is no longer simply selling more bottles. It is persuading consumers outside Korea to see soju as a regular choice for parties, bars and social occasions. HiteJinro is using one of Korea’s most recognizable cultural figures to accelerate that transition.
