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jack_b57
Joined: 02 Sep 2010
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Posted: Mon May 09, 2011 9:20 pm Post subject: Beer Monopoly |
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Someone said beer sucks in Korea because the big companies have monopolies on distribution. Apparently there is some law that limits independent breweries from selling bottles of beer. Can anyone confirm this?
Is this why korean beer sucks? Because there's no competition? |
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thrylos

Joined: 10 Jun 2008
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Posted: Mon May 09, 2011 10:39 pm Post subject: |
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As far as I know, that's true-- beer can be botttled/canned and sold only by OB and Hite. You're allowed to make/sell beer, as long as it's consumed on the premises that makes it (hence all the brewpubs), but they cannot bottle/sell it outside their hof/pub.
As to why it's crap, I'll let you decide...  |
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Swampfox10mm
Joined: 24 Mar 2011
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Posted: Tue May 10, 2011 4:58 am Post subject: |
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Pretty typical of everything in the chaebol-controlled culture. |
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Sticks
Joined: 13 Mar 2011 Location: Seoul, Korea
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Posted: Tue May 10, 2011 6:06 am Post subject: |
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I'll save you the guesswork: Korean mainstream beer tastes like somebody drowned some bread into Chilsung-cider. |
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nick70100
Joined: 09 Sep 2005
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Posted: Tue May 10, 2011 8:38 am Post subject: |
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To receive a license from the government to sell bottled beer in Korea you must be able to produce a minimum of 3,700,000 bottles per year. So while it's not a monopoly per se, it does make it extremely difficult for a start-up to break into the market. |
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WadRUG'naDoo
Joined: 15 Jun 2010 Location: Shanghai
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Posted: Tue May 10, 2011 2:42 pm Post subject: |
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Beer Monopoly, eh? Sounds like something you could play on the subway. |
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jack_b57
Joined: 02 Sep 2010
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Posted: Tue May 10, 2011 10:52 pm Post subject: |
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nick70100 wrote: |
To receive a license from the government to sell bottled beer in Korea you must be able to produce a minimum of 3,700,000 bottles per year. So while it's not a monopoly per se, it does make it extremely difficult for a start-up to break into the market. |
Hey maybe this will change in the future. I just ran across this article that says things are in flux.
With more competition, does this mean better beer is in Korea's future??!! |
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Steelrails

Joined: 12 Mar 2009 Location: Earth, Solar System
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Posted: Tue May 10, 2011 10:59 pm Post subject: |
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WadRUG'naDoo wrote: |
Beer Monopoly, eh? Sounds like something you could play on the subway. |
I thought that too from the title. I've played Drinkopoly before. We didn't even get all the properties bought up before the game had to be called. Land on a property drink according to the rent. Pay out money, drink according to the payment. Pass Go, drink. Go to jail? Chug a beer. Just visiting? Time for a toast. Stop on a railroad? Have a drink, of course while on the floor and playing Kings. |
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eamo

Joined: 08 Mar 2003 Location: Shepherd's Bush, 1964.
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Posted: Tue May 10, 2011 11:00 pm Post subject: |
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jack_b57 wrote: |
nick70100 wrote: |
To receive a license from the government to sell bottled beer in Korea you must be able to produce a minimum of 3,700,000 bottles per year. So while it's not a monopoly per se, it does make it extremely difficult for a start-up to break into the market. |
Hey maybe this will change in the future. I just ran across this article that says things are in flux.
With more competition, does this mean better beer is in Korea's future??!! |
New regulations are likely to spur further changes. The amended alcohol tax law which took effect in January significantly lowered the barrier for potential newcomers, slashing the bottling capacity requirement for new brewers from 3.7 million 500ml bottles to 200,000.
Meanwhile, the Korea-European Union free trade agreement, which will likely go into effect in July, is expected to boost sales of foreign beers even more. The import duty will gradually be scrapped from the current 30 percent, bringing the price down.
Hurrah! There's hope for Korea's beer industry at last! |
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Steelrails

Joined: 12 Mar 2009 Location: Earth, Solar System
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Posted: Tue May 10, 2011 11:45 pm Post subject: |
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^
Most Important News/Thread of the Year.
Now if they can only get Bell's Hop Slam! over here... |
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legrande
Joined: 23 Nov 2010
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Posted: Wed May 11, 2011 12:05 am Post subject: |
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eamo wrote: |
jack_b57 wrote: |
nick70100 wrote: |
To receive a license from the government to sell bottled beer in Korea you must be able to produce a minimum of 3,700,000 bottles per year. So while it's not a monopoly per se, it does make it extremely difficult for a start-up to break into the market. |
Hey maybe this will change in the future. I just ran across this article that says things are in flux.
With more competition, does this mean better beer is in Korea's future??!! |
New regulations are likely to spur further changes. The amended alcohol tax law which took effect in January significantly lowered the barrier for potential newcomers, slashing the bottling capacity requirement for new brewers from 3.7 million 500ml bottles to 200,000.
Meanwhile, the Korea-European Union free trade agreement, which will likely go into effect in July, is expected to boost sales of foreign beers even more. The import duty will gradually be scrapped from the current 30 percent, bringing the price down.
Hurrah! There's hope for Korea's beer industry at last! |
Let's get it started, revolution through brewskies, not a bad way to do it  |
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bucheon bum
Joined: 16 Jan 2003
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Posted: Wed May 11, 2011 10:05 am Post subject: |
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nick70100 wrote: |
To receive a license from the government to sell bottled beer in Korea you must be able to produce a minimum of 3,700,000 bottles per year. So while it's not a monopoly per se, it does make it extremely difficult for a start-up to break into the market. |
Wow, that has to be one of the most blatant anti-consumer laws I've seen. What an awful reglation. |
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Jake_Kim
Joined: 27 Aug 2005 Location: Seoul
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Posted: Thu May 12, 2011 2:52 am Post subject: |
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bucheon bum wrote: |
nick70100 wrote: |
To receive a license from the government to sell bottled beer in Korea you must be able to produce a minimum of 3,700,000 bottles per year. So while it's not a monopoly per se, it does make it extremely difficult for a start-up to break into the market. |
Wow, that has to be one of the most blatant anti-consumer laws I've seen. What an awful reglation. |
It's quite convenient from the taxman's point of view - you just need to monitor a handful of companies for crystal clear tax revenue stream, don't need to keep track of multiple smaller players, and it's a sin tax to begin with - they can say 'we keep a tight leash for the benefit of your health.' |
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NohopeSeriously
Joined: 17 Jan 2011 Location: The Christian Right-Wing Educational Republic of Korea
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Posted: Thu May 12, 2011 3:44 am Post subject: |
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OB and Hite should change their products to something else and let professional European companies make beer for the Korean public. |
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bucheon bum
Joined: 16 Jan 2003
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Posted: Thu May 12, 2011 5:58 am Post subject: |
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Jake_Kim wrote: |
it's a sin tax to begin with - they can say 'we keep a tight leash for the benefit of your health.' |
Right, except for that fact that one can get trashed on soju for less than 5 bucks. |
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