Why Cheongmyeongju is the Must-Try Traditional Liquor of 2026: A Taste Test with Expert Insights

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Lee Man-gi headed to Chungju to try Cheongmyeongju, a traditional Korean liquor.

On the May 2 episode, KBS1TV’s \”Dongne Hanbawi\” spotlighted Cheongmyeongju from Chungju.

Lee visited the Cheongmyeongju brewery that’s been run for five generations. He toured everything from the pot where they cook the porridge for the starter mash to the storage room where the liquor ages. When Lee said, \”I want a drink right now,\” brewery owner Kim Young-seop poured him a cup.

Lee kicked things off with a blunt \”It’s unreal,\” then praised how the aroma and flavor spread and bloom across the palate. The clean taste comes entirely from nuruk, the traditional fermentation starter. The work is hands-on and meticulous: they sift the nuruk to prevent clumping and keep treading it to form a firm dough—steps that require steady, careful effort.

Kim said Cheongmyeongju nearly disappeared during Japan’s colonial rule, but his grandfather’s booklet of family techniques, \”Hyangjeonrok,\” survived and helped preserve the recipe. For his efforts to protect traditional culture, he was even named last year the youngest-ever \”Food Master.\”