Chum Churum Saero Soju (375 ml) (Pack 20 Bottles)

When Lotte Chilsung launched Chum Churum in 2006, the brand made a single, category-redefining decision: replace standard municipal water with bedrock water drawn from the base of the Taebaek mountain range at Daegwallyeong Pass, Gangwon-do — then process it through electrolysis to strip impurities before alkalizing it into a mineral-dense liquid that constitutes roughly 80% of the finished product. No other mainstream soju had staked its identity entirely on water chemistry before this.

The Daegwallyeong source sits within a high-altitude volcanic bedrock formation that imparts fine mineral particles; alkalization raises the pH and creates a texture that coats and soothes rather than burns — the mechanism behind Chum Churum's famously low-friction finish. The base spirit is produced via continuous column distillation of a multi-grain and tapioca mash (rice, barley, wheat, and tapioca), with multiple passes to eliminate harsh congeners, before blending with the alkaline water. Functional additives — xylitol, allulose, alanine, and asparagine — contribute a restrained sweetness and are cited by the producer for hangover mitigation. At 16.5% ABV, this is among the lowest-alcohol expressions in mainstream soju, a deliberate move to widen the category's demographic reach. The brand also pioneered the 'Shake Campaign' — shaking the bottle before pouring — to further integrate the water-alcohol matrix.