From beverages and pills to jellies and gummies, the hangover cure market in South Korea continues to boom, with sales of such products amounting to KRW350bn (USD261m) in 2023. The figure, reported by NielsenIQ Korea, is a double-digit increase from the previous year.
On September 2, Chong Kun Dang Healthcare, a subsidiary of pharmaceutical giant Chong Kun Dang, announced the launch of a new dual-format hangover relief product named “Thank You Shot”.
An addition to its Kkaenoni range, the product contains Nonitri, an ingredient introduced by dietary supplement manufacturer Cosmax NBT in 2022 that has been proven to have high efficacy in alleviating hangovers.
Nonitri is claimed to improve liver inflammation markers, and is effective in increasing beneficial bacteria and suppressing harmful bacteria in the intestine, helping to protect the liver and gut post-drinking.
“The Thank You Shot is a multi-cap hangover cure product that is being introduced for the first time in convenience stores. It only provides hangover relief, but also contains ingredients that boost the health and vitality of consumers.
“It consists of a liquid for fast absorption as well as tablets containing vitamins and milk thistle extract, with its advantage being that the tablets can be easily taken without water, enhancing consumption convenience,” the firm said.
Specifically, the product is formulated with five types of B vitamins and vitamin C, of which the content is up to 500% of daily nutritional standards.
It is also made of various ingredients, including concentrated fruit extract of oriental raisin tree, milk thistle extract, L-arginine, taurine, and glutathione-containing dried yeast.
“Following the release of the jelly-type Kkaenoni Stick last year, we will continue to expand our footprint in this market by strengthening Kkaenoni’s line-up.”
The hangover cure market in South Korea is currently led by inno.N’s Condition and Samyang Corporation’s Shin Hae-hwan.
In recent times, the two companies have focused on targeting the MZ generation by introducing healthier options and non-beverage hangover remedies.
For instance, inno.N, which has been the market leader for over three decades, has seen burgeoning reception for its jelly sticks. The sales of its Condition Stick increased by about 54% in December 2023, compared to March 2022 when it was first released. To date, 59m units have been sold.
On the other hand, Shin Hae-hwan’s zero-calorie hangover drink, Zero Refreshing Booster, has witnessed its average monthly sales grow by 40% over the past six months. The firm has attributed this result to the product’s popularity among young people.
Tighter regulation of anti-hangover products
South Korea’s Ministry of Food and Drug Safety (MFDS) announced in May that it will tighten the review and regulation of hangover relief products from January 1, 2025.
In accordance with the “Regulation on Functional Labelling or Advertising of Foods, etc. Not Deemed to Be Unfair Labelling or Advertising”, only products supported by sufficient evidence that demonstrate the function of relieving hangovers will be permitted to have label claims and be advertised.
In addition, scientific data must be available through human application tests or qualitative literature reviews of the results from human application tests.
To assist companies in preparing for the review, a set of “Guidelines for Human Application Tests for Hangover Relief Labelling and Advertisement Verification” were published by MFDS in June.
