Premier Korean liquor brand Hwayo is now available in Hong Kong at celebrity chef Judy Joo’s newly opened contemporary Korean restaurant, Jinjuu.

The Korean-American “Iron Chef” winner Joo celebrated the grand opening of her restaurant on Tuesday in Central Hong Kong’s California Tower, where she will be serving up Korea’s top-shelf Hwayo soju.

Offering a modern twist on traditional and modern Korean food, the chef opened up her flagship Jinjuu restaurant at London’s Kingly Court in January this year, where she claims to have seen a high demand for hard Korean alcohol.

“Hwayo’s taste and quality, and Hwayo’s pairing with food has great value, which is why Hwayo and I have been together since the opening of my Jinjuu restaurant in London,” said Joo in an official statement on Tuesday.

“It‘s not just East Asians, but London’s local alcohol enthusiasts seem to really seek out Hwayo liquors,” she added. “Compared to sake, wine and other worldwide favorites, I think that Korean hard liquors are becoming the new hit icons in the global market.”

Hwayo’s fine spirits have been available at the Four Seasons’ three-Michelin-star Cantonese restaurant Lung King Heen since early this year.

With its world-renowned dim sum as its staple, the fine-dining restaurant is no stranger to having its reservations booked solid for an entire year.

First founded in 2003, the Hwayo brand has made a name for itself as one of the country’s finest soju. Hwayo’s 41 and 25 soju won the gold medal at the 2008 Monde Selection’s “Spirits Distilled from Rice” category. The brand then went on to win the grand prize at the ROK Traditional Liquor Fair in 2010 and also took home the crown at last year’s Korea Alcoholic Beverage Awards.  

By Julie Jackson (juliejackson@heraldcorp.com)