Interview with Lotte Chilsung Beverage's Lee Geon-sun and Kim Ju-ha
Rum base at 99% sets product apart; extra aging deepens flavor
Debut stock sold out almost immediately as brand runs its own Instagram
"The age of mockery is over. We are going to open a golden age for Captain Q — one where it earns recognition for its taste and value." — Lee Geon-sun, Cheongju BM Team Leader, Marketing Division 2
Captain Q has set sail again after an 11-year absence. When Lee Geon-sun and Kim Ju-ha of Lotte Chilsung Beverage sat down for an interview at the company's headquarters in Songpa-gu, Seoul, on Thursday, their goal was clear: to transform a brand once joked about as "the liquor that keeps you down for two days after" into a mainstream spirit respected for its taste and price.
Captain Q is a rum-based spirit first launched in 1980 by Lotte Liquor, now Lotte Chilsung Beverage. The 700-milliliter bottle retailed for about 3,000 won at the time. Priced well below premium imported liquors, it sold more than 10 million bottles in its first year. The brand's punishing-hangover jokes became as much a part of its identity as the bottle itself.
A 1991 revision to the liquor tax law prompted a recipe overhaul: the rum base was replaced with neutral spirits, sugar syrup, rum flavoring and caramel coloring. Production was halted in 2015. Even after the brand disappeared from shelves, its name lived on — the old jokes migrated online and became memes, turning Captain Q into something of a legend among younger consumers.
That lingering brand recognition was central to the decision to revive it. Around 2020, Lotte Chilsung Beverage began noticing a surge in retro-content consumption and growing demand for affordable options in the whisky and spirits market. "Building awareness for a new brand takes considerable time and money," Lee said. "There was a negative image — being the butt of jokes — but we decided that if we could overcome that, it could actually become a differentiated brand asset."
The team is targeting two distinct consumer groups: younger drinkers who never tried the original, and older consumers who remember it. For younger audiences, the pitch is Captain Q as an accessible everyday spirit; for returning fans, it is a nudge of nostalgia. For younger drinkers less accustomed to high-proof liquor, the team also suggests mixing Captain Q with Pepsi Zero Lime in a one-to-three ratio.
The relaunch did not happen overnight. The team began exploring a revival in 2021, starting with a search for the right base spirit. Getting the taste right mattered more than simply bringing the name back. "We tasted base spirits from countless countries looking for a flavor that would appeal broadly," Kim said with a laugh. "I started in my 30s and kept tasting until I turned 40 — I must have drunk through 100 liters by now."
The guiding criterion was mass appeal. Rather than a characterful rum aimed at enthusiasts, the team focused on finding something smooth and sweet enough to reach the widest possible audience — approachable not only for consumers with fond memories of the original, but also for younger drinkers who rarely touch high-proof spirits.
![Captain Q, relaunched after 11 years, uses 99 percent authentic Caribbean rum base from Panama and undergoes additional aging for a rich, sweet flavor. [Lotte Chilsung Beverage]](https://wimg.heraldcorp.com/news/cms/2026/10/26/news-p.v1.20261015.e78466cb58eb4b6190dd16d91233011e_P1.jpg)
The product uses 99 percent authentic Caribbean rum base sourced from Panama, with additional aging in Pedro Ximénez casks. The result is a rich, sweet and smooth spirit. It comes in a 360-milliliter bottle at 35 percent alcohol by volume, imported in bulk by tank and bottled domestically.
The price was set with a target of under 10,000 won ($8) regardless of retail channel. Some convenience stores currently sell the 360-milliliter bottle at a discounted price of 6,000 won. The aim is to preserve the identity of the affordable mass-market spirit that made the original popular.
Marketing costs have been kept to a minimum. Kim runs the Captain Q Instagram account herself under the handle "Captain Blue," handling everything from concept and filming to on-camera appearances and editing, including on her own time. The account has surpassed 5,800 followers, and Captain Q reels have exceeded 300,000 views.
"With a limited marketing budget, we had to think hard about how to get the word out," Kim said. "Working with our partners, we created the 'Captain Blue' character." Lee recalled his initial skepticism. "When Kim first said she wanted to run the Instagram account, I thought, 'Can she really pull this off?'" he said. "It confirmed that the best results come when someone applies what they love and do well to their work." Lee also appears in some of the videos.
The market response was swift. Lotte Mart sold about 99 percent of its launch-day stock on Thursday, with the remainder gone by Friday. At GS25, a two-pack "Captain Q Treasure Box" set that went on sale Wednesday had sold about 98 percent of its initial stock as of Oct. 19. At Seven-Eleven, Captain Q searches topped 300,000 between Oct. 9 and Oct. 16.
The rapid sellouts prompted some to question whether supply was being deliberately managed to generate buzz. "We prepared stock at a level we could sustain continuously, taking into account the aging and other production requirements, but early demand was hotter than expected," Lee said. "We are working to keep up." He acknowledged, however, that the nature of rum — aged and imported from overseas — makes it difficult to scale up supply quickly.
Looking ahead, the priority is expanding consumer touchpoints rather than chasing sales growth. "Captain Q has gotten off to a smooth start, so what matters now is where we sail from here," Lee said. "We want to play a leading role in creating new memories with more people — not just those who have history with the old Captain Q." He added: "Sales will follow. We never topped the whisky category, but we want to be No. 1 in spirits."
![Kim Ju-ha runs the Captain Q Instagram account under the handle "Captain Blue." The account has surpassed 5,800 followers. [Captain Q Instagram]](https://wimg.heraldcorp.com/news/cms/2026/10/26/news-p.v1.20261026.6bd3b7dbf61d437eba7b4c8e1a6e2a71_P1.png)
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