Price verified July 2026 · a local mart, South Korea
The green bottle people mean when they say soju. Fresh is the gentle one: cold, clean, barely any burn, and the bottle that gets opened first and argued about last.
Chamisul Fresh soju, 360ml bottle costs ₩1,450 at a local mart, South Korea, as of July 2026. ()
What you get
A fridge door of nothing but green, and one yellow tag on the shelf edge: 참이슬 후레쉬 360ml, ₩1,450.
The label does most of the talking. Big blue water drop, and under it in small type, 대나무숯 5번 정제: filtered five times through bamboo charcoal. Up in the corner, SINCE 1924 and a little toad. Clean is the entire pitch and has been for as long as the bottle has looked like this. Fresh is the mild one of the family. The heat is dialed back, a faint sweetness sits behind it, and served properly cold it barely registers going down.
This is the bottle that opens the first round. Pork belly hits the grill, someone reaches for the green bottle before the meat has even been flipped, and the night has officially started. It’s also the soju half of somaek, poured into beer until the glass turns cloudy, which is how most of a company dinner gets drunk.
Chamisul or Chum-Churum is an argument that never ends and never produces a single piece of evidence. Everybody picks a side, usually the one they drank first. Line the two up cold and unlabeled and I doubt many people would stay that confident.
Price details
| Item | Chamisul Fresh soju, 360ml bottle (HiteJinro) |
| Price | ₩1,450 — |
| Where | a local mart, South Korea |
| Date | July 2026 |
| Best for | A first soju, a pork belly night, and building somaek out of whatever beer is already in the fridge. |
| Would I buy again? | Yes. This is the bottle I’d hand someone who has never had soju and doesn’t want a lecture with it. |
Tip: Nobody pours their own glass. Two hands on the bottle when you’re pouring for someone older, and your own glass gets topped up before you’ve noticed it’s empty. Keep the bottle properly cold. Warm soju is where the burn hides.
FAQ
How much does Chamisul soju cost in Korea?
₩1,450 for a 360ml bottle at a local mart, July 2026. Convenience stores, supermarkets and restaurants all price it differently, so treat this as the shelf number rather than a fixed one.
What does Chamisul Fresh taste like?
Clean and slightly sweet with a soft finish. The label’s ‘filtered five times through bamboo charcoal’ line is aimed squarely at the harshness. Straight from the fridge it goes down easy; let it warm up and you’ll taste the alcohol instead.
What’s the difference between Chamisul and Chum-Churum?
They’re the two soju brands that split the country, and the honest answer is that the gap is small enough to live mostly in habit. Chamisul leans crisp and dry, Chum-Churum a touch softer. Whichever you start with tends to become the one you defend.
This price is as of July 25, 2026 (date of writing) and may vary by store.