By Dorcas Lee
Korea is no stranger to fermentation. It’s a foundational technique for producing staples like kimchi, the holy trinity of jang, and even K-beauty grails, stemming from a necessity to preserve food during harsh winters. The method underpins much of Korean dining culture today, down to the country’s beloved soju, makgeolli, and other liquors.
Enter the Korean Craft Collective: a cultural deep dive into Korea’s fermentation heritage for the globally curious. It’s a chance to explore Korea beyond its biggest pop culture exports — and even better, with alcohol involved. It’s a day of booze education at Odem, New Bahru’s resident makgeolli bar, in collaboration with Sool Cellar Asia Pacific.
This isn’t your typical tasting fair. Meet the brewers and distillers behind fermented favourites, all eager to share insider perspectives on their craft and Korea’s evolving drinking culture.
Over the weekend, programming unfolds through complimentary tastings, live fermentation workshops, and pop-ups. Notably, British-Korean fermentation specialist Johnny Kyung Hwo – known for his take on beloved Korean ingredients, including experimental brews like homemade ginger beer and probiotic makgeolli – leads an Alt Makgeolli workshop, with tickets priced at $18.
Beyond food and beverage, expect booths by the tattoo artists of Hansan Studio, as well as makers like Tomorrow’s Table, known for its specialty jang; MMHS, presenting a curated selection of Korean snacks and produce; and Sigi Skin, an award-winning Singapore-based skincare brand.
Meet the People Behind the Pour
At the heart of the Korean Craft Collective is a diverse group of brewers, distillers, and founders – each with their own take on how fermentation is interpreted and experienced beyond Korea’s shores.
Dominic Tan, founder of Sool Cellar Asia Pacific, has built his reputation sourcing and introducing premium Korean craft alcohol to Singapore. His priority is clear: champion small-batch, unpasteurised brews over mass-market labels, which he achieves through years of cultivating direct relationships with some of Korea’s most respected independent breweries.
Also the mind behind established local concepts Ajumma’s and Odem, Dominic’s influence goes from source to table. His ethos of authenticity over scale extends to Korean Craft Collective’s lineup of brewers.
For instance, Seoul-based Jiran Jigyo stems from the Korean tradition of gayangju – a practice of homebrewing – and a 100-day-fermented baekilju (rice wine) recipe from the master brewer’s mother. Further north in Cheongju’s Hwayang Brewery, a lovely husband-and-wife duo carries on the tradition of handcrafting their brews, with their Pungjeong Sagye series drawing on the seasons.
If Jiran Jigyo and Hwayang lean traditional, J&J Brewery sidesteps convention. Named after founders Julia and Joohwi –one of them a trained chemist – the brewery combines artistic sensibility with a scientific approach to fermentation, producing clean, expressive brews that balance heritage with innovation. One of the couple’s prized creations is gwaha-ju, a potent and medicinal combination of two traditional liqueurs – soju and cheongju, a fruity rice wine – that stays unspoiled in the summer heat.
Hwasim Distillery and HAVN offer more progressive counterpoints. Hwasim Distillery is helmed by bartender Oh Sumin, who has graced the cocktail scene in Melbourne, London and Asia’s 50 Best Bars like Bar Zest (Seoul) and Halfington (Hanoi). Inspired by his whiskey brewing background at Scotland’s Ardbeg Distillery, Sumin’s sustainable sojus corner the market with inventive flavours like roasted rice and sweet potato, and more importantly, a feel-good ethos where tradition meets intent.
Meanwhile, HAVN takes a different approach to beverages within the dining experience. Founder Jaehyun Sim, a former sommelier of Michelin-starred Evett, previously struggled with drinking alcohol and began exploring non-alcoholic options beyond traditional wine and spirit pairings in fine dining establishments. The result is a range of fresh, garden-led drinks designed for tasting menus, with the same intent as their alcoholic counterparts.
The Korean Craft Collective will take place from 12 to 9pm from April 25 to 26 2026 at New Bahru School Hall. For event details and ticket purchases, please visit https://www.odem.sg/koreankraftcollective.