Beer consumption per person in South Korea
South Korea: Beer consumption per person was 1.67 Litres of pure alcohol per person per year in 2022. ◆ Volatile
Beer consumption per person in South Korea, 1961–2022
Source: World Health Organization - Global Health Observatory (2026) – with minor processing by Our World in Data. Measured in Litres of pure alcohol per person per year.
Analysis
The most recent figure for beer consumption per person in South Korea is 1.67 Litres of pure alcohol per person per year, measured in 2022.
Compared with earlier readings it is up 5.7% on the previous year and down 15.7% over ten years.
Over the whole period, beer consumption per person in South Korea peaked at 2.48 Litres of pure alcohol per person per year in 1995 and was at its lowest, 0.02 Litres of pure alcohol per person per year, in 1962.
That places South Korea 95th out of 187 countries with data for 2022, putting it in the middle of the range.
The series is highly variable year to year, so single readings are best treated with caution.
Averages by decade
| Decade | Average | Lowest | Highest | Years |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1960s | 0.0911 Litres of pure alcohol per person per year | 0.02 Litres of pure alcohol per person per year | 0.15 Litres of pure alcohol per person per year | 9 |
| 1970s | 0.455 Litres of pure alcohol per person per year | 0.21 Litres of pure alcohol per person per year | 1.18 Litres of pure alcohol per person per year | 10 |
| 1980s | 1.26 Litres of pure alcohol per person per year | 1.04 Litres of pure alcohol per person per year | 1.74 Litres of pure alcohol per person per year | 10 |
| 1990s | 2.16 Litres of pure alcohol per person per year | 1.73 Litres of pure alcohol per person per year | 2.48 Litres of pure alcohol per person per year | 10 |
| 2000s | 2.27 Litres of pure alcohol per person per year | 1.89 Litres of pure alcohol per person per year | 2.43 Litres of pure alcohol per person per year | 10 |
| 2010s | 1.96 Litres of pure alcohol per person per year | 1.84 Litres of pure alcohol per person per year | 2.1 Litres of pure alcohol per person per year | 10 |
| 2020s | 1.63 Litres of pure alcohol per person per year | 1.58 Litres of pure alcohol per person per year | 1.67 Litres of pure alcohol per person per year | 3 |
Countries ranked near South Korea
- 92 Angola 1.78 Litres of pure alcohol per person per year compare
- 93 Rwanda 1.71 Litres of pure alcohol per person per year compare
- 94 Cuba 1.68 Litres of pure alcohol per person per year compare
- 96 Honduras 1.51 Litres of pure alcohol per person per year compare
- 97 Burkina Faso 1.5 Litres of pure alcohol per person per year compare
- 98 El Salvador 1.5 Litres of pure alcohol per person per year compare
More economy & growth data for South Korea
- External balance on goods and services as a percent of GDP 5.2% (2025)
- Inflation of consumer prices 2.1% (2025)
- GDP per capita 37,470 constant 2015 US$ (2025)
- Share of manufacturing in gross domestic product (GDP) 27.4% (2025)
- Gross domestic product (GDP) 1.94 trillion constant 2015 US$ (2025)
- GDP per capita in international and market dollars 37,470 constant 2015 US$ (2025)
- DEC alternative conversion factor 1,422 LCU per US$ (2025)
- Net secondary income (Net current transfers from abroad) -6.93 trillion current LCU (2025)
- Net secondary income (Net current transfers from abroad) -4.87 billion current US$ (2025)
- Taxes less subsidies on products 185.85 trillion current LCU (2025)
Frequently asked questions
- What is beer consumption per person in South Korea?
- Beer consumption per person in South Korea was 1.67 Litres of pure alcohol per person per year in 2022, according to World Health Organization - Global Health Observatory (2026) – with minor processing by Our World in Data.
- What is the highest beer consumption per person recorded in South Korea?
- The highest recorded value was 2.48 Litres of pure alcohol per person per year in 1995.
- What is the lowest beer consumption per person recorded in South Korea?
- The lowest recorded value was 0.02 Litres of pure alcohol per person per year in 1962.
- How does South Korea rank for beer consumption per person?
- South Korea ranks 95th out of 187 countries with data for 2022.
- Is beer consumption per person rising or falling in South Korea?
- Over the last ten years it is down 15.7%. The long-run trend across the full record is volatile.
- Where does this South Korea data come from?
- The figures come from World Health Organization - Global Health Observatory (2026) – with minor processing by Our World in Data, published as part of Beer consumption per person. Statizoid updates them automatically from the source API.
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About this data
Average annual per capita beer consumption, measured in liters of pure alcohol. Beer contains around 5% of pure alcohol per volume so that one liter of beer contains 0.05 liters of pure alcohol. This means that 5 liters of pure alcohol equals 100 liters of beer.