Makgeolli Picked Hit Product of 2009

Traditional rice wine or makgeolli has been named the hit product of the year. In an online survey of 11,538 people on the top 10 hit products of the year, makgeolli headed the list, Samsung Economic Research Institute (SERI) said Wednesday.

"This year Makgeolli has been reevaluated as a traditional liquor which is good for both health and beauty," SERI said. Its popularity "reflects a trend of people feeling happy rediscovering forgotten values."

Makgeolli received high praise from respondents of both genders and all age groups. By age group, those 35 or over chose makgeolli as the best product of the year, while those between 25 and 34 ranked it in third place, and those aged under 25 in sixth place.

Other hit goods this year include H1N1 flu-related products, LED TVs and smartphones.