What the fact that IU has been chosen as the model for Chamiseul 4 years in a row means

In February, 2017, Hite Jinro announced that the company chose IU as the model for its soju brand Chamiseul. The female k-pop star has been chosen as the model for the soju brand 4 years in a row, but some of you might just take it as a matter of course because she is one of the most popular k-pop stars.

However, the fact that IU has been chosen as the model for the soju brand 4 years in a row means much more than you might think.


Soju is the most popular liquor among Korean males, and when soju companies choose models for their soju brand, of course, they hope to hire female stars who are very popular among Korean males. They prefer top class young female stars. In that sense, in Korea, being a model for a soju brand means a lot. It means the female star has numerous male fans, and only top class young female stars can become models for soju brands. The most popular female stars of the time, such as Lee Young Ae, Park Joo Mi, Kim Tae Hee, Ha Ji Won and Lee Min Jung have worked as models for soju brands.

But the sad part is that it's very difficult for the female stars to work as models for soju brand for a long time. First, as I said, soju companies prefer top class young female stars, but the stars get old too. They have to give room for younger female stars some day. Second, popularity never lasts forever. Popular young female stars have to give room for more popular female stars some day too. Third, soju companies hate risk. They want a model whose private life is clean. That's why not all the sexy and beautiful female stars can become models for soju brands, and for these reasons, models for soju brands change again and again, new faces replacing old faces.

So, in this situation, what do you think the fact that IU has been chosen as the model for Chamiseul 4 years in a row means? (The amazing fact is that Chamiseul is no.1 soju brand in Korea) It not only means she has been maintaining her dominant position in the Korean entertainment world but means she is the one whose private life is very clean. You know, she's never gotten in big trouble since she debuted, and she is well known for her good personality.