"Captain Q," famously known in the 1980s as the "legendary whiskey to the future" with the reputation that "if you drink it on Christmas Eve, you wake up two days later on the 26th," has made a comeback after 11 years. We take a look at the distribution industry’s "Newtro" (New + Retro) marketing that brings back memories for the middle-aged while sparking curiosity in the MZ generation.

“If you drink it on Christmas Eve, you won't open your eyes until the 26th, two days later.” In the 1980s, a domestic whiskey made waves as a "hangover-free drink." The protagonist was "Captain Q," launched in 1980 by Lotte Brewery (now Lotte Chilsung Beverage). It gained notoriety through the ironic evaluation that it didn't lack hangovers because of a low ABV, but rather because it was so strong that drinkers would sleep through the entire next day.

At the time, the launch price was about 3,000 won for a 700mL bottle—nearly four times cheaper than Jinro’s domestic whiskey "Gilbut Royal" (about 11,500 won) of the same volume. As even younger generations who couldn't afford expensive whiskeys opened their wallets, Captain Q sold over 10 million bottles in its first year alone. It was a staple at special occasions like university entrance welcoming parties, and after a smaller 180mL version was released, it became a go-to drink stuffed in back pockets for fishing trips and mountain hikes. However, as premium whiskeys became mainstream, its market shrank, and it was eventually discontinued in 2015 due to illegal imitation liquor manufacturing.

● "Exactly as it looked in 1980"

Now, Captain Q has returned after 11 years, riding the retro boom. Even after disappearing from shelves, consumer interest remained high through "memes" like "the legendary whiskey to the future" and "Thanos of the whiskey world," a reference to how it allegedly wiped out half of one's memories after drinking.

Kim Dong-jun, the Lotte Chilsung Beverage spirits manager in charge of Captain Q's relaunch, said, "Even after discontinuation, consumers steadily remembered and talked about Captain Q. Based on these reactions, we have been preparing for its relaunch since 2022." The decision was made because it could simultaneously satisfy the nostalgia of middle-aged consumers who remember the old taste and the curiosity of the MZ generation encountering it for the first time.

The returning Captain Q faithfully recreates its 1980s design. It revives the exact pre-discontinuation look: a rounded, flat transparent glass bottle with a dark green label bordered in gold, and "CaptainQ" written in golden cursive. The iconic captain character, symbolizing how sailors enjoyed rum in the past because it was cheap and long-lasting, has also been brought back. The old spelling "캪틴큐" (Captain Q with a specialized Korean character styling) was also kept. When the product first came out in 1980, current foreign word notation rules had not yet been established, and that vintage spelling was preserved.

The advertisement also homaged the 1980s commercial. Comedian Lee Sun-min played all three roles, recreating the past setup of three friends gathering at home to share Captain Q. The screen matched the 4:3 aspect ratio of old CRT TVs, and post-dubbing techniques common in ads of that era were recreated so that lip movements and voices slightly and intentionally mismatched. The narration revived the distinct tone of those days, and the catchy "Rum~!" shout from the old commercials was brought back. With its vintage-style direction, the three-commercial series surpassed 13 million cumulative views within 20 days of release, creating a major buzz.

While the name, design, and advertisement maintain their look from about 40 years ago, the liquor inside the bottle has changed. At its launch, Captain Q was made by mixing 19.9% rum concentrate with spirits, and after the liquor tax law revision in 1991, it contained no concentrate, using only spirits mixed with rum flavor and caramel syrup. The newly released Captain Q uses 99% authentic Caribbean rum concentrate, and its ABV has been lowered from 40% to 35%. This reflects recent consumer trends of reduced alcohol consumption and a preference for lower-proof drinks.

● Targeting Both Nostalgia and Curiosity

Just like Captain Q, the re-release of discontinued products has become a trend in the food industry. On top of the "Newtro" craze of enjoying past products in new ways, brands find it less burdensome in terms of marketing and more stable for monetization because it provides nostalgia to middle-aged consumers and novel experiences to younger generations.

Representative product categories include ramyun and snacks. Nongshim’s "Bokkeum Neoguri" (stir-fried Neoguri), released in limited quantities last month, was originally launched in 2017 after the success of "Chapaguri" (a mix of Neoguri and Chapagetti) in 2013. According to domestic brand strategies, Nongshim discontinued it in 2024, continuing sales only overseas where demand for stir-fried noodles was high.

However, domestic consumers continuously sought Bokkeum Neoguri even after its discontinuation. Some went so far as to source export versions sold overseas, while content sharing recipes to mimic Bokkeum Neoguri using regular Neoguri even emerged. On social media, an account called "Bokkeum Neoguri Revival Campaign Headquarters" collected signatures from consumers wanting a re-release and sent them to Nongshim. Eventually, Nongshim re-released Bokkeum Neoguri in both bag and bowl formats last limited quantity run. Fueled by this fandom, 3,000 sets (48,000 packages) of bag ramen sold out within two hours during pre-orders on the company’s online mall.

Previously, to celebrate its 60th anniversary last year, Nongshim also re-released "Nongshim Ramyun" using its 1975 recipe and the curry-flavored snack "B29," which had been discontinued in 1991. B29 came out following persistent requests from consumers who even opened a cafe titled "Hoping for the Reproduction of B29" to appeal to Nongshim. First launched in 1981 and popular for its rare curry flavor and melting texture at the time, B29 was initially sold exclusively at CU convenience stores after its re-release, but expanded to all convenience store channels as its popularity surged.

In the dining industry, the resurrection of "memories menus" is also continuing. Lotteria introduced the "Bulgalbi Burger" (Grilled Beef Rib Burger) this March for the first time in 10 years. Launched in 1998 to expand local burger options following the massive success of the Bulgogi Burger in 1992, the Bulgalbi Burger was discontinued during a menu revamp in 2016. However, interest persisted, ranking 5th among 10 options in a 2019 "Legend Burger" vote, leading to its re-release at four drive-thru locations and the Seoul Station branch. Lotteria stated that for three months following the re-release, the sales rate of the Bulgalbi Burger at the Seoul Station branch was about 25% higher than its flagship "Ria Bulgogi."

Burger King’s "Long Chicken Burger," introduced in June this year, is another revived menu item. A long-standing menu item sold since the 2000s consisting only of a long bun, chicken patty, lettuce, and mayonnaise, its sales were ended in July last year due to difficulties in supplying the elongated buns. However, as posts wishing for a comeback continuously popped up on social media—such as the "Long Chi-dan" (Long Chicken Burger Comeback Team)—it was re-released after a year. About 50,000 units were sold on the first day alone, and cumulative sales surpassed 3 million units by October 28.

Hwang Jin-ju, an adjunct professor of consumer science at Inha University, diagnosed, "The taste and aroma of a product a consumer ate or drank in the past serve as a clue for 'autobiographical memory,' reminding them of who they enjoyed it with and where back then. Simply recalling that time allows consumers to gain emotional value from the product." Analysts also suggest that the MZ generation, experiencing the product for the first time, feels a sense of longing for an era they did not live through. Professor Hwang interpreted this as "vicarious nostalgia," adding, "Purchases happen simply out of curiosity wondering, 'What does it taste like that people are still talking about it?'"

[ⓒ Global Economic Times. 무단전재-재배포 금지]