Samyang-owned brand Sang Kwae Hwan debuted in 2013 with a pill-type hangover relief product, and gained prominence in 2019 through the launch of a stick product. The format allows for consumption without needing water, making it convenient for on-the-go use.
In 2023, it entered the hangover relief beverage market with the release of Sang Kwae Hwan Booster.
In response to the increasing popularity of sugar-free and low-calorie products in various food categories, the brand pioneered the development of zero-sugar hangover relief products in line with the health-conscious consumer trend.
Its first sugar-free product was introduced last year. To date, Sang Kwae Hwan remains the only brand stocked in South Korean convenience stores to offer both a zero-sugar hangover relief drink and a zero-sugar hangover relief jelly.
Samyang announced in July that the cumulative sales of Sang Kwae Hwan’s Zero range, consisting of three products, had surpassed 12m units.
Specifically, Sang Kwae Hwan Booster Zero has sold over 7.7m units as of June 2025, while cumulative sales of the two types of Sang Kwae Hwan Stick Zero have exceeded 5m units.
The brand plans to continue releasing zero sugar-concept products to “strengthen its dominance” in the non-beverage hangover relief market.
At the same time, as beverage products accounted for approximately 60% of its total sales, it also aims to steadily increase its market share in this category.
“Consumers have responded positively to the Sang Kwae Hwan Zero range of products because they taste good and are low in calories, so they can be consumed without burden.
“We will continue to expand our Zero portfolio, which has the three elements of efficacy, taste and health, and further boost our presence in the market,” said Park Seong-su, Head of health and beauty (H&B) business unit at Samyang Corporation.
Approved by authorities
Launched in January 2024, Sang Kwae Hwan Booster Zero is a hangover relief drink that uses allulose — instead of sugar — to reduce calorie burden, and does not contain food coloring or preservatives.
Its “clean and refreshing” taste comes from the incorporation of hibiscus and grapefruit, often used in herbal teas.
In January this year, the brand released Sang Kwae Hwan Stick Zero, a jelly-type product that also uses allulose. Each stick contains 11kcal, which is about half the calorie content of most stick products in the market.
Additionally, the two available flavors, green apple and flat peach, are popular for being palatable before or after drinking. All products in the Zero line-up contain glutathione, a key ingredient in existing Sang Kwae Hwan products that helps rapidly break down and eliminate acetaldehyde, a major cause of hangovers.
According to the brand, it has secured scientific evidence to prove its hangover relief effects to meet new regulatory requirements that went into effect in January, whereby products that claim to provide hangover relief must be backed by data from human application tests conducted by the company or based on findings from systematic reviews.
Sang Kwae Hwan said that empirical data submitted to the Ministry of Food and Drug Safety (MFDS) has passed the review of Korea Food Industry Association (KFIA).
