[KIBEX 2025 Special Interview] Korea International Beer Award (KIBA) Organizers: “KIBA Gains Global Recognition Despite Logistics Challenges with Entries from Peru and Brazil”
Published 2025. 04. 08
AVING News Editor-in-Chief Joseph Choe sat down with members of the KIBA Organizing Committee for a special interview on KIBEX 2025 at the MIK Base Camp studio. From left: Joseph Choe, Harper Haejung Lee (Vice President of KIBA), John Junghoon Yoon (Chairman of KIBA), Unson Kim (Secretary General of KIBA) | Photo by AVING News
The Korea International Beer Expo (KIBEX) 2025, Korea’s leading beer industry exhibition, will be held at COEX, Seoul, from April 10 (Thu) to 12 (Sat). The event aims to revitalize the stagnant beer market by bringing together global beer industry stakeholders to share trends and innovations in one dynamic venue.
Running alongside KIBEX is the Korea International Beer Award (KIBA), a commercial international beer competition now cementing its global competitiveness. Last year’s event saw 347 beers submitted from 76 breweries across 16 countries, judged by world-renowned experts under the Brewers Association (BA) international guidelines. The 2025 edition is expected to host over 450 entries.
Before KIBEX 2025, AVING News Editor-in-Chief Joseph Choe met with the KIBA Organizing Committee to discuss the competition’s background, judging standards, and future vision.
Q. Joseph Choe, AVING News Editor-in-Chief: What’s the background behind launching KIBA?
John Junghoon Yoon (Chairman, KIBA Organizing Committee / AB InBev Korea Executive): There have been beer-tasting competitions in Korea, but none have operated internationally. With Harper Lee (now KIBA’s Vice President), we began discussing launching a global beer competition in Korea. Korean craft beer already enjoys a solid reputation abroad, but the absence of domestic international competition makes it feel out of place.
Many local brewers send entries to international competitions, but logistics and transport often challenge maintaining quality. That’s why we launched KIBA—to offer a high-level, fair competition judged by global experts right here in Korea and give Korean beers an international stage.
John Junghoon Yoon, Chairman of KIBA Organizing Committee | Photo by AVING News
Q. What is KIBA’s current standing in the global beer community?
Unson Kim (Secretary General, KIBA / Educational Director, Korea Beer Sommelier Association): We’re witnessing a notable transformation. As someone who oversees KIBA and participates as a judge in global competitions, I’ve seen growing international interest in Korean beer—not just as a cultural product but as a beverage with serious credibility.
Despite launching later than other global events, KIBA has rapidly gained traction. Its success mirrors the growing stature of Korea’s craft beer industry. While the worldwide beer market is facing headwinds, new growth potential is emerging in Asia and Latin America—and Korea is well positioned.
Unlike countries like Japan, where beer competitions have existed for decades, KIBA has achieved notable global attention in 3 to 5 years. This is a sign that we’re on the right track, and we hope more domestic breweries will join this journey.
Q. What differentiates KIBA from other beer competitions?
John Yoon: The judging panel is KIBA’s key differentiator. For breweries, who evaluates your beer is everything. So we’re meticulous about bringing in renowned judges—many of whom beer professionals would instantly recognize from international publications and forums.
These include judges from the world’s top four beer competitions: World Beer Cup, European Beer Star, International Brewing Awards, and the Australian International Beer Awards. This year, we’ve even invited a judge from Kenya—an extremely rare and valuable addition, given how difficult it is to find top-tier judges from Africa.
Another point of pride is our commitment to fairness. We don’t award medals just for participation. If a beer doesn’t meet the standard, it won’t win. We prioritize long-term credibility over short-term results.
Q. How are beers evaluated at KIBA?
John Yoon: We follow globally accepted standards. KIBA doesn’t operate under a Korea-specific or exclusive framework—we’ve adopted the same judging protocols used by top international competitions.
While most consumers are only familiar with basic beer types like lagers and ales, KIBA evaluates beers across 110 style categories. This is about beer style, not branding. Accurate category selection is critical. A great beer in the wrong category won’t score well—like entering a 100-meter sprinter into a 1,000-meter race.
We never award medals unless a beer truly meets the quality benchmarks. It’s not about personal taste or leniency. Our standards are strict, and we stick to them.
Unson Kim: Exactly. The 110 categories allow objective assessment of how well a beer aligns with its intended style. Some breweries question why there are no winners in certain categories. However, no medal is awarded unless a beer meets the clearly defined gold, silver, or bronze standards at KIBA.
That makes winning a KIBA medal incredibly meaningful. We prioritize integrity and excellence in everything we do.
Unson Kim, Secretary General of KIBA | Photo by AVING News
Q. What are KIBA’s future goals and vision?
Unson Kim: Though the current market is tough, we believe now is the time to focus on R&D. In that sense, KIBA is a unique kind of R&D for breweries. It gives them a chance to receive objective feedback and improve their craft.
We’re confident the beer industry will rebound. Beer is widely accessible and deeply familiar to many consumers, and there is room to grow. KIBA is preparing for that next growth wave. Each year gets a little better, and the rising international interest is encouraging.
Ultimately, we envision KIBA and Korea’s beer industry growing hand in hand.
Q. What are three key highlights to watch at KIBA this year?
Unson Kim: First, global recognition of KIBA is becoming tangible. For the first time, breweries from Peru and Brazil are submitting entries—despite the logistical challenges. This means international awareness is translating into real participation.
Entries from Asia have increased significantly compared to last year, showing that emerging markets are increasingly interested in KIBA.
John Yoon: Second, we’re also eager to see how international judges evaluate Korean beers made with local ingredients. This is a unique aspect of KIBA, and I look forward to the results.
Transparency is critical to our process. For example, judges must declare any conflicts of interest before the event. Failing to do so results in disqualification—not just for the judge but also for the entry.
Unson Kim: Third, we’re evolving KIBA into a distinctly Korean international competition. While we began by following global standards, we’re now incorporating local brewing styles, traditional fermentation techniques, and native ingredients like makgeolli elements.
We’re building a theoretical foundation to create new style categories reflective of Korea’s unique brewing culture. KIBA will not only follow international rules but also redefine what an Asian, and specifically Korean, beer competition can look like. This year’s event will mark the beginning of that evolution.
https://youtu.be/ze_AKI3_f-A
DK Kim Reporter davis@aving.net
[URL] https://us.aving.net/news/articleView.html?idxno=52192
[Source] AVING NEWS
[KIBEX 2025 Special Interview] Korea International Beer Award (KIBA) Organizers: “KIBA Gains Global Recognition Despite Logistics Challenges with Entries from Peru and Brazil”
Published 2025. 04. 08
The Korea International Beer Expo (KIBEX) 2025, Korea’s leading beer industry exhibition, will be held at COEX, Seoul, from April 10 (Thu) to 12 (Sat). The event aims to revitalize the stagnant beer market by bringing together global beer industry stakeholders to share trends and innovations in one dynamic venue.
Running alongside KIBEX is the Korea International Beer Award (KIBA), a commercial international beer competition now cementing its global competitiveness. Last year’s event saw 347 beers submitted from 76 breweries across 16 countries, judged by world-renowned experts under the Brewers Association (BA) international guidelines. The 2025 edition is expected to host over 450 entries.
Before KIBEX 2025, AVING News Editor-in-Chief Joseph Choe met with the KIBA Organizing Committee to discuss the competition’s background, judging standards, and future vision.
Q. Joseph Choe, AVING News Editor-in-Chief: What’s the background behind launching KIBA?
John Junghoon Yoon (Chairman, KIBA Organizing Committee / AB InBev Korea Executive): There have been beer-tasting competitions in Korea, but none have operated internationally. With Harper Lee (now KIBA’s Vice President), we began discussing launching a global beer competition in Korea. Korean craft beer already enjoys a solid reputation abroad, but the absence of domestic international competition makes it feel out of place.
Many local brewers send entries to international competitions, but logistics and transport often challenge maintaining quality. That’s why we launched KIBA—to offer a high-level, fair competition judged by global experts right here in Korea and give Korean beers an international stage.
Q. What is KIBA’s current standing in the global beer community?
Unson Kim (Secretary General, KIBA / Educational Director, Korea Beer Sommelier Association): We’re witnessing a notable transformation. As someone who oversees KIBA and participates as a judge in global competitions, I’ve seen growing international interest in Korean beer—not just as a cultural product but as a beverage with serious credibility.
Despite launching later than other global events, KIBA has rapidly gained traction. Its success mirrors the growing stature of Korea’s craft beer industry. While the worldwide beer market is facing headwinds, new growth potential is emerging in Asia and Latin America—and Korea is well positioned.
Unlike countries like Japan, where beer competitions have existed for decades, KIBA has achieved notable global attention in 3 to 5 years. This is a sign that we’re on the right track, and we hope more domestic breweries will join this journey.
Q. What differentiates KIBA from other beer competitions?
John Yoon: The judging panel is KIBA’s key differentiator. For breweries, who evaluates your beer is everything. So we’re meticulous about bringing in renowned judges—many of whom beer professionals would instantly recognize from international publications and forums.
These include judges from the world’s top four beer competitions: World Beer Cup, European Beer Star, International Brewing Awards, and the Australian International Beer Awards. This year, we’ve even invited a judge from Kenya—an extremely rare and valuable addition, given how difficult it is to find top-tier judges from Africa.
Another point of pride is our commitment to fairness. We don’t award medals just for participation. If a beer doesn’t meet the standard, it won’t win. We prioritize long-term credibility over short-term results.
Q. How are beers evaluated at KIBA?
John Yoon: We follow globally accepted standards. KIBA doesn’t operate under a Korea-specific or exclusive framework—we’ve adopted the same judging protocols used by top international competitions.
While most consumers are only familiar with basic beer types like lagers and ales, KIBA evaluates beers across 110 style categories. This is about beer style, not branding. Accurate category selection is critical. A great beer in the wrong category won’t score well—like entering a 100-meter sprinter into a 1,000-meter race.
We never award medals unless a beer truly meets the quality benchmarks. It’s not about personal taste or leniency. Our standards are strict, and we stick to them.
Unson Kim: Exactly. The 110 categories allow objective assessment of how well a beer aligns with its intended style. Some breweries question why there are no winners in certain categories. However, no medal is awarded unless a beer meets the clearly defined gold, silver, or bronze standards at KIBA.
That makes winning a KIBA medal incredibly meaningful. We prioritize integrity and excellence in everything we do.
Q. What are KIBA’s future goals and vision?
Unson Kim: Though the current market is tough, we believe now is the time to focus on R&D. In that sense, KIBA is a unique kind of R&D for breweries. It gives them a chance to receive objective feedback and improve their craft.
We’re confident the beer industry will rebound. Beer is widely accessible and deeply familiar to many consumers, and there is room to grow. KIBA is preparing for that next growth wave. Each year gets a little better, and the rising international interest is encouraging.
Ultimately, we envision KIBA and Korea’s beer industry growing hand in hand.
Q. What are three key highlights to watch at KIBA this year?
Unson Kim: First, global recognition of KIBA is becoming tangible. For the first time, breweries from Peru and Brazil are submitting entries—despite the logistical challenges. This means international awareness is translating into real participation.
Entries from Asia have increased significantly compared to last year, showing that emerging markets are increasingly interested in KIBA.
John Yoon: Second, we’re also eager to see how international judges evaluate Korean beers made with local ingredients. This is a unique aspect of KIBA, and I look forward to the results.
Transparency is critical to our process. For example, judges must declare any conflicts of interest before the event. Failing to do so results in disqualification—not just for the judge but also for the entry.
Unson Kim: Third, we’re evolving KIBA into a distinctly Korean international competition. While we began by following global standards, we’re now incorporating local brewing styles, traditional fermentation techniques, and native ingredients like makgeolli elements.
We’re building a theoretical foundation to create new style categories reflective of Korea’s unique brewing culture. KIBA will not only follow international rules but also redefine what an Asian, and specifically Korean, beer competition can look like. This year’s event will mark the beginning of that evolution.
DK Kim Reporter davis@aving.net
[URL] https://us.aving.net/news/articleView.html?idxno=52192
[Source] AVING NEWS