Recent consumer surveys have shown that liquid tea is the most preferred type of tea in Korea, with 64.1% of consumers preferring it, followed by infusion tea at 23.6% and powdered tea at 12.4%. Men and those in their 20s show a stronger preference for liquid tea, while women and those in their 50s lean towards infusion and powdered teas. Specifically, men prefer liquid tea at a rate of 64.9%, infusion tea at 23.1%, and powdered tea at 11.9%, while women prefer these categories at 63.2%, 24.0%, and 12.8%, respectively. Across age groups, those in their 20s have the highest preference for liquid tea (70%), while those in their 60s have the highest preference for powdered tea (22%).

When buying tea, consumers prioritize tea type (50.2%), followed by price (19.9%), brand (15.1%), tea origin (9.1%), packaging capacity (3.5%), expiration date (1.0%) and packaging condition (0.4%). Men are more likely to focus on price (22.4%), while women are more likely to focus on tea type (50.4%). Among different age groups, those in their 50s prioritize tea type (63.7%), while those in their 60s value tea origin (18.0%). People in their 40s place greater importance on brand (18.8%), while those in their 30s consider price (29.5%) most important. For those in their 20s, packaging capacity is a key factor (7.3%).

Over the past four years, the Korean tea market has experienced steady growth in market size and production scale. The liquid tea market expanded from KRW 600 billion in 2018 to KRW 720 billion in 2022. The infusion tea market grew from KRW 210 billion in 2018 to KRW 300 billion in 2022, while the powdered tea market grew from KRW 190 billion in 2018 to KRW 270 billion in 2022. This sustained growth reflects a broader trend of increasing consumer demand and diversification within the tea industry.

In terms of production, the Korean tea market has shown significant expansion across all categories. Liquid tea production increased from KRW 540 billion in 2018 to KRW 640 billion in 2022. Infusion tea production increased from KRW 170 billion in 2018 to KRW 220 billion in 2022, while powdered tea production increased from KRW 160 billion in 2018 to KRW 210 billion in 2022. These increases highlight both increased consumer interest and industry growth in tea production.
Korea’s tea export volume has also shown consistent growth, rising from 24,074 tons valued at USD 77.89 million in 2018 to 26,430 tons valued at USD 103.13 million in 2021. The increase in both volume and value underscores the growing demand for Korean tea in international markets. Major export destinations include the United States, the Netherlands, Japan, Germany, and Vietnam, reflecting the growing global interest in Korean tea products.