Makgeolli Brewer: Become a Local Crew on Weekends in Paju, Korea

On weekdays, I live in the city, and on the designated weekends, I experience a new daily life in Paju. (3 sessions in total, each 2 days and 1 night) 

This project is not a short trip to stop by and then leave, but a '5°2chon' local project ('Five days in the city, two days in the countryside') centered on Paju’s local breweries, where we brew alcohol together, stay together, and repeatedly encounter the local people and spaces to create our own “Second Neighborhood.”

First, we learn the basics of makgeolli, and then each team decides on a concept for its taste, alcohol content, and color. Afterward, we brew and taste the alcohol ourselves, gradually completing our team’s unique makgeolli. At the Healing Farm, you meet the nature of Paju, and at the guesthouse, you talk together and enjoy a campfire. At the end, we present the homemade liquor at the flea market tasting event. By spending three weekends together, participants become 'Weekend Local Crew' who build a connection with Paju, going beyond being mere tourists. 

 

1. Set aside your weekday self for a while and try living a different daily life in Paju every weekend.

Take a break from the repetitive commute and familiar cityscape, and head to Paju. Here, it’s not just a trip to rest and return, but a chance to brew alcohol ourselves, stay together, and meet new people. You can spend your days at a slightly slower pace than usual and experience a lifestyle different from the city.

The streets and spaces of Paju, which may have felt unfamiliar at first, become naturally familiar after visiting them several times. As you greet the people you meet again and wait to see how the drinks you’ve made together change, Paju soon becomes not just a place you’ve visited once, but somewhere you want to return to.

Making in Paju over three weekends is not just a simple travel itinerary. It’s my own second everyday life experienced outside the city. Spend a slightly slow morning, make something yourself, and encounter new scenes that are rarely seen in everyday life. Weekends spent at these different paces bring new changes to the repetitive routine. 

 

2. Instead of a weekend of resting and coming back, spend it as a weekend of completing our team’s makgeolli. 

This project does not end with just making makgeolli once according to a set recipe. First, we learn how makgeolli is made and the fermentation process. Next, we discuss with the team members what kind of flavor, alcohol content, and color we want to create, and decide on our team’s unique concept.

When the first makgeolli ferments, taste it together and see how the flavor has changed. After discussing with team members what went well and what they would like to change, those comments are incorporated into the next brew. Through the process of making, waiting, tasting, and re-brewing, our team’s unique makgeolli gradually comes together.

At the end, we personally present the finished liquor at the flea-market tasting event. We also check what people think when they taste our alcohol. Because you are directly involved from the moment the concept is first decided to the moment the finished liquor is presented, it leaves a much stronger impression than a simple experience.

 

3. Don’t just learn about alcohol; meet people and spaces, and create Paju’s story together.

The project is not conducted only inside the brewery. At the healing farm, we see and experience herbs and plants up close, gaining ideas for what to put in the liquor we make. At the guesthouse, we eat together and have a conversation. While enjoying the campfire, we naturally share our daily lives and the reasons why we took part in this project.

At the end, we present the makgeolli we made to the village residents and share the stories we experienced through the project. What began as a meeting to make alcohol develops into a connection between people, evolving into a relationship that links travelers and their regions.

What this project leaves behind is not just a bottle of makgeolli. There is also the experience of returning to the same place, saying goodbye to people you meet again, and sharing the results you created together. At first, you start as a traveler, but by the time the project ends, you’ll have a reason to want to visit Paju again. Become a 'Weekend Local Crew' in Paju.

 

This is the 5do2chon project where we escape from the city's daily life and stay in Paju every set weekend. We brew alcohol ourselves and meet local people and spaces several times. This isn't just a trip that ends after one experience; instead, we create our own 'second daily life' in Paju through three meetings and the brewing process.

The focus of the project is the process of completing our team's unique makgeolli.
After learning about how makgeolli is made and the fermentation process, we decide on the concept of our alcohol based on taste, aroma, alcohol content, and color with team members. Then, we brew the first batch of makgeolli ourselves. Once fermentation is done, we taste it together to check the flavor changes and share our thoughts. Based on this experience, we challenge ourselves to brew a second batch.

Outside the brewery, we experience various local spaces in Paju. At a healing farm, we meet herbs and plants and get new ideas, and at a guesthouse, we share meals and stories around a fire. At first, the participants feel unfamiliar, but as they brew alcohol together and spend time together, they naturally grow closer. Becoming one 'weekend local crew' is an important experience of this project.

At the end, we participate in a tasting event where we showcase the makgeolli made in the village. We share the alcohol we've brewed and the stories behind it with local residents. We finish the project by seeing how people feel about our drink.

A bottle of makgeolli holds the memories of the weekends spent together in Paju.

While waiting for the rice and yeast to turn into alcohol, we get closer to others, and the once-unfamiliar Paju becomes a place we want to visit again. With a bottle of makgeolli, create your own special weekend and a 'second neighborhood' in Paju.

■ Main Activities

"Making alcohol may be about making time."

As we wait for the rice and yeast to become alcohol, strangers turn into a crew, and the first-time visit to Paju becomes a place we want to return to. What we complete in this project is not just a bottle of makgeolli. The relationships and memories we create together, and our own second neighborhood also stay with us.

1) First round | A weekend meeting makgeolli and Paju for the first time.
We listen to explanations about the village and the project at a local brewery and form our teams. After learning the principles of how makgeolli is made and the basic brewing methods, we decide on the alcohol's alcohol content, taste, and color for our team. In the evening, we enjoy a welcome party and a makgeolli tasting at the guesthouse while breaking the ice and sharing around a fire. The next day, we return to the brewery to brew the first makgeolli as a team. This is the first weekend where the strangers and the unfamiliar Paju start to feel familiar.

2) Second round | A weekend connecting local inspiration to taste.
We visit a healing farm to see and experience herbs and plants. Based on this experience, we look for new ideas to put into our alcohol. Then we move to the brewery, taste our first makgeolli, and discuss with team members how the flavor changed. We also taste other local makgeolli to compare various flavors and aromas. The next day, based on our earlier experiences and opinions, we brew the second batch of makgeolli. This is the time when our team's desired flavor becomes clearer than before.

3) Third round | The final weekend showcasing the alcohol we made in Paju.
On the final weekend, we prepare a flea market and tasting event in the village. We set up the makgeolli we made and introduce it to visitors. During the tasting, we observe people's reactions to our drink, and the discussions and experiments turn into a completed result. After the event, we share our last meal with the crew and reflect on the past times. The next day, we share the tasting results and project outcomes, and receive a 'Paju Local Brewing Crew Certificate' from the village chief to wrap up the project.

* The detailed schedule may change based on project operations and local cooperation events. The flea market will be held as a local tasting event, not for commercial sales.

■ Additional Information

• A maximum of 12 people can participate in the project per team. Participants are expected to attend all three scheduled times.
• The main target participants are young people aged 19 to 39, both local and foreign. For foreign participants, preference will be given to those who can communicate smoothly in Korean since they need to participate in team meetings and collaborations.
• The makgeolli brewing experience will follow the safety and hygiene standards of local breweries. Participants will first receive safety training before joining the practical sessions.
• Costs for meals and the healing farm experience, which are not included in the project budget, will be covered by the participation fee.
• The exact operation dates, recruitment period, participation fees, personal items needed, and transportation details will be announced after final confirmation.
  
  

■ Program Schedule

Parking	Location	Main Activities
Week 1 Meet and brew	Local brewery / Guesthouse	Learn about makgeolli → Team formation → Concept planning → First brewing Introduction to the village and project · Team formation · Basic theory and training of makgeolli · Team concept planning for taste/alcohol content/color · First experimental brewing · Makgeolli tasting · Ice-breaking & campfire time.
Week 2 Taste and brew again	Healing farm / Local brewery / Guesthouse	Local exploration → First tasting → Feedback → Second brewing Herb and plant-based local experience · Explore brewing material ideas · First batch tasting and feedback · Taste local makgeolli · Second experimental brewing.
Week 3 Complete and share	Village / Local brewery / Guesthouse	Local exploration → First tasting → Feedback → Second brewing Prepare for flea market and tasting event · Our team's makgeolli tasting · Interacting with local residents · Last dinner · Sharing tasting results · Paju Local Brewing Crew graduation ceremony.

During the project, we stay at a guest house. Each schedule is for 1 night and 2 days, and the accommodation is in dormitories separated by gender. This place is not just for sleeping. We have welcome parties, Korea rice wine tastings, ice-breaking activities, campfires, and the last meal together, creating a space where participants can naturally bond.

* The accommodation is in dormitories separated by gender, and room assignments and detailed amenities will be announced at the final briefing.
* The guest house and shared accommodations in the area may look different from the images.

■ Accommodation
- A total of 3 sessions, each lasting 1 night and 2 days, providing guest house lodging (separate for men and women / dormitory)
- A place for participants to network and hold evening campfires and team meetings.

■ Project Activities
- Traditional liquor theory training and makgeolli brewing practice.
- Basic ingredients and program materials needed for makgeolli brewing will be provided (teams need to prepare special materials separately).
- Experience healing farm herb and plant-based healing content and explore brewing ideas.
- Experience tasting at the coexistence flea market and receive feedback from local evaluations.
- Team-based makgeolli concept and branding process, plus support from project operation staff.

■ Exclusions
- Participation fee.
- Round-trip transportation.
- Other living expenses in the area (meals, transportation, etc.).
- Personal traveler insurance.

■ Certification and Outcomes
- ‘Paju Local Brewing Crew Certificate’ issued by the village leader / team results and concepts for makgeolli.

*It is recommended to make transportation reservations after the final schedule of the project is confirmed.

This project's local brewing space is in a rural village in Paju. Here, we connect traditional liquor, agriculture, and local people and places to create new regional value.
Rural areas are losing vitality due to aging and a decrease in young people. Our goal is to create an environment where existing residents and young returnees can grow together. We connect farmers' long-time experiences with young people's new ideas, creating various programs and collaborations to increase the value of local agricultural products.
It doesn't end with just producing agricultural products. We connect traditional liquor, local lodging, rural experiences, cultural spaces, and local food into one journey. We run stay programs that use village guesthouses, farms, and cultural spaces so that visitors can stay, meet people, and experience real life instead of just looking around briefly.
We are also developing makgeolli that reflects Paju's local characteristics and creating experience content to turn the village's unique stories into a brand. We aim to build a sustainable structure where local agricultural products, people, and culture grow together and their value returns to the village. This is the vision of a local community we are shaping.

A place that goes beyond brewing alcohol to also shape relationships between people and the region.

Through the experience of mutual growth that started in Paju, we are creating a sustainable local future.

■ Location: Paju City, Gyeonggi Province

Paju, where the project takes place, is a city where you can experience local feelings of traditional liquor and countryside, along with peace, art, and nature all at once. Before and after the program schedule, explore Paju's main tourist spots to broaden your local weekend stay experience.

1. Heyri Art Village | A cultural village where art and taste meet
This is a representative cultural and artistic space in Paju, filled with galleries, museums, bookstores, small theaters, cafes, and workshop spaces. The buildings and alleys connect like a single exhibition, making it fun to walk slowly, see the exhibits, and discover spaces that match your taste. If you are a participant planning a makgeolli brand, this place is also great for inspiration on space branding and local content.

2. Imjingak Peace Nuri | A landscape of peace you can only find in Paju
This is a tourist spot that most symbolically shows Paju's local characteristics. You can walk around the vast Peace Nuri Park and the Imjingak area while facing the history of division and the meaning of peace. It offers a chance to deeply understand the stories of the city of Paju, making it a recommended place for both local and foreign participants, different from the usual nature or cafe trips.

3. Majang Lake | Natural healing by walking along the lake and forest
This is a representative natural tourist spot in Paju, featuring a 220-meter-long suspension bridge across the lake and about 4.5 km of lakeside walking paths. It's a great place to walk or relax while enjoying the lake and forest, making it suitable for leisurely enjoying Paju's nature after an intensive team project. The changing scenery with the seasons makes it attractive for weekend trips.

This project will take place over 3 sessions, each lasting 2 days and 1 night.

Total project: Up to 12 people / Participate in 3 designated weekends.

■ Target Audience and Qualifications

• Young people aged 19 to 39 who live in the city during the week and want to experience a new "cousin life" on the weekends.
• People who want to spend productive weekends that provide learning and results rather than just resting.
• People interested in planning traditional Korean rice wine, local brands, and similar topics.
• People who enjoy collaborating and interacting with local residents, young farmers, and participants from inside and outside the country.
• For foreign participants, those who want to deeply experience traditional Korean liquor and actual local village culture are preferred (ability to communicate in Korean is a plus).

01Check out the project.	- Check if there are specific participation dates or if you can join at any time that fits your schedule! - Read stories from people who have actually participated in this project!
02Fill out the participation application.	- Don’t feel pressured; express yourself comfortably and honestly.
03Deposit the project fee.	- After the project registration fee or full payment is confirmed, the participant's application will be sent to the local agency. - (If needed) After the fee payment, there will be a Skype interview with the local agency to confirm your participation. - If the local agency does not approve after their review, 100% of the registration and participation fees will be refunded.
04Get confirmation text for your deposit.	- The day after a participant deposits the project fee, we will check and send a confirmation text. If you don’t receive a text the day after the deposit, please contact us! (For weekend deposits, confirmations will be done on Monday morning.)
05Confirmation of project participation.	- It takes about 1 to 7 days for the local agency to review the application before final confirmation. - Once you are finally accepted into the project, the person in charge will contact you separately.
06Arrival and project start.	- Participants will meet the person in charge and have a local orientation when they arrive. - After the local orientation, participants should learn the information provided by the local agency and start the project while keeping safety in mind. * The local orientation might not be carried out in some cases depending on the local agency, and it can change or be shortened based on circumstances.
07 Submit feedback after the project.	- After the project ends, participants should submit feedback, and a certificate will be issued after review.