A Korean American Story, Bottled
Yobo Spirits was founded in 2015 by Carolyn Kim, a Los Angeles-born lawyer who set out to create the first modern, American-made soju. The name itself carries the meaning: yobo is a term of unity, the word one partner uses for another in building a home and a life together. Kim built the brand on that same idea, a fusion rather than an import, and a statement about her identity as a Korean American entrepreneur working outside the category’s traditional expectations.
The first bottle was produced in the New York Finger Lakes along Seneca Lake, made entirely from local grapes rather than the imported, mass-produced base typical of traditional soju. That choice made Yobo America’s first craft soju, and it set the brand apart from the start: Korean by origin, American by identity, built to feel authentic to both without asking drinkers to choose one over the other.
A Growing Portfolio
What began as a single bottle has grown into Yobo Spirit House, a full portfolio built on the same founding idea: heritage paired with reinvention. Luxe Soju, the brand’s ultra-premium expression, was named the number one soju by Tasting Table and remains the flagship product most closely tied to Yobo’s original Finger Lakes recipe.
The KTOWN Flavored Soju line broadens the portfolio further, offering the freshest all-natural flavored soju in the range and giving retailers an accessible entry point for drinkers newer to the category. Hunni Soju completes the lineup with premium canned soju cocktails built for on-the-go and ready-to-drink occasions. Across all four lines, the throughline stays constant: a deep respect for heritage paired with a willingness to build something new, which has made Yobo one of the brands actively reshaping the Asian American spirits category, one bottle at a time.
Bringing Yobo to Shelves Nationwide
A brand this specific succeeds regionally because of its story. Scaling it nationally requires a partner who can move that story through the three-tier system without diluting it. RTM Imports handles the compliance, licensing, and wholesale relationships that carry Yobo from the Finger Lakes to retail shelves nationwide, so the brand’s identity stays intact as it reaches a wider audience. Retailers interested in bringing the Yobo portfolio to their shelves can contact