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O'Sulloc Tea is a traditional
Korean tea Korean tea is a beverage consisting of boiled water infused with leaf, leaves (such as the tea plant ''Camellia sinensis''), roots, flowers, fruits, grains, edible mushrooms, or edible seaweed, seaweed. It may or may not contain tea leaves. Hi ...
manufactured and sold by the South Korean company O'Sulloc. The company was founded in 1979 by Suh Sung-hwan. O'Sulloc Corporation was established in September 2020 as an independent subsidiary of the
Amorepacific Corporation Amorepacific Corporation () is a South Korean beauty and cosmetics chaebol, operating more than 30 beauty, personal care, and health brands including Sulwhasoo, Laneige, Etude, Aestura, Cosrx, AP Beauty, and Innisfree. The firm was founded in ...
, with 100% ownership. O'Sulloc Tea originates from the cultivated fields on
Jeju Island Jeju Island (Jeju language, Jeju/) is South Korea's largest island, covering an area of , which is 1.83% of the total area of the country. Alongside outlying islands, it is part of Jeju Province and makes up the majority of the province. The i ...
. It is also an internationally recognized brand in other countries such as China, Japan, and the United States. O'Sulloc teas consist of a range of black and green teas based on traditional Korean tea culture. O'Sulloc teas have various certifications, and in 2010 were certified with the
National Organic Program The National Organic Program (NOP) is the federal regulatory framework in the United States, United States of America governing organic food. It is also the name of the United States Department of Agriculture (USDA) Agricultural Marketing Service ...
(NOP) certification by the
United States Department of Agriculture The United States Department of Agriculture (USDA) is an executive department of the United States federal government that aims to meet the needs of commercial farming and livestock food production, promotes agricultural trade and producti ...
(USDA).


History

Suh Sung-hwan started the company in 1979 with the aim of reviving the Korean tea tradition by regenerating the ecosystems and pristine land of Jeju Island, which at the time were uninhabited and uncultivated. The initial project was based on the Dolsongi tea fields. After 1979, O'Sulloc expanded from Jeju Island to Seoul, South Korea. In 1980 O'Sulloc released the SULLOC-CHA brand, with their first green teas: Mansu, Cheonsu, and Baeksu. In 1983 new products were manufactured using green leaves harvested from Jeju Island. In 1992, a loose-leaf tea Ujeon Okro was released as well as the first tea in a can. In 1995, the Hannam tea field was developed to be managed through science and technology. In 1997, the first powder green tea was released: powder SULLOC Tea. In 1997 Suh Sung-hwan was succeeded by his son, Suh Kyung-bae. In September 2001, the brand opened the "Tea Museum" in Seogwangdawon. In 2002 O'Sulloc tea factories became the first in the sector to be certified under
Hazard analysis and critical control points Hazard analysis and critical control points, or HACCP (), is a systematic preventive approach to food safety from biological hazard, biological, chemical hazard, chemical, and physical hazards in production processes that can cause the finished ...
(HACCP). The founder of O'Sulloc died in January 2003. In 2005, Sulloc Tea Research Institute was established near the Jeju tea fields in an effort to improve the quality of green tea. In 2010 O'Sulloc received several certifications for their organic tea from organizations such as the
USDA The United States Department of Agriculture (USDA) is an United States federal executive departments, executive department of the Federal government of the United States, United States federal government that aims to meet the needs of commerc ...
with their NOP certification,
International Federation of Organic Agriculture Movements IFOAM – Organics International (formerly known as the International Federation of Organic Agriculture Movements) is a worldwide organization advocating for organics, with over 700 affiliates in more than 100 countries and territories. Histo ...
(IFOAM) and other international and local organizations. In 2013 the Jeju O'Sulloc Tea Store was opened in Jeju as a tourism location. In 2015 O'Sulloc won an
iF Design Award The iF Product Design Award was introduced in 1954 and is annually conferred by the iF International Forum Design. The award, which spans multiple disciplines, has more than 5,500 entries from around 59 nations every year. History The iF Indus ...
and opened the Tea House at the National Museum of Modern and Contemporary Art.


Location

O'Sulloc tea is produced from four plantations, three of which are located on Jeju Island and one in mainland South Korea. Jeju Island has one the best environments in Korea to cultivate tea, as the soil on the island consists mainly of volcanic ash that has a better moisture retention and soil aeration compared to the soil on mainland Korea. The climate is humid subtropical giving a stable temperature all year round, with high annual precipitation.


Tea fields

Three O'Sulloc organic tea fields, covering about 330 hectares, produce various types of teas depending on the local climate of the volcanic island. The fields have the five key elements to make teas grow productively: soil, sunlight, water, wind and mist. Amore Pacific cultivated the Dosun tea fields on the slopes of Halla Mountain on Jeju island in 1980, and subsequently developed tea plantations on Gangjin (Jeollanam-do), Seogwang and Hannam (Jeju). The total cultivation area is approximately 330 hectares and the harvest area is approximately 180 hectares.


Soil Composition

The soil composition of Jeju Island is primarily derived from basaltic and volcanic ashes. There is a degree of silicon, aluminum, and andisols found throughout the island. O'Sulloc is located in the south-western part of the island, where non-Andisols are widely distributed though rain and water sources. The local basaltic soils have an impact on the quality of tea and provide elements such as potassium, calcium, magnesium, and sulfur. The typically desired pH level of soil for cultivating tea is between 4.0 and 5.5 pH. Jeju Island's pH levels of 4.8 to 6.5 are higher than the normal tea cultivation range, depending on the soil type, where there is a greater degree of organic matter in the high altitude brown soil. Jeju Island's high aluminum levels can make crop maintenance difficult but the soil is suitable for tea cultivation as tea plants are able to absorb aluminum with more tolerance than other plants.


Cultivation Process

All the tea produced in Jeju by O'Sulloc is planted, sustained, collected and harvested by machine. Depending on the blend they are producing, the tea leaves are either fermented or steamed/roasted. In the fermentation process the tea leaves are injected with microorganisms that start the fermentation process, using the
Bacillus subtilis ''Bacillus subtilis'' (), known also as the hay bacillus or grass bacillus, is a gram-positive, catalase-positive bacterium, found in soil and the gastrointestinal tract of ruminants, humans and marine sponges. As a member of the genus ''Bacill ...
strain of microorganism. The tea leaves are left to ferment for 7 days then aged inside of cedar barrels for 100 days. The steaming/roasting process is for the un-fermented tea leaves, this consist mainly of the green tea variety. The tea leaves are roasted for about 30–50 minutes in an iron roasting pan to prevent the oxidative enzymes in the leaves to start functioning. It is then left to air in the open. The process is repeated multiple times changing the temperature then the broken tea leaves are removed and the tea is dried with hot air.


Dolsongi tea field

Dolsongi was the first field to be developed by the O'Sulloc company in 1979. The land was originally covered in volcanic rocks and pebbles from the hardened volcanic ash and converted into the tea plantation, which is aerated by mountain and sea winds.


Seogwang tea field

This originally infertile and rocky land was converted by O'Sulloc in 1983 and is now the largest tea field in South Korea with an area of 52,89 hectares. It is characterized by a warm and humid climate, year round sun and natural shade. It is regarded as an example of successful agriculture production of tea in a mountain area. The Seogwang tea fields are recognized as one of the best managed tea plantations in Korea, attracting many visitors to the site.


Hannam tea field

Hannam was developed in 1995 and the tea fields extend from the summit of Hallasan Mountain to the sea of Seogwipo. The plantation has had investment for organic farming, and is characterized by a mild climate, extensive sunshine, warm breezes and young trees with a high amino acid content.


Tea selection

O'Sulloc Tea is produced in a range of varieties including
black Black is a color that results from the absence or complete absorption of visible light. It is an achromatic color, without chroma, like white and grey. It is often used symbolically or figuratively to represent darkness.Eva Heller, ''P ...
,
rooibos Rooibos ( ; , ), or , is a broom (shrub), broom-like member of the plant family Fabaceae that grows in South Africa's Fynbos biome. The leaves are used to make a caffeine-free herbal tea, herbal infusion that has been popular in Southern Afri ...
,
green Green is the color between cyan and yellow on the visible spectrum. It is evoked by light which has a dominant wavelength of roughly 495570 nm. In subtractive color systems, used in painting and color printing, it is created by a com ...
,
oolong tea Oolong or Wulong (, ; ; , "black dragon" tea) is a traditional semi-oxidized Chinese tea (''Camellia sinensis)'' produced through a process that includes withering the leaves under strong sun and allowing some oxidation to occur before curling ...
,
fermented tea Fermented tea (also known as post-fermented tea or dark tea) is a class of tea that has undergone microbial fermentation (biochemistry), fermentation, from several months to many years. The exposure of the tea leaves to humidity and oxygen dur ...
, and
blended tea A blend is a mixture of two or more different substances. Blend may also refer to: Arts and entertainment * ''Blend'' (album), a 1996 album by BoDeans * The Blend (Sirius XM), a North American satellite radio channel * "Blend", a 2017 song on ...
. These teas are offered in tea bags or as loose tea. Some of the blended teas offered are Moonlight Island, Coral Island, and Jeju Samdayeon Tangerine Tea. O'Sulloc green teas include Sejak green tea, Wedding green tea, Omija tea, Illohyang green tea, among others. O'Sulloc offers fermented and semi-fermented teas, including Kombucha and Rooibos tea.


Kombucha

O'Sulloc released two types of Kombucha tea in 2022: Peach Camellia Kombucha and Jeju Young Tangerine Kombucha. These are differentiated by the addition of honey instead of sugar and the "Green Tea-derived Lactobacillus Scoby" developed by O'Sulloc. O'Sulloc Kombucha's
Scoby Symbiotic culture of bacteria and yeast (SCOBY) is a culinary symbiosis, symbiotic fermentation Microbial food cultures, culture (Fermentation starter, starter) consisting of lactic acid bacteria (LAB), acetic acid bacteria (AAB), and yeast whic ...
uses plant lactic acid bacteria from Jeju organic green tea, domestic native yeast, and acetic acid bacteria from naturally fermented foods. It contains 20 kcal per 100 ml and is a tea with carbonation added. It also contains catechin and vitamins. Peach Camellia Kombucha has the scent of natural Camellia, and Jeju Young Tangerine Kombucha is characterized by fresh acidity and sweetness.


Rooibos Tea

O'Sulloc offers a Roobibos tea, which is derived from the plant Rooibos, or Aspalathus linearis. Unlike traditional black and green teas, Rooibos tea contains no caffeine or
tannins Tannins (or tannoids) are a class of astringent, polyphenolic biomolecules that bind to and precipitate proteins and various other organic compounds including amino acids and alkaloids. The term ''tannin'' is widely applied to any large po ...
, which is a common cause of tea bitterness. Rooibos tea has been shown in studies to cause adverse effects on the liver.


Omija Tea

Omija ''Schisandra chinensis'', whose fruit is called magnolia berry or five-flavor fruit (, in , ), is a vine plant native to forests of Northern China, the Russian Far East and Korea. Wild varieties are also found in Japan. It is hardy in USDA Zone ...
is a type of tea that is derived from the omija berry, that can commonly be found at 457 meters in elevation on Korean mountains. The berries are similar to goji berries, being dark red. These berries are originally from China, Korea, Japan, and Russia, but can be found across the world. The tea and berry have been used in Chinese medicine. Omija tea is often translucent red or pink in color. It has been studied for its potential health benefits as these berries contain particular lignans with anti-inflammatory, antioxidative, antiviral and sedative effects.


Sejak Tea

Sejak Tea by O'sulloc is a traditional Korean green tea by the same name,
Sejak ''Sejak'' (), also called ''dumul-cha'' (), refers to ''nokcha'' (green tea) made of young, tender leaves and buds hand-plucked after ''Guyu, gogu'' ("grain rain", 20–21 April) but before ''Lixia, ipha'' ("advent of summer", 5–6 May). Also c ...
, meaning thin sparrow tongue. The tea leaves are harvested at the end of April as part of the second harvesting.


O'Sulloc Tea Museum

The O'Sulloc Tea Museum is located at the
Seogwipo Seogwipo (; ) is the second-largest Administrative divisions of South Korea, city on Jeju Island, settled on a rocky volcanic coastline in the southern part of Jeju Province, South Korea. In July 2006, Seogwipo's boundaries were expanded to inclu ...
tea plantation on Jeju island. It was opened by Amorepacific Corporation in September 2001 and was the first tea Museum opened in South Korea. The museum is aimed at introducing and spreading Korean tea history and tradition. It is a popular tourist location, visited by 1.5 million people annually. On Jeju Island it is ranked as the 7th most visited attraction by locals and the 10th by visitors. It has been rated as one of the top 10 museums in the world for internal design and external setting. In 2020, the museum expanded with three new buildings, including cafes and an exhibition space. Visitors can also view the roasting of tea leaves harvested from the neighboring plantation. The O’Sulloc Tea Museum was used as an example of a study on brand communication space based on experiential exhibition in 2015.


The Tea Stone

The Tea Stone building was opened in March 2003 and consists of two floors of exhibition space, including Chusa Kim Jung-hee's Sehando and Chusa body-themed media art and an experience space for O'Sulloc's signature fermented tea "Sam Da-yeon". The Tea Stone also provides classes on the specific interpretation of Korean Tea Culture, including the use of traditional Korean tea utensils such as the inkstone and inkstick, which has spiritual significance to the culture.


Innisfree Jeju House

The Innisfree Jeju House opened in March 2013 and was created by the Innisfree cosmetics brand as an experience center based on the slogan "a space that becomes one with nature". It promotes products made of Jeju natural materials through five experience zones based on the five senses. These include: a Cosmetics Experience Zone (cosmetics made of Jeju ingredients); a Jeju Story Zone (scent of Jeju); a Natural Soap Class Zone (natural soap using Jeju's green tea, tangerines, and volcanic pine powder); the Organic Green Cafe (food and drinks made with fresh ingredients from Jeju); and the Green Garden, an outdoor area (where visitors can experience the natural environment such as organic green tea fields, Gotjawal, and lakes).


O'Sulloc Tea Houses

O'Sulloc currently has six tea house locations in South Korea. All of the tea houses are located in
Seoul Seoul, officially Seoul Special Metropolitan City, is the capital city, capital and largest city of South Korea. The broader Seoul Metropolitan Area, encompassing Seoul, Gyeonggi Province and Incheon, emerged as the world's List of cities b ...
. The first one was opened in Myeongdong, Seoul in 2004, but it does not exist now. The oldest tea house is currently in The National Museum of Contemporary Art, opened in 2013.


O'Sulloc Bukchon Tea House

The O'Sulloc Bukchon Tea House was opened in Seoul in November 2021. A three-story building recreates the ambience of a 1970s domestic house, with a view of
Hanok A (; name in South Korea) or ''chosŏnjip'' (; name in North Korea and for Koreans in Yanbian, China), is a traditional Korean house. were first designed and built in the 14th century during the Joseon dynasty. Korean architecture conside ...
Village. It provides facilitated tea tasting and tea blending classes with various herbs.


O’Sulloc worldwide

O'Sulloc obtained the NOP certification from the
USDA The United States Department of Agriculture (USDA) is an United States federal executive departments, executive department of the Federal government of the United States, United States federal government that aims to meet the needs of commerc ...
, and the EU-organic production-regulation certification by the EU to expand its business area overseas.


Awards

O’Sulloc's Ilohyang tea received the World Tea Prize at the China Tea Fair in 1999. Ilohyang also won the Gold Prize at the Japan World Green Tea Contest in 2011 and 2014. Ilohyang ranked first in the "North American Tea Championship" four times in 2009, 2011, 2012 and 2014. O’Sulloc's Masters green tea line Woojeon won the first place in the mixed tea category at the 2016 North American Tea Championship. Woojeon tea is made of soft tea leaves in spring, and is characterized by a mild, sweet, and savory flavor.


Controversy


Trademark dispute

Ogada, a South Korean herbal tea company, tried to launch new products such as South Korean style
Yuja Yuzu (''Citrus'' × ''junos'', from Japanese or ; ) is a citrus fruit and plant in the family Rutaceae of Chinese origin. Yuzu has been cultivated mainly in East Asia, though it has also recently been grown in New Zealand, Australia, Spain, ...
syrup and traditional tea bags as well as herbal tea to expand its business area from domestic to overseas. In the process, Ogada realized that Amorepacific corporation had applied to the South Korean Intellectual Property Office for dozens of trademarks called Ogada, and filed an objection with the court in 2013. In 2014, the court sided with Ogada, while Amorepacific corporation only registered the trademark in advance and had no actual corporate activities, Ogada won based on the court's judgment that the trademark's authority was for Ogada, a latecomer, because it gained recognition from consumers through brand production activities.


Research studies on O'Sulloc tea

Three commercial blended O'Sulloc tea samples were tested in a 2018 study by researchers at
Sunchon National University Sunchon National University (SCNU; , colloquially ''Suncheondae'') is a national research university founded in 1935, located in Suncheon, Jeollanam-do, South Korea. SCNU composes six colleges and five professional schools, and a student body of ...
and
Pusan National University Pusan National University (PNU; , also called Busan National University) is one of ten Flagship Korean National Universities in South Korea. It is the first national university established after the National Liberation Day of Korea. There ar ...
(South Korea) to develop a lexicon to describe the sensory flavor and aroma characteristics of fermented and blended teas, including Samdayeon Jeju tangerine (O'Sulloc, Jeju, South Korea), and Red papaya black tea (O'Sulloc). Some green tea leaves of the
Camellia sinensis ''Camellia sinensis'' is a species of evergreen shrub or small tree in the flowering plant family Theaceae. Its leaves, leaf buds, and stems can be used to produce tea. Common names include tea plant, tea shrub, and tea tree (unrelated to ''Me ...
species collected from the O'Sulloc Tea Garden in Jeju were used in a 2015 study by researchers at
The Catholic University of Korea The Catholic University of Korea () is a Private university, private Roman Catholic university in Bucheon, Gyeonggi Province, South Korea. It was established in 1855. The Catholic University of Korea operates campuses in Seoul and in the neighbor ...
and
Amore Pacific Amorepacific Corporation () is a South Korean beauty and cosmetics chaebol, operating more than 30 beauty, personal care, and health brands including Sulwhasoo, Laneige, Etude, Aestura, Cosrx, AP Beauty, and Innisfree. The firm was founded in ...
(South Korea) to study and isolate the main polyphenols contained in the green tea leaves. A study was conducted in 2020 by researchers at
Chung-Ang University Chung-Ang University (CAU; ) is a private research university in Seoul, South Korea. The university operates two campuses: main campus located in Dongjak District, Seoul, and an additional campus in Anseong, Gyeonggi Province. CAU consists of 1 ...
and Amore Pacific (South Korea) on the Antibacterial and Antifungal activity of the
Lactiplantibacillus plantarum ''Lactiplantibacillus plantarum'' (formerly ''Lactobacillus arabinosus'' and ''Lactobacillus plantarum'') is a widespread member of the genus ''Lactiplantibacillus'' and commonly found in many fermented food products as well as anaerobic plant ma ...
bacteria that was isolated from green tea collected in the O'Sulloc tea fields in Jeju. Camellia sinensis obtained in the O'Sulloc tea fields in Jeju were used in a 2019 study conducted by researchers at
Chiba University is a national university in the city of Chiba, Chiba, Chiba, Japan. It offers doctoral degrees in education as part of a coalition with Tokyo Gakugei University, Saitama University, and Yokohama National University. The university was formed in ...
(Japan) in a study regarding the attenuation of cognitive impairment in PS2 and Tg2576 mice. In a study comparing the characteristics of
post-fermented tea Fermented tea (also known as post-fermented tea or dark tea) is a class of tea that has undergone microbial fermentation, from several months to many years. The exposure of the tea leaves to humidity and oxygen during the process also causes ...
in Korea, China, and Japan in 2021, Professor Lee Sang-Gyo of Graduate School of
Mokpo National University Mokpo National University is a public university in Muan and Mokpo, South Korea. The school was founded in 1946 and was named Mokpo Normal School. In 1964, it was changed to Mokpo College of Education. In 1978, it was reorganized into Mokpo Eleme ...
cited O’Sulloc's Samdayeon and Dalbitgeotki as one of Korea's post-fermented tea and classified them as post-fermented tea.


See also

*
Green Tea Green tea is a type of tea made from the leaves and buds of the '' Camellia sinensis'' that have not undergone the withering and oxidation process that creates oolong teas and black teas. Green tea originated in China in the late 1st millenn ...
*
Korean cuisine Korean cuisine is the set of foods and culinary styles which are associated with Korean culture. This cuisine has evolved through centuries of social and political change. Originating from ancient Prehistoric Korea, agricultural and nomad ...
*
Jeju Island Jeju Island (Jeju language, Jeju/) is South Korea's largest island, covering an area of , which is 1.83% of the total area of the country. Alongside outlying islands, it is part of Jeju Province and makes up the majority of the province. The i ...
*
Tea plantation Tea is an aromatic beverage prepared by pouring hot or boiling water over cured or fresh leaves of ''Camellia sinensis'', an evergreen shrub native to East Asia which probably originated in the borderlands of south-western China and northe ...


References


External links

* {{DEFAULTSORT:Korea Organizations based in South Korea Tea brands