A notorious South Korean drink made a brief appearance at Osaka Expo. I say “brief” because the barley beverage has now been yanked. And it’s all due to the company’s ties to the controversial church at the center of the assassination of ex-Prime Minister Abe Shinzō.
McCol reappears – and disappears once again – from Japan
After a rough start, Osaka Expo is currently in full swing on the manmade island of Yumeshima. The World Pavilion, with over 158 countries and territories in attendance, is the centerpiece of the Expo – an opportunity to sample cultural experiences and cuisines from the world over.
Except, now, for one drink.
The controversy centers around McCol (メッコール; Korean: 맥콜), a carbonated barley drink from South Korea. The beverage isn’t new to Japan; it used to be sold in various areas of the country. At one time, its manufacturer ran an ad on Japanese airwaves featuring K-pop legend Cho Yong-pil in a 30-second spot that’s a bold rip-off of A-ha’s “Take On Me.”
While some enjoy the drink, others malign it as one of the most awful things they’ve ever imbibed. Twelve years ago, Japanese YouTube sensation Hikakin did a reaction video that labeled the drink “the world’s worst cola.” (Hikakin ended up liking it, saying it was closer to coffee than cola.)
However, its existence at Osaka Expo sparked an online backlash. That’s because McCol’s manufacturer is Ilhwa, a company that’s 90% controlled by the Unification Church.
Ramifications of one of the most successful assassinations in history
The Unification Church was created in 1954 by Sun Myung Moon, who styled himself the second coming of Jesus Christ. The religious cult is known for its mass weddings and its hard-right politics, including hateful anti-LGBTQ rhetoric. (Moon once wrote that homosexuals were “dirty dung-eating dogs.”)
The Church also had its hooks deep into Japan’s ruling Liberal Democratic Party (LDP), using its influence to sway Japanese politics against liberal reforms such as marriage equality. However, Japan’s relatively low press freedom kept stories in the mainstream media about the ties between the two under wraps for years.
That changed after an assassin who said his mother had been defrauded by the Church killed former Prime Minister Abe Shinzō with a homemade shotgun. That sparked a rapid investigation into the Church’s ties to the LDP and into its business practices. As a result, the Church is officially being dissolved as a financial entity in the nation.
Opinions of the Church in Japan remain largely negative thanks to the scandal.
The cans are being pulled
The existence of McCol isn’t some nefarious plot by the Unification Church, however. According to Josei Jishin, it was sold by Kanryū Starworld at its K-POP SHOP. Kanryū is a Japan-based company specializing in goods related to Korean musical artists.
When contacted by the paper, company officials said they weren’t aware of the drink’s ties to the Unification Church. They said the company will stop selling the drink at Osaka Expo immediately.
Discuss this article with other UJ fans on our Bluesky account or Discord server!
Help keep us going
We’re an independent site that keeps our content free of intrusive ads. If you love what we do, help us do more with a donation to the Unseen Japan Journalism Fund in any amount.
What to read next
Why Is Kawaguchi’s Kurdish Community Under Fire?
The Kurdish community in Kawaguchi faces growing hostility, blamed by locals for neighborhood unrest. But how do they see it?
Japanese Man Gives Pile of Gold to City for Emergency Shelters
Some say the act was generous, but others question whether he should’ve established a trust rather than trust the city.
Will Japan (Finally) Start Standing on Both Sides of The Escalator?
The city of Nagoya and the 2025 Osaka Expo may be instrumental in reversing a habit that the 1970 Osaka Expo helped popularize.
Sources
《大阪・関西万博》会場内で“旧統一教会系企業”が製造する炭酸飲料を販売→SNSで物議…万博協会は「店舗は認識していなかった」と回答、販売停止へ. Josei Jishin
