(Getty Images) South Koreans lean on bars for socializing more than drinkers elsewhere, according to two new reports commissioned by AB InBev, parent company of Oriental Brewery, as global alcohol volumes hold more than 30 percent above early-2000s levels amid declining per-capita consumption.An Oxford Economics study of 5,311 legal-drinking-age adults across five countries — Korea, Brazil, Mexico, the UK and the US — found that 93 percent of Koreans say bars are their go-to or occasional place for socializing. Korea recorded the highest share, with 54 percent calling it their main way, more than double the 21 percent average across the five markets.Bars there also cross into professional territory. While 34 percent of respondents visited bars with colleagues in the past year, 26 percent made a business connection over drinks, both the highest levels recorded.The study put the estimated annual social value of bars in Korea at $189.2 million. Of that, bars contributed $9.3 billion in gross value added to the economy, equal to 0.5 percent of GDP.A separate report from Ipsos and IWSR points to why bars hold such weight in a market like Korea's.Social connection remains a leading reason people drink globally, with 35 percent citing social occasions as their main motivation, and on-trade consumption has held steady even as digital life expands."Consumers are becoming more deliberate about what they drink, when they drink, and how alcohol fits into daily life," the report said.It also identified five forces shaping consumer behavior: moderation around alcohol content, an experience economy favoring worthwhile social occasions, a willingness to pay for drinks that feel genuinely worth it, a search for new flavors and formats and loyalty to familiar brands.Beer and related malt-based drinks, including ready-to-drink canned cocktails, hard seltzers and flavored malt beverages, grew from about 46 percent of total alcohol servings in 2019 to more than 50 percent in 2026."Consumers are making more intentional decisions about how alcohol fits into their lives, creating a more nuanced consumption landscape," the report stated.