5 Interesting Facts About Korean Soju

Korean soju (소주) is nan astir typical alcoholic portion successful South Korea which each Korean has tried astatine slightest erstwhile successful their lifetime. Known successful immoderate circles arsenic ‘Korean Firewater’, soju (소주) is without a uncertainty nan astir celebrated and celebrated alcoholic portion successful Korea. In fact, location is nary societal outing that doesn’t see a fewer shots of soju, which is an intrinsic portion of Korean culture.

In this article, let’s return a look together astatine 5 interesting facts astir Korean soju: what it is specifically, really it is drunk, and what varieties are available.

1. What is Korean soju

Korean Soju is a distillate that was primitively made from rice. However, owed to a atom famine successful 1965, nan authorities enforced a prohibition to extremity producers from utilizing atom to make alcohol. Thus nan ancestor of nan modern soju recipe, of which soju was made from fermented potatoes, was born.

Once nan emergency was complete and nan prohibition lifted, nan caller look continued to beryllium used, and since past nan intoxicant obtained from murphy fermentation was often mixed pinch that obtained from atom fermentation. Depending connected nan magnitude of usage of 1 aliases nan other, somewhat different but nevertheless very akin tastes are obtained. This is wherever nan quality among various brands of Korean soju lies: successful nan quality successful nan percentages used.

The axenic Korean soju we cognize coming has an intoxicant contented of astir 20%. There are besides various types of fruit-flavoured soju. The astir communal ones are those of grapefruit (자몽, jamong), plum (자두, jadu), achromatic grape (청포도, cheongpodo), peach (복숭아, boksunga), pome (사과, sagwa) and citron (유자, yuja) flavours.

If you’re a instrumentality of Korean soju, look retired for caller flavours that are launched each now and then! Sadly, depending connected really successful they are, they do not ever stay successful circulation for much than a year. The intoxicant contented of flavoured soju is mostly astir 13%, which is little than that of axenic soju.

2. Drinking civilization successful Korea

Drinking alcohol, and successful particular, Korean soju, is simply a very important facet of Korean culture. When group stitchery together, drinking soju is seen arsenic a clip of sharing and it is considered impolite to garbage to participate. Those who cannot clasp their liquor whitethorn alternatively toast and return conscionable a mini sip alternatively of drinking nan full shot, but refusing to share nan infinitesimal is considered impolite.

Company gatherings besides known arsenic 회식 (hoesik) are intoxicant outings that are very communal among colleagues. These events are organised by nan institution to let nan squad to consciousness much united. Relation to nan drinking civilization successful Korea, it is often seen arsenic a measurement to enslaved and unfastened up to 1 another, arsenic good arsenic to destress aft agelong hours astatine work. 

You must cognize that nan Korean group are large connected civilization and etiquette. This includes nan measurement 1 pours and drinks Korean soju. First of all, you ne'er move soju for yourself, but move it for nan different diners, and past hold for personification other to move it for you.

If 1 is pinch their colleagues, nan lowest-ranking personification is usually nan 1 who must first move for everyone else, utilizing his correct manus and holding up his limb pinch his near hand. Once finished, he/she should clasp his/her solid retired pinch 2 hands to portion by turning somewhat to nan broadside aft toasting pinch nan others.

Nonetheless, successful a business wherever each nan diners are hierarchically equal, nan etiquette is little strict. For example, during an outing pinch friends, it is imaginable to clasp nan solid and vessel successful 1 manus and it is not basal to move somewhat astir earlier you drink.

However, it remains bully manners to move soju not straight for oneself but for different person(s), and past fto different personification capable your glass. Korean soju tends to beryllium drunk successful shots and not successful mini sips, yet this is not imperative. The important thing, however, is not to refill nan solid erstwhile it is half full, arsenic it should only beryllium refilled erstwhile empty.

Important: nan ineligible drinking property successful Korea is 19 years of age.

3. What to portion Korean soju with

A word Koreans usage to picture foods that spell good pinch alcohol is anju (안주). While location are galore varieties of anju, according to Koreans, nan winning operation is Korean soju and samgyeopsal (삼겹살), nan Korean grilled bacon!

However, not pinch conscionable samgyeopsal, Korean soju is awesome pinch different dishes for illustration Korean fried chicken, steamed seafood, Korean pancakes, and moreover Korean ramyeon! You will beryllium capable to find these varieties in suljip (술집), a benignant of Korean pub wherever group spell to portion intoxicant and eat snacks aliases thing else. 

When talking astir what to portion Korean soju with, we can’t miss drinking games using Korean soju arsenic nan protagonist. Sometimes it is not conscionable astir nan nutrient pairings, but often nan institution you are pinch which makes nan drinking acquisition much enjoyable and comfortable. Well, location are respective celebrated games, but nan astir celebrated 1 is nan bottle headdress game!

How it is played: return nan headdress of nan soju bottle, twist nan metallic extremity connected itself, and then, return turns hitting it pinch a threat of nan fingers. Depending connected nan rule, nan personification who pops nan extremity disconnected will either person to return a changeable arsenic a punishment aliases will beryllium considered a victor and beryllium allowed to abstain for that round, while everyone other will person to drink.

4. Korean soju cocktails

The astir enjoyed soju cocktail is nan somaek (소맥), a word created by combining soju and maekju (맥주), nan Korean word for beer. Somaek is successful truth a benignant of cocktail successful which soju and brew are poured and mixed together. The proportions are not rigid, arsenic by adjusting nan magnitude of soju added, they tin alteration depending connected really alcoholic you want to make nan drink.

If you for illustration a fruity variation, you must effort nan watermelon soju! Very easy to concoct, you conscionable request to harvester Sprite, soju, and Yakult pinch nan watermelon juice. Voila! A refreshing and easy-to-consume alcoholic beverage. Beware though, you mightiness beryllium drinking much than you deliberation owed to its soft and saccharine taste!

Ever heard of so-tonic? It is nan Korean return connected gin tonic but move it up pinch soju and tonic water. You will beryllium amazed to sensation really soft this cocktail is arsenic nan tonic h2o conscionable seems to blend really good pinch nan flimsy bitterness of nan original soju flavor. Watch our Instagram reel here connected really to cleanable your so-tonic drink!

Something typical connected nan database is nan soju coffee, conscionable arsenic nan sanction suggests, operation soju pinch your preferred java and you’re bully to go! Koreans’ emotion for java and soju is evident indeed. Just beryllium judge not to adhd successful excessively overmuch soju aliases it mightiness get excessively harsh for you. Guess a 20-80 ratio will beryllium good.

5. Cheap and nosy – please portion responsibly!

At only 3000-4000 won a vessel astatine astir restaurants and half that value successful supermarkets, soju has a estimation for being an inexpensive but enjoyable measurement to drink. Known arsenic a societal drink, it is champion enjoyed successful a group. People usually portion it whilst eating immoderate awesome food, unwinding aft a agelong day, and sharing a communicative aliases two.

The intoxicant contented is astir 20% truthful it is an perfect portion to usage successful specified games. It is possibly not arsenic scary aliases perchance debilitating arsenic nan overmuch stronger shots specified arsenic whiskey, tequila, and vodka. These often person an intoxicant contented of much than doubly nan magnitude of soju.

Of course, if you are not a drinker you are not obliged to drink. However, it is important to understand what nan sharing of intoxicant symbolizes and its value successful Korean eating and drinking culture. And please portion responsibly!

We dream you enjoyed this article and if you want to cognize much astir Korean culture, support pursuing nan Go! Go! Hanguk blog and do not hesitate to contact us astir surviving and studying successful Korea.