Korean Drinking Culture

If you determine to unrecorded and study successful Korea, 1 of nan astir emblematic ways to make caller friends pinch Koreans and to go person to them is to spell for a portion together. You will beryllium capable to sensation emblematic liquors, which will beryllium accompanied by peculiar foods, and immerse yourself successful 1 of nan astir communal phenomena successful this country: enjoying alcohol successful company.

Let’s return a step-by-step look astatine nan astir important aspects of Korean drinking culture.

The main alcoholic beverages Korean drinking culture

Soju

Soju (소주) is undoubtedly nan ultimate emperor of nan Korean meal table. Soju is simply a portion that is usually made from rice, barley aliases wheat and whose intoxicant contented is astir often astir 15-20%. Recognizable by its emblematic medium-sized, greenish bottle, Soju is produced by galore different companies. An absorbing curiosity is that a circumstantial marque is consumed much successful 1 metropolis than different and this is noticeable erstwhile travelling astir Korea. Typically, in Seoul, Chamisul (참이슬) is popular, while successful Daegu, Cham (참) is nan astir drunken one. In Busan, C1 (a connection that erstwhile publication successful English resembles nan Korean connection “시원” shiwon aliases “cool“, creating a play connected words) and Daesun (대선) are very popular, and truthful connected to different places successful nan country.

In Korea, circumstantial dishes are often eaten on pinch this type of drink. This is usually nan pork that tin beryllium enjoyed successful nan emblematic Korean barbecue. We’re talking astir nan celebrated Samgyeopsal (삼겹살), made from pork belly. Other meats specified arsenic Gopchang (곱창) aliases Makchang (막창), which are made from beef aliases pork intestines, are besides celebrated among Koreans. For them, drinking Soju and enjoying these kinds of dishes is nan cleanable combination.

Makgeolli

Along pinch Soju, 1 of nan astir celebrated spirits successful Korean drinking civilization is Makgeolli (막걸리), a liquor made from rice. Of ancient root and opaque achromatic successful color, Makgeolli is often appreciated by foreigners for its flavour, which could beryllium described arsenic fizzy. Because of its color, it is besides nicknamed Takju (탁주), ‘opaque wine/liquor’, aliases Nongju (농주), ‘agricultural wine/liquor’, referring to nan georgic situation wherever it was primitively produced and enjoyed. Unlike Soju, nan bottles successful which it is sold are plastic, and tin alteration successful colour.

Since it is besides very celebrated successful Korea, it could beryllium said to beryllium competing for nan number of bottles sold pinch Soju, though soju is still nan astir wide consumed. For those who would for illustration to effort a non-alcoholic atom drink, we urge Sikhye (식혜). It has a overmuch sweeter taste, is often consumed caller successful summer, and atom grains tin beryllium recovered inside.

Beer

Beer (맥주 maekju successful Korean) is besides a celebrated alcoholic beverage successful Korean drinking culture. The Korean brands that are astir easy recovered successful restaurants and 24-hour convenience stores are Cass and Hite. However, location is simply a typical measurement successful which brew is enjoyed successful Korea. Although it tin besides beryllium enjoyed connected its ain astatine meal parties, Koreans often for illustration to operation it pinch soju. The consequence is Somaek (소맥), a connection formed from nan first characteristic of nan connection Soju, and nan first characteristic of nan connection beer. You tin effort mixing these 2 drinks together yourself, possibly by asking a Korean really to do it. There are different methods that are celebrated among young group that impact shaking bottles of soju successful a peculiar way, aliases putting soju into smaller glasses, which are past dipped into larger glasses wherever brew is already present, and truthful on. You tin find retired for yourself erstwhile you are present successful Korea!

Drinking rules successful Korea

So far, we person told you astir nan main alcoholic beverages that are consumed successful Korean drinking culture, but you should cognize that intoxicant depletion is not constricted to simply enjoying liquor. There are various cultural and etiquette aspects to drinking.

Company drinking party

A very communal civilization among companies is to clasp hoesa hoesik (회사 회식) very often. These are meals (most often company-style dinners) wherever nan section caput usually provides for everyone and wherever not drinking successful institution mightiness beryllium frowned upon. The hoesa hoesik is meant to bring labor of nan aforesaid section closer together. Often, however, 1 is forced to portion excessively overmuch successful bid not to make a bad impression, though this business is somewhat improving nowadays.

Drinking pinch friends successful Korea

When going retired pinch friends, it is very communal to first spell to a spot to eat and drink, and past change places respective times. Usually, from nan 2nd clip onwards, you only portion (but not always), and 1 personification pays for each place. If you get distant pinch it erstwhile and don’t salary for that night, don’t worry, you’ll person to do it again adjacent clip by paying for everyone!

Korean drinking etiquette

Finally, nan existent enactment of Korean drinking civilization varies depending connected nan personification successful beforehand of you.

If it’s a friend, aliases personification you’re already adjacent to, past you’ll beryllium capable to portion without excessively overmuch guesswork. If, connected nan different hand, nan personification successful beforehand of you is older, aliases higher up successful your institution aliases wherever you activity (even a elder astatine university), past you will person to travel immoderate rules. First of all, you must move nan portion into nan different person’s glass, and we urge that you only do this by holding nan vessel pinch two hands. If, connected nan different hand, nan personification drinking pinch you wants to move nan liquor aliases immoderate different drink, you should connection nan solid and hold it pinch some hands arsenic a motion of respect. Finally, if nan personification pinch you is ‘higher up’, you should turn your caput somewhat to nan side and only past tin you drink!

There are different rules of etiquette arsenic well, but we won’t spell into them each here. Instead, we urge you watch immoderate videos that nan celebrated vocalist Psy made astir this. Here you tin spot really to portion successful institution and what games you tin play erstwhile you drink.

So what are you waiting for? Korean drinking civilization is simply a territory to beryllium discovered, are you fresh to dive in?

For much absorbing accusation connected Korean culture, support following nan Go! Go! Hanguk blog.