Koreans and Drinking: Everything You Wanted to Know But Were Too Sober to Ask

Korean Culture
Korean Food and Cooking


Koreans and Drinking: Everything You Wanted to Know But Were Too Sober to Ask

by Debbie Wolfe, CKC Writer

South Koreans are heavy drinkers. That’s not to say that you see a bunch of drunk people lining the streets. Rather, alcohol in South Korea is deeply connected to social structure, lifestyle and tradition. In Korea, drinking lots of alcohol doesn’t carry the same social stigma as it does in the US. Koreans have a deep tradition of generous hospitality and the time-honored custom of sharing drinks to deepen relationships. Want to make a business deal? Then go out for a drink. Want a promotion or raise? Take your boss out drinking. See the pattern here?

So, why bond over alcohol? Koreans invite you to drink for one main reason: to get to know the real you. Think about it. After a few shots of soju, you’re more likely to loosen up, talk more, and hide less.. Play a few rounds of drinking games and share a few plates of anjoo, you’ll be able to read each other like an open book. Drinking is not limited to business deals or just hanging out with friends. Families will drink alcohol during traditional ancestral rites, holidays and even funerals.

Korean Drinking Etiquette

There are rules of etiquette when it comes to drinking in Korea. In order not to step on any toes, follow these basic rules of Korean drinking.

Your senior drinks first - always. Social stratification is very important in Korean culture. The eldest person in your group and/or anyone higher on the corporate ladder is the senior.

Always pour and receive your drink with two hands if you are younger and accepting a drink from a senior. If you are the senior or the same age or rank, you can use one hand.

When drinking, turn your body away from senior figures or so that your body visually blocks your drinking action.

Never fill your own glass. Others will pour for you and you may pour for someone else.
Always drink the first round (even if you are not a big drinker). If you are drinking soju, you must empty the glass on the first round.

Drink what is offered to you. Refusing a drink is impolite. There are very few acceptable reasons to get out of drinking.

If you do not want any more alcohol, don’t leave your glass empty. It will be refilled

Alcohol and Food

What goes best with drinking? Eating of course! In Korea, drinking and eating go hand in hand. Not just peanuts and pretzels with your beer (although you can get that too), but anything from complex appetizers to full blown meals are served when you are out drinking with friends and colleagues. Anjoo, or bar food, is served to complement the beverages.

What do Koreans like to eat when they drink? Let’s take a look at some of the popular types of drinks available and what you eat when you drink them.

Soju

This is the best known Korean liquor. Soju is a distilled liquor similar to vodka. Nowadays, Soju is a popular element in mixed drinks as well as drinking it straight up. A popular cocktail is So-maek (Soju and beer). Check out a recipe for so-maek here. Soju goes well with soupy/spicy combos like budae jjigae, kimchi jjigae or any pork-based soup.

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Soju Photo by Hyunwoo Sun via Flickr

Maekju (Beer)

Korean beers are generally lighter, similar to lagers. Fried chicken or anything fried goes well with beer. Fried chicken and beer combo is so popular in Korea, it has its own word: chimaek (a combo word formed from the words chicken and beer in Korean).

Makgeolli (Rice Wine)

Also known as farmer’s wine, Makgeolli is a fermented rice wine. It has a distinctive milky appearance and is sweet and slightly fizzy. Korean pancakes like haemulpajeon (seafood pancake), buchujeon (garlic chive pancake) and bindaetteok (mung bean pancake) go particularly well with Makgeolli.

Dongdonggju (Floating Rice Wine)

This is similar to Makgeolli. Dongdongju undergoes a shorter fermentation process and is not filtered before drinking, like Makgeolli. The wine is sweeter and clearer and served with a few rice grains floating on top. Dongdongju goes great with Korean pancakes as well.

Maesilju (Korean Plum Wine)

This is actually a liqueur made out of green maesil plums. It is sweet and tart. It’s often enjoyed as an aperitif, dessert wine or mixed in a cocktail. Serve Maesilju with rice cakes, fruit, with hwe (Korean sashimi) or seafood.

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Maesil Ju Photo by Comas via Flickr

Baekseju (One Hundred Year Old Wine)

Baekseju is a type of medicinal wine. It’s made from rice and infused with ginseng and herbs such as licorice, omija, ginger, and cinnamon. This wine is believed to have health benefits (due to the ginseng). It’s pricier than many other wines. It pairs well with healthy foods like samgyetang (ginseng chicken soup), spicy foods and even Korean BBQ.

Bokbunja (Korean Fruit Wine)

This is a sweet and sour wine made from raspberries. This is not a common bar liquor but one reserved for honeymooners. It’s rumored to increase male stamina (good for honeymoons). It’s said to pair well with eel because both Bokbunja and eel are popular in the same region of Korea.

Sansaju

This is a sweet and sour liqueur made of hawthorn berry fruit and Cornelian cherries. This wine pairs well with seasoned meats like dwaeji galbi, bulgogi and dakgalbi.

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Sansaju Photo by Robert Koehler via Flickr

With the many types of liquor and anjoo available at Korean bars, there’s sure to be a pairing that will suit your taste buds. When you go out drinking in Korea or even if you are invited to someone’s home for drinks, just remember to show up with an empty stomach and a sense of adventure. Don’t forget to respect your elders. And finally, make sure you wear your comfy pants and shoes; you’ll thankful at the end of the evening.


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