Summary

Drinking in Korea is depicted as a cultural phenomenon akin to a national sport, characterized by specific etiquette and a preference for consuming food with alcohol, featuring unique drinks like soju and makgeolli.

Abstract

The author describes Korea's drinking culture as intense and deeply rooted in etiquette, such as the youngest person pouring drinks for elders and the use of both hands when pouring or receiving drinks. It is customary to accompany alcohol with food, with bars often providing complimentary snacks. Korean beverages, particularly the popular soju and the potent makgeolli, are highlighted for their significance in social gatherings. The article serves as both an introduction and a cautionary tale about the vigorous nature of Korean drinking habits, emphasizing the importance of food and adherence to cultural norms while partaking in this aspect of Korean life.

Opinions

The author suggests that drinking is more prevalent in Korea than the practice of Taekwondo, humorously implying it could be considered the national sport.
Korean drinking etiquette is seen as complex and potentially confusing, especially for foreigners unfamiliar with the nuances of respect based on age and social hierarchy.
The practice of consuming food with alcohol is presented as a cultural expectation that might be challenging for those who prefer drinking without eating.
Soju's popularity is noted with surprise, as the author finds it average-tasting despite its global sales.
Makgeolli is described with a mix of fondness and caution due to its delicious taste yet potent effects, leading to a memorable hangover for the author.
The article conveys a sense of admiration for Korea's environmental approach to food waste, despite the cultural tendency to order more food than necessary.
The author recommends experiencing Korea's drinking culture firsthand, while also advising visitors to be prepared for its intensity and unique customs.

Drinking In Korea Is A Massive Headache

Here’s to many more

Drinking in Korea is a sport. Maybe even their national sport, despite what Wikipedia might be trying to tell me. I’ve seen more Koreans drinking than I have seen Koreans practising Taekwondo and so the maths checks out. It also might be one of the hardest drinking cultures I’ve ever dipped my toes into, which is saying something, as I spent a month in Russia. ‘

But much like any sport, when it comes to Korea there are a whole lot of rules and regulations to follow that will leave you with a rather large headache.

Let’s start with some of the more basic rules. These are mostly to do with etiquette and while you’ll forget about them by drink number four or five, it’s always good to start on the right foot [before you trip over it later].

While the eldest person at the table should get the honour of pouring the first drink, following this it should be the youngest who pours for their elders. You should also make sure that when you clink glasses, your glass is lower than your elder’s. This might seem relatively straightforward until you’re surrounded by Koreans who could be anywhere from twenty to forty-five, such is the ageless nature of the culture. Meanwhile, you’re a haggard ghoul in your thirties, looking somewhere closer to fifty, so you might just have to make an educated guess on how to approach this one.

Another important part of the etiquette is both pouring and receiving drinks with both hands. This felt a bit weird to me as I have large, uncoordinated hands, and pouring a drink with both of them made me feel like I was attempting to fish while wearing oven mitts. The best way to do this is by pouring the drink with your right hand and holding your wrist with your left hand. There is also this whole thing about turning your head away when you drink but I doubt any Koreans will hold you to that. I attempted to do it once and accidentally poured some beer down my shirt so you should learn from my mistakes and not even try.

Something to prepare yourself for is that when one drinks in Korea, one must also eat as well. This was one of the hardest things for me to wrap my head around and resulted in many roundabout conversations with friends and waiters.

“What would you like to eat?”

Nothing.

“But you’re drinking.”

I know.

“So what would you like to eat?”

To suggest drinking without the addition of something salty or deep-fried would be like suggesting that a fish go for a walk on this fascinating thing called dry land [what’s up with all the fishing analogies today]. It doesn’t matter that you’ve just had a dinner with twenty complimentary sides, you’re going to sit down and get more food whether you like it or not. Most bars will even give you complimentary snacks which is terrible for a man like me who has limited self-control.

It can also be hard to find venues that cater exclusively to drinking, not unless it’s 2 a.m. in Gangnam/Itaewon/Hongdae and your ears are bleeding from loud music and you’re on the verge of a seizure from flashing lights in a club. Breweries tend to be a good shout otherwise your night will progress from dinner one, to dinner two, to dinner three, to karaoke, to dinner four, to a club, to dinner five [which is actually closer to breakfast].

The best way to deal with this is to pace yourself on the food, which is tough, as I hate seeing food go to waste and you’ll see a lot of food go to waste in Korea. But know that they at least have a pretty ingenious way of disposing of it that is more environmentally friendly than what we do in the West. Although, one would argue that the environmentally friendly thing to do would be to not waste so much food in the first place.

Now that you’re across how you’re going to be drinking, let’s take a look at what you’re going to be drinking as Korea has some very unique, very Korean drinks that I’m sure you’ve heard of before. Soju is one of the best-selling liquors in the world and I have no idea why. The stuff is remarkably average, but that doesn’t stop people here from drinking it like water. It is a low-percentage liquor that often gets mixed with beer in a drink called a somaek [maekju being the Korean word for beer] and its mere existence is a testament to the sport/drinking comparison.

Then you also have this delicious little bastard called makgeolli.

This will actually kill you. It almost killed me and I’m scared to try it again lest it return to finish the job. It is responsible for one of the biggest hangovers of my life and to this day I don’t think I’ve recovered from it. It’s a milky, sparkling rice wine that is utterly delicious and one of the funnest things to drink in the whole world, given you mostly drink it out of tiny bowls. If you’re confused on how to pronounce it just imagine some dude named Mark Holly beating you over the head with a hammer and you’ll pretty much feel how I did after a night on the stuff.

The problem is that it’s so delicious you’re going to want to drink more of it and although they say it’s about 6–8% alcohol content, I say they’re dirty rotten liars. If you come to Korea, you absolutely must drink makgeolli, just don’t make the same mistake I did and drink seven bottles of the stuff in one night.

This is about as good an introduction [and a warning] as I can give you to Korean drinking culture. The rest? You’ll have to learn that yourself and the only way you’ll do it is by coming here, which I couldn’t recommend enough. The country is as welcoming as they are drunk, particularly to those who partake in their national sport.

Just make sure you come ready to play.