Korea's favorite and most popular alcoholic beverage is Soju, a clear distilled spirit often compared to vodka, traditionally made from rice, barley, or sweet potatoes, but nowadays also from tapioca or potatoes, known for its sweet taste and widespread consumption in social gatherings, often mixed as a bomb shot (Somaek) with beer. While Soju dominates, other popular choices include fruit wines like Bokbunja (raspberry) and Maesilju (plum), and herbal rice wines like Baekseju.
Soju The most popular spirit in South Korea is, without a doubt, soju. This rice-based spirit is often served in smaller bottles and diluted to an approachable 16-20%, making it easy to consume larger volumes than you should.
Soju, often called Korea's national spirit, is a clear distilled liquor typically made from rice, barley, or sweet potatoes. It has a smooth, neutral profile, making it the perfect base for sipping or blending into cocktails.
Due to its low alcohol content, soju can be drunk in large amounts, making it incredibly deceiving! It is known to get the drinker intoxicated very quickly, so be cautious!
Soju is likely the most famous alcoholic beverage produced in Korea, strongly associated with drinking culture on the peninsula. Technically similar to vodka (and the Japanese beverage, shochu), soju is clear; it is distilled from various starches including wheat, glutinous rice, barley, or sweet potato.
Bottles and recycling
Soju is a popular Korean alcoholic beverage, with over 917 million liters being sold in Korea.
South Korea's 52-hour work rule caps most employees' weekly working hours at 52, consisting of 40 standard hours plus 12 allowed overtime hours, aiming to reduce overwork, improve work-life balance, and boost productivity by ending excessively long workweeks previously common in the country. Implemented in phases for different company sizes, this law applies to a seven-day week, including weekends, and was a major revision to the Labor Standards Act, phasing in from 2018 to 2021 for most businesses.
A standard soju bottle typically contains 375 milliliters of this beloved Korean spirit. When it comes to pouring shots, the usual serving size is about 50 milliliters per shot. This means you can expect around seven or eight shots from a single bottle, depending on how generous your pour is.
The "3-2-1" (or often "1-2-3") drinking rule is a guideline for moderate alcohol consumption: 1 drink per hour, no more than 2 drinks per occasion, and at least 3 alcohol-free days per week, helping to pace intake and reduce risks. It aligns with official health advice, emphasizing that the body processes only about one standard drink (e.g., 12oz beer, 5oz wine) per hour, and provides a framework for mindful drinking to avoid binge patterns and health issues, though it's a simplification of broader guidelines.
Its special advantages are a lower calorie profile and a lower proof alcohol content. Soju delivers only about half the calories of ordinary vodka while delivering incomparable superior rich taste.
Store the bottle in the fridge for best results. Leaving it out will cause it to lose flavor faster, and you don't want to drink warm soju anyway.
Hutgaesoo (헛개수) | Oriental Raisin Tea
The Oriental Raisin Tree is a plant famous in Asia for containing properties that decomposes alcohol. Whereas, Hutgaesoo (헛개수) known as Oriental Raisin Tea, is made from 100% of Korean Oriental raisin tree fruits and is the most popular way to cure a hangover in Korea.
It also has about half the alcohol content of most vodkas. Does this mean you can drink a lot and not get a hangover? No. Soju is full of impurities, stuff that can leave you with a thumping headache and a bit of an upset tummy in the morning.
Drinking is highly present within traditional family rituals such as honoring ancestors. Aside from traditional holiday and family ritual drinking, alcohol consumption has modernized and become a major aspect of everyday socialization in Korean culture.
Soju's alcohol by volume (ABV) typically ranges from 12% to 24%, making it less potent than most vodkas but stronger than many beers or wines. The lower alcohol content is one reason why soju is so popular; it allows for a pleasant drinking experience without overwhelming the senses.
Like Korean soju, Japanese shochu is a distilled liquor, and its ABV is generally between 20% and 30%, though it can be as high as 45%. The Japanese government has more stringent regulations for shochu — especially “honkaku” shochu (literally, authentic shochu) — than Korea has for soju.
The "20-minute rule for alcohol" is a simple strategy to moderate drinking: wait 20 minutes after finishing one alcoholic drink before starting the next, giving you time to rehydrate with water and reassess if you truly want another, often reducing cravings and overall intake. It helps slow consumption, break the chain of continuous drinking, and allows the body a natural break, making it easier to decide if you've had enough or switch to a non-alcoholic option.
A 2021 review of research notes that several studies determined that two to four weeks of abstinence from alcohol by heavy-alcohol users helped reduce inflammation and bring down elevated serum levels in the liver. In short: A few weeks off will help. But the longer you can abstain from alcohol, the better.
Two fingers means a single pour. Three fingers means a double pour. Served neat in a rocks glass. It's old school.
Chronic heavy consumption (200g alcohol daily, equivalent to ~16 soju shots) causes alcoholic fatty liver disease, hepatic steatosis, cirrhosis, and liver failure.
Korea - 12.5% - Good day Soju is clear distilled liquor that's made mostly from rice. Orange Flavored Soju has a smoother taste, lower in calories and proof with 12.5% alcohol content which makes it smoother to drink.
Soju is a clear, smooth spirit from Korea, usually made from grains like rice, wheat, or barley, though modern versions can use sweet potatoes, tapioca or even fruit. It's created by fermenting and distilling these ingredients, resulting in a slightly sweet drink with an alcohol content between 16% and 25%.
4B movement, South Korean feminist activist movement and political stance defined by four deliberate refusals: bihon (“no marriage”), bichulsan (“no childbirth”), biyonae (“no dating”), bisekseu (“no sex [with men]”).
Sealy Bed Surveys 20,000 People Around the World The average Korean sleep time is only 4-6 hours. 95% said, "I don't feel refreshed in the morning". According to a survey, the average sleeping time of Koreans is only 4-6 hours, which falls short of the global level.
A total of 118 days off will be available for South Korean workers throughout the year, including Saturdays and 70 so-called “red days” -- public holidays and Sundays -- marked in red ink on standard Korean calendars, according to the Korea Aerospace Administration's official calendary.