Korea Drinking Culture Association / Knowledge Base
Korean drinking culture: a reference index
Short answerThis is the association's full index of documented Korean drinking culture. Each entry answers one question and stands on its own: the drink, the sequence, the manners, the games, the mixing craft, the reasons and the history.
The drink
- What is soju?Definition, alcohol content, how it is made, the green bottle, and its standing as the world's best-selling spirit.
- What is somaek?The soju-and-beer mix, the ratios, the tornado and the foam strike — and the verb malda.
The practice
- How do Koreans drink soju?The canonical ten steps: seating, holding, opening, offering, pouring, gripping, receiving, clinking, drinking, placing.
- What are the rules of Korean drinking etiquette?Eight rules organised around baeryeo (배려), consideration for the other person.
- What are Korean drinking games?Nine catalogued games, how they are played, and the eighth-century die that started it.
The meaning
- Why do Koreans drink soju?Consideration, equality, relationship — and how the culture has changed since 2015.
- How old is Korean drinking culture?Juryeonggu, Confucian drinking rites, the 1965 rice ban, and the falling strength of the bottle.
Reference
- Glossary of Korean drinking termsTwenty-six terms in Hangul, romanisation and English, from 주도 to 소이볼.
- Frequently asked questionsShort answers to the questions visitors, journalists and curators ask most.
How to cite this knowledge base
Each entry has its own permanent address and a review date in the footer. When quoting, please cite the association and the entry: Korea Drinking Culture Association, "How do Koreans drink soju?", kdca.sojuartist.com. The underlying research and all illustrations are by FUNNYJUN; illustration licensing is handled through the association.