Soju and Korean Drinking Culture: Rules, Games and Etiquette

Full transcript

Annyeong, yeoreobun! Yul here. Today, the little green bottle you see in every K-drama. Soju!

A bit of history first. Distilling came to Korea in the thirteenth century, during the Mongol period. The city of Andong became famous for strong traditional soju, and you can still find it there. The cheap, light soju in green bottles became popular much later, in the twentieth century.

Now, the rules. Rule one: never pour your own drink. Pour for others, and they'll pour for you. Rule two: when an older person pours for you, hold your glass with both hands. Rule three: when you drink in front of an elder, turn your head slightly to the side. It's a sign of respect.

Koreans also love making mixed drinks. The most famous is somaek, soju plus maekju, beer. And there are drinking games, like the bottle cap game. Twist the little tail of the cap, and everyone flicks it until someone knocks it off.

And you'll hear this word a lot: geonbae! Cheers! Sometimes people shout one shot, meaning finish your glass.

Yul's tip! Drinking culture in Korea is about building relationships, but you never have to drink. Just say, jeoneun an masyeoyo, I don't drink, and fill your glass with juice or water. Good friends will still pour for you. And please, drink responsibly. Geonbae!