Drinking Culture in Korea
The Korean drinking culture is well known as Korea has the highest per capital alcohol consumption in the world. An unsuspecting foreigner might have a hard recovery time the next day after a night out on the town with well seasoned Korean drinker. Drinking alcohol is taken very seriously in Korea and there is a protocol that should be followed.
It is considered good manners to accept the first round of alcohol. You may not like to drink, but declining this offer is seen as having bad manners. When an older person presents you with a drink, you are to stand up, bow and take the drink with both hands. You are not to drink however, until the older person has raised their glass. The older person at the table is always offered alcohol first.
Introduced to Korea from China, the story goes that a King first used soju, a potent rice wine in the seduction of a young female courtier. Alcohol began to be produced in Buddhist monasteries and was widely used for medicinal purposes. Soju was first distilled around 1300 A.D. Because of its availability and low price, it is a favorite among Korean restaurant and bar drinkers.
Beer is very popular among trendy urban dwellers. Koreans are partial to imports like Budweiser and Heineken. Even with the popularity of imports, home brewed Korean draught beers like Cass, Hite, and OB are the drink of choice for many. Alcohol is customarily served with food, and in some bars will not be served without it.
Whiskey and wine share are increasing in popularity. You can find domestic and imported wines at restaurants and bars in Itaewon, which is one of the most popular drinking districts for foreigners in Seoul. Domestic wine is produced especially for the Catholic Church.
Due to the increase in alcohol related deaths, the government has launched a campaign to encourage safe and responsible drinking.
While a night out in South Korea consuming alcohol may be fun and uninhibited, it has become increasingly important to make changes that will keep an innocent night's fun from becoming a dangerous event.
Bookmark/Search this post with:
