Koreans are known for their love for alcohol. Walk around the city, and you'll see people drink from morning till night. I would say Korea has one of the most alcohol-loving cultures, alongside Russia. If you are working in a company, you would likely drink two to three times a week. If you are especially fond of this culture, the number would go up to six to seven. 

Are the images you've seen on K-dramas true? We'll cover all the facts and myths about Korea's drinking culture in this blog and why Koreans drink so much!

Drinking Scenes In Korean Dramas

If you've been watching Korean dramas, you've probably come across drinking scenes in almost all of them.

Whether it's just one person or in a big group, it's rare to find a drama without a drinking scene. Drinking is so closely related to life here, and it makes the drama seem closer to reality.

<Cheon Song-yi (Jeon Ji-hyeon) Getting Drunk>

If it's a get-together scene with colleagues or friends, it would be strange not to find a green bottle of soju on the table. It is not something you can choose, but a must.

Koreans' Love for Alcohols

According to Statistics Korea, more than 3.6 billion bottles of soju were consumed in 2017. There were 42 million Korean adults in the year, which means that every adult drank around 87 bottles of soju a year.

For beer, the number is 9.14 litres (27 cans) per adult in 2017. Add up numbers of makgeolli (rice wine) and other drinks, and it would become even more surprising.

3. Why Soju?

Soju was first introduced to Korea in the 13th century, during the Mongolian invasion. Back in the days, only a small amount could be distilled and it was so rare that only nobles could have it.

Now soju is produced in mass production, and the price has become so low that it's almost as cheap as water. 

So we understand soju is widely loved here, but drinking soju alone could feel quite heavy and it might also leave you hungover the next day.

It's funny how some people call soju 'a medicinal drink'. It comes from the past when only nobles could drink it and they, in fact, used it as medicine too.

Reasons For Heavy Drinking

Why do Koreans drink so much? Is Korea so cold that they need to drink to warm themselves up? That might be true in Russia, but Koreans drink a lot even when it's 35 degrees. 

Koreans drink to loosen themselves up, to feel comfortable, and to relieve built-up stress.

So how high do Koreans rank on alcohol drinking rankings? According to the statistics, Seoul was one of the top 6 most alcohol-consuming cities around the world. Also, Korea consumes the most amount of alcohol per person in Asia.

Why did they become such an alcohol-loving nation?

When you first drink, you are likely to drink with seniors. In Korean society, when elders pour alcohol, you don't get to say no. You'll have to turn your head as a general etiquette and drink it up. As this kept on repeating for generations, everyone is trained to drink so much. 

Also, Koreans like to do drinking contests, until one person passes out. This created this hardcore drinking culture in Korea.

Problems Of Heavy Drinking

Koreans love to drink, and they drink well, but it doesn't mean they don't get drunk. If you look around at night, you will see lots of people vomiting on the streets and even in subway stations. It is quite alarming, and it will tell you how dangerous it is to be out of control because of alcohol.

Take the late-night trains or buses, and you could find people who smell like soju. The smell of alcohol is bothersome to many, but it is an inevitable part of Seoul's public transportation.

It's not a surprise that you can find more people at police stations and emergency rooms from Friday to Sunday. When a Korean person goes to a hospital because of a stomachache, the first question they would get from the doctor will be, "Do you drink a lot?"

Drinking has caused many social problems in Korea. The biggest one would be driving under the influence(DUI). Many public figures have damaged their career because of DUI, but funny thing is that sometimes they get less punishment for temporary insanity because of drinking.

Drinking Culture Is Changing In Korea

Many believed that the punishment for committing a DUI wasn't sufficient, and the court is starting to change its attitude towards crimes committed under the influence of alcohol. Also, lots of people do not think it's cool to get drunk and many companies are losing the drinking get-togethers.

Drinking could be good and relaxing if you can control yourself. If you lose control due to excessive drinking, it will be a problem. If you are travelling in Korea, avoid the drunk people on the streets, and do try to avoid being overly drunk yourself.

If you have any questions or suggestions leave a comment or send us an e-mail at help@creatrip.com.