Korea's drinking culture interfaces deeply with its social structure, lifestyle, and traditions. Koreans drink so much because they work so hard.[1] The beverages themselves are also reflective of the country's varying geography, climate, and culture.
Korean interest in creating alcohol came about during the Koryo Dynasty (946–943), when exposure to foreign cultures and the introduction of distilled water provided the basis and technique for distilling a unique alcohol.[2]
Alcohol drinking in Korea helps create and form ties between family members and friends. 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.
History of Korean drinking culture
Korea has a long tradition of consuming alcohol to celebrate holidays and seasonal events, in which they honor ancestors and exchange goodwill with neighbors and friends. Some of the holidays included New Year, Rice planting day and Korea's Day of Thanks.
Hongdo Kim, "Lunch"
Farming
Drinking alcohol is often correlated with a season's passing and its related farming activities. Once the harvest has ended farmers would spend their downtime brewing and fermenting alcohol as they looked forward to the spring.[3]
Korean field workers often drank a glass of rice-wine (Takju) accompanied by a light breakfast snack (Saecham) before they left for the fields in the morning. Traditional Korean music (Nongak) would play while they worked.[4]
Upon the new year Korean ancestors consumed Soju to drive out disease and bad spirits, the word 'Soju' meaning a welcoming spring. One type of Soju is called Dosoju, made with medicinal herbs and refined rice wine.[5]
Alcohol consumption was also used to medicate both adults and children during illnesses. Because alcohol was held in such high regard, Korean ancestors took great pains to pass down drinking customs from generation to generation.[6]
The 15th day of the New Year according to the lunar calendar is a traditional Korean holiday. Many attend moon-viewing events all over the country for the new year's first full moon. On that night, Koreans drink Daeboreium or "ear-quickening wine" in hopes of hearing good news quickly for the next year. While children do not drink the alcohol they are encouraged to place their lips to the glass, then pour the wine in a chimney to deter sickness and vaporization. Each region gave their own name to the beverage.[7]
The fifth day of the fifth month of the lunar calendar is called ‘Dano’. This is an important holiday and celebrates the transplanting of rice seedlings and the time of year when yin energy is weakest and yang energy is strongest.
The custom during ‘Dano’ was/is to hold a memorial service [8] for their ancestors and toast the day with a drink mixed with sweet flag called Changpoju. The properties in the drink were said to dispel evil spirits, providing escape from misfortune and promote health and longevity.[9]
During this era most Koreans practiced Confucianism which prohibited women and certain other members of society from drinking alcohol or pouring it for someone else. However, in modern times anyone can partake in the customs.
Koreans have strict rules of etiquette in drinking alcoholic beverages. When receiving a glass from an elder, one must hold the glass with two hands (left palm at the bottom and hold the glass with the right hand) and bow the head slightly. When it is time to drink, the drinker must turn away from the elder, and cover the mouth and glass with their hands. The first drink must be finished in one shot. When the glass is empty, the drinker hands it back to the person who poured the drink for them and the drinker then pours them a shot. This starts a series of glass and bottle passes around the table.[10][11][12]
By the middle of 1300s, manners and culture of drinking came into Korea. There are many manners about drinking alcohol in Korea. Among them is a typical manner of drinking culture called 'Hyangeumjurye (향음주례)'. It was an event that saw many classical and Confucian scholars gather and drink, learning drinking manners. It also meant that people had to respect benevolent persons and support old men. It was held every October.[13]
Within 'Hyanguemjurye', the most important thing about Korea drinking culture is manners. Koreans believed drinking etiquette is important. When people become of age to drink alcohol, they are taught how to drink with other people by elders, because Korean ancestors thought that pouring and receiving drinks was important over the bowl.
In Korea, it is traditional that when a person gives an alcoholic drink to another adult, the person has to offer the drink respectfully with two hands. When pouring a drink, the bottle should be held with the right hand, and the wrist of your right hand held lightly with the left hand. It is customary to wait until the glass is empty to pour another.
Receiving drinks
There is also a tradition for receiving drinks. When receiving drinks, the same etiquette applies when pouring drinks. When elders give alcohol to a younger person, the younger person should receive the drink politely and with gratitude by saying "thank you". The next step is to hit the bottle, and then put it down. This pleases the elders. Also, when drinking beer, it is proper for the younger drinker to turn their head, so as to not directly face the elders when drinking.
As society developed, the drinking culture started to change. Recent studies have shown that Koreans drink the largest amount of alcohol in the world.[14] In the past, people drank on specific days like New Year's, but presently alcohol can be consumed regardless of the occasion. The goal of drinking parties is to promote good fellowship and opening one's heart to socializing. Some other aspects are beginning to adapt to modern ways as well; Koreans are changing to enjoy drinking all kinds of alcohol. Special cocktails are popular, such as "bomb drink" or "poktanju", the latter being enjoyed by many Koreans. A "bomb drink" is a mixed drink similar to the American boilermaker, a whiskey shot sunk into a glass of beer. Examples are somaek (soju and maekju, the Korean word for beer), foreign liquors and beer, and soju, beer and coke (kojingamlae). Poktanju makes people inebriated fairly quickly; nevertheless, people enjoy drinking it and drink it bottoms up.[15] There are many variations of poktanju, with many new ones becoming famous, including 'red eye' and 'meakkiss'. This cocktail can also mix alcohol with other liquids such as milk, tomato juice, coke and coffee.[16]
Consumption frequency
According to a 2018 WHO report, citizens of the Republic of Korea drink 10 litres (2.2 imp gal; 2.6 US gal) of alcohol per capita per year.[17] The “bottoms-up” approach to drinking translates to drinking one-shot at a time rather than drinking a little sip each time.[18] Binge drinking refers to drinking more than once a month and more than five (for women) or seven (for men) standard drinks in one occurrence, regardless of the type of alcohol being consumed. Approximately three-quarters of binge drinkers come from drinking while dining with friends or acquaintances, followed closely by drinking with colleagues.[19] Whether drinking casually with a guest or binge drinking, statistics gathered on Koreans have categorized drinking occasions in to five different types: going out with friends (44.2%), going out with colleagues (34.2%), drinking at home or friend's home (29.3%), drinking at home alone, and drinking with meals at home (27.5%).[20] Regardless of the setting, drinking has become a major part of modern Korean socialization. A large majority of Korean people have regarded drinking as a necessary element of social life.[20] Whether it's during a time of joy, happiness, or stress, Koreans often drink until they are drunk. According to official Korean statistics in 2013.[21] Most Koreans who drink do so after 6pm, when the work day is completed. The majority of Koreans drink on Friday and/or Saturday nights. Rather than meeting up at a single location, friends meeting up to drink will often go for “rounds” (cha in Korean). Going for rounds entails jumping from place to place to drink. A variety of restaurants, bars, or other places to change the venue or activity, such as noraebang (karaoke) are common examples. People in their 20's are most likely to go for more than 2 rounds, while people over the age of 50 are the dominating group to have drinks at home with family meals or during ceremonial occasions.[19]
Drinking in the workplace
Drinking plays an important role in workplace socialization in Korean culture. One of the most important forms of socialization in Korean organizations is hoesik or "dining together".[22] Hoesik and "bottoms-up sessions" are time for employees to gather and encourage each other to consume alcohol. These drinking sessions help promote and influence idea sharing and building of social networks. It has been reported that a typical job application form will even ask applicants to reveal whether or not they drink alcohol and if so, how much do they consume.[22] Also part of the application process is the so-called "alcohol interview", where the applicant is given several shots of alcohol to consume. This will determine their alcohol tolerance and if they are someone who will work well with the organization.
Aside from the enjoyment and high spirits that Koreans desire from partaking in frequent drinking, many employees consume alcohol to help alleviate high amounts of stress. The culture of binge drinking, which is defined as having six to seven drinks on one occasion, is closely associated with relieving elevated levels of stress.[23] Reports have shown that more than 50% of Koreans who drink do so to help release their stress.[22]
Studies have shown that more than half of Korean workers have been obligated to drink during daytime work events, and nearly half had at least one shot with a supervisor.[14] Some behaviors during hoesik can be undesirable, such as passive or reluctant participation in collective drinking, or involuntary consumption of one shots, bomb cocktails, or sharing, exchanging or cascading beverages. Approximately 30% or fewer of Korean workers drinking at receptions have experienced at least one of these behaviors.[19] Roughly one third of Korean office workers have felt that hoesik is a “necessary evil” and more than that have felt that they needed to participate in drinking sessions to maintain their social relationships. Even though hoesik is not favored by most workers, it continues to be a tool for workplace socialization.[14]
Employee well-being
Although drinking culture in Korea has developed a “one shot at time” and “bottoms-up” approach, the Korean Government has started a campaign to intervene and decrease heavy drinking. According to the campaign, people were urged to not mix their drinks, refrain from bar-hopping, and to return to their homes by 9 pm.[22] Some corporations have initiated new policies on hoesik, such as the “119 campaign”, which means no more than one type of alcohol, no more than one venue, and no later than nine. There are several iterations of the same type of policy among companies, such as the “829 campaign” and “222 campaign”, which refer to finishing hoesik between 8 and 9, and no second venue, and not mixing two kinds of alcohol, not offering more than two drinks to others, and not going to a second venue. Although these campaigns began in 2007, most initiatives have not met with success, only gaining traction in recent years.[14]
Hoesik may be one of the main organization socialization processes in Korea, but it also has negative impacts on employee welfare, productivity, and work environment.[24] Frequent binge drinking may result in low work productivity due to tardiness, hangovers, or pure work avoidance. To help encourage healthier drinking habits, the Ministry of Food and Drug Safety had created a website called sullae jabgi, which provides Koreans information on how to enjoy alcohol without threatening one's well-being.[22]
Alcohol-related disease
Drinking is the second leading cause of a decline in health for Koreans. The World Health Organization has identified drinking as a major factor affecting health-related quality of life.[18] According to statistics, the leading cause of death in Korea was cancer.[22] Liver cancer and other liver disease were among the top 10 causes of death in Korea. An increasing number of Koreans are also being diagnosed with osteonecrosis, with the leading cause being excessive alcohol consumption.[22]
