"Allow me to introduce myself"

This is Soju.

It is an alcoholic beverage.

This will be the first thing I inform people of back home about Korea.

Maybe its an Irish thing or maybe its because this is about as close as I've come to being exposed to something thats actually uniquely Korean. Since the start of orientation, the pleasures of Soju have been sampled many many times and so I thought it appropriate to let the folks back home find out what they're missing. So without further ado; a brief introduction to Soju.


Since I'm a lazy bastard and I really couldn't have put it better or more succintly myself, I'll let the wonderful wisdom of Wikipedia take the lead here. According to wikipedia:

"Soju is a distilled beverage native to Korea. Its taste is comparable to vodka, though often slightly sweeter due to sugars added in the manufacturing process, and more commonly consumed neat.
Most brands of soju are made in South Korea. Though it is traditionally made from rice, most modern producers of soju use supplements or even replace rice with other starches, such as potatoes, wheat, barley, sweet potatoes, or tapioca.

Soju is clear in colour and typically varies in alcohol content from about 18.5% to about 45% alcohol by volume (ABV), with 20% ABV being most common. It is widely consumed, in part, because of its relatively low price in Korea. A typical 300mL bottle of soju costs the consumer 1,000 to 3,000 South Korean Won in South Korea (roughly $1 to $3 United States Dollars). In the USA, it tends to cost substantially more – $6 or more."

That pretty much sums it up folks. Its a lighter, sweeter vodka. Myself and anyone else I've drank it with have been sticking to the 20% stuff, it seems to be the most common and its dirt cheap- less than a euro for a 300ml bottle. In fact, Myself and Mairead usually split at least a bottle between us every night. An increasingly necessary habit due to the stress of teaching elementary school kids. But shop talk is for another time! On with the Soju!

Here are some photos of our wonderful model Mairead with the Soju in her apartment:

Aw, isn't she lovely!!

But beware, because over indulgence can easily cause a night that began as above to end as below:

(Photo courtesy of Emilio Bryer II)
......it doesn't take a genius to see that too much Soju is bad mojo. Ya see, because of the sweetness and lower alcohol level, you can really knock back the stuff. Its easy enough to knock back straight but add even a dash of coke, Hot 6 (red bull substitute) or tropicana and you'll really start to fly through em. As if that wasn't bad enough, a lotta bars sell reasonably priced pitchers of flavoured Soju which look a little like these

and which really go down a treat. One definite positive thats come from the whole Soju experience so far is not a trace of a hangover to be seen and fingers crossed it'll stay that way for the next 11 months!

Now, I haven't drank with any Koreans really since my very first night here but Mairead and other people have with workmates etc. and there is a bit of an etiquette with Soju so ya gotta be careful if you're swinging with the natives. Firstly, you never NEVER pour your own drink. This I found intensely annoying as many people at orientation wanted it enforced even when there were no Koreans but the bar staff around. I guess some people saw it as respectful, I stomached it for a short while then usually said fuck it and poured me own. But with Koreans, it ain't done. The upside to this is, they constantly fill up your glass once its empty, its considered rude not to and much of the time they will bear the brunt of the bill, particularly workmates, or so I've heard tell! So if you're looking to get shitfaced and not pay a cent, hope to stumble upon some natives. In fact I do have vague recollections of having full bottles of beer and Soju shoved into my hand at a karaoke bar in Jeonju where we had orientation by this very friendly young Korean man....perhaps a little TOO friendly, but c'est la vie.

Now as well as not pouring your own, when someone else pours for you (particularly an elder) you should hold the glass up with both your hands. When pouring for someone (especially an elder- Koreans have mad respect for elders or so we're told-although I never see them offered seats on the subway when its full except for me and my mate Emilio however, so you'd wonder), anyway I digress....what was I saying. Ah, Koreans two hands, they're mad for it, especially when giving/receiving drinks and gifts and who knows what else eh? So apparently you rest it in your left palm and hold it with your right hand....but I dunno, I think they forgive foreigners generally if they get it wrong. Oh and although some of us quite like the mixers and the fruity sojus, Koreans rarely mix it, just drinking straight shots. Me and Mairead got a bit of a dirty look when we mixed coke with our Soju at a restaurant- drinking shots of it with meals is the done thing ya see, but Maireads a fiend for an auld mixer and sure I won't say no either! What was worse was they'd brought the Soju out in this mad fancy bottle with a giant Ice cube embedded into it to keep the Soju cool. Then us ignant waygooks (korean for foreigner) come in dunking it into our glasses of coke. Fuck it, tasted scrumptious!

So yeah, I think thats pretty much it. Just had to keep the lads informed on the booze situ over here. Oh yeah, a bit of history on it- The Mongols (thats Bills lot) brought it here in the 13th century so its as old as Davy and then some.

Hope y'all enjoyed and that some of yis might someday be visiting for a Soju or two.

Gom Be!

......thats 'Chee-urs' in Korean.

Peace.