Soju: Traditional Korean Drink

A life in Korea isn't complete without this 13th Century traditional beverage.  

 Soju is very popular at Korean dinner tables all over Korea.  Soju is usually consumed in group gatherings while eating, unmixed and portioned into individual shot glasses. It is against traditional custom in Korea to fill one's own glass. Instead, it must be filled by someone else at the table.  Upon leaving and entering a restaurant you will see multiple bottles of Soju on each table and you will see happy Koreans drinking shots of the clear, vodka like liquid.  Soju [소주] literally means "burned liquor."  It is made from rice but it can also be made from sweet potatoes, tapioca, potatoes, wheat and barley.  It is usually drunk by itself as a shot but can also be mixed with beer [somaek] or any kind of juice such as grape juice or orange juice.

Etiquette for drinking Soju is not complicated but there are the basic guidelines to follow in a formal setting:

*  In Korean culture, using two hands to offer and accept items is considered an act of respect. If your glass is going to be filled by a superior, one should hold the glass with both hands. Similarly, when pouring soju for an elder, one holds the bottle with both hands.

*  To pour a drink, hold the bottle in the right hand with the left hand touching the right forearm or elbow; this peculiar arm position originated from the practice of holding back the sleeve of the hanbok so that it wouldn't touch the table or the food.

*  Similarly, when receiving a drink, rest the glass in the left palm and hold it with the right hand, perhaps bowing the head slightly to show additional respect. You can also hold the glass using the same hand positions as when pouring.

*  Koreans often say "one shot", a challenge to everyone in the group to down their glass in one gulp.
A glass should not be refilled unless completely empty and should be promptly refilled once empty; it is considered rude to not fill someone else's glass when empty.  It is not obligatory to finish the drink immediately, but it is impolite to place the glass on the table without at least pretending to drink from it.

*  After finishing the entire glass, it should be returned and refilled. It is not necessary to return it immediately, but holding it for a long time is considered rude, as it deprives the giver of his glass.

Do the same rules apply to foreigners, tourists and/or expats?  If you are at a work function with your Korean co-workers, yes.  If you are at a work function or social function you must drink at least one shot if you are given it by a coworker.  If you are strictly a non drinker, it is okay.  Just tell the person you don't drink due to health or religious reasons.  Any other reason and you will be told that there is no reason not to and your glass will be filled anyway and you must drink a little if you are poured a glass--speaking from experience.  What if you are at a social function with your Korean coworkers or friends, a more relaxed version of these rules apply.  If you are with your friends (even a few Korean friends) the rules are relaxed a bit but it is still polite to observe some if not all, of the etiquette above.  

Cheers!!  건배 !!  [gun-bae!] 

**Note: If you choose to drink Soju, drink responsibly.  It sneaks up on you.