Soju

           Soju is most famous alcohol in Korea. It is hard liquor, and many Korean enjoy it. Soju does not have special taste and smell, and it does not have a color. It looks like water or vodka. When Korean has BBQ, they usually drink Soju especially the Soju with Samgyupsal (Korean style Pork valley BBQ). There is many reasons why Korean really like the Soju, and I will introduce two popular reasons.

Soju is very popular among Koreans in an economic downturn. I think that the reason is cheap price of Soju. When I went a liquor store in Washington, U.S, I really surprised about the price of Soju because it was expansive. The price was around six dollars, but if I buy a bottle of Soju in Korea, I usually paid dollar and half. Thus, it is very reasonable price ordinary people, and it is kind of traditional memory for Korean.

Another reason is matching with many Korean foods. When we have Korean style BBQ such as Samgyupsal and Galbi, Korean usually drink Soju. I think that Soju usually reduce the oily taste from meet. In other words, when we have a Samgyupsal (Pork valley BBQ), we usually feels very oily and fatty. However, when I have the BBQ with Soju, the Soju cleaned up those kinds of oily feeling.

At the end of every year, Korean drinks a lot of Soju in a party. Some people die by Soju because of heavy drinking, and some people drink the Soju for celebration. When Korean put Soju in their glass, they put their memoly too. I believe that Korean really love the Soju, and I would say that the Soju is a soul drink of Korean.

By Sungwoo Son