Korea by James Hoare

Korea by James Hoare

Author:James Hoare [Hoare, James]
Language: eng
Format: epub
ISBN: 978-1-85733-529-3
Publisher: Kuperard
Published: 2010-03-01T16:00:00+00:00


DRINKING

Koreans like drinking, and there is little social stigma attached to getting drunk, at least as far as men are concerned. Women may find that their Korean counterparts, especially older women, do not drink much alcohol, although there are exceptions. Drinking parties, especially among men, are common and very popular. Younger people, especially students, will now drink in mixed groups. A few drinks shared in a bar with Korean acquaintances will go a long way toward establishing friendships. Koreans do not as a rule drink alone, and they do not drink much without eating fairly substantial snacks called anju. This does not stop them getting drunk, however, and drinking parties may often become quite boisterous. Such sessions may be used to let off steam and to criticize the boss to his face, but without the dire consequences this might have in the West. The convention is that remarks made at drinking parties are not referred to the next day.

When drinking, even in an informal setting, you should not pour your own drinks. You should hold your glass in front of you, with both hands or with the right hand supported under the elbow by the left hand, and allow the host or somebody else to pour for you. Similarly, you should offer to fill other people’s glasses in the same way. If somebody toasts you, they will probably drain their glass. You should do the same, at least on the first occasion.

You might be offered beer with your meal, or a soft drink. Poricha, or barley tea, a way of ensuring that water has been boiled, is particularly popular in South Korea. It is served hot in winter and cold in summer. It seems to be unknown in North Korea, where beer and soft drinks will usually be available.

At more formal functions, Western-style wine may be available in both North and South, as well as some form of spirit-based drink. The quality of wine will vary a lot. In South Korea, there is a small domestic wine industry, producing mainly German-style white wines, but good quality foreign wines are also available at a price. In North Korea, the choice is more limited, and some very bad wine has been around in the past. In recent years, more drinkable wines, including wines from Latin America and Australia, have appeared in shops catering to foreigners. These may sometimes appear at formal occasions.



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