You've probably heard that the drinking culture in South Korea is extreme or that K-BBQ is the most amazing thing ever, If you haven't then listen up!
Our journey to South Korea was a long and arduous one, but worth the 12.5 hour flight crammed into economy class. Korean Airlines is unlike any airline we've flown before and offers quite a comfy economy seat all things considered.
Each meal is served meticulously and with Korean flare, whether it's breakfast, lunch or dinner you'll likely have something that is directly Korean be it Kimchi, Mango or beef bulgolgi with gochujang. Not to mention that each stewardess is groomed and dressed to perfection. Korean culture is familiar (to me) of the Japanese to which they strive for perfection.
Koreans are obsessive with foods as much as they are beauty, perfecting the flavor of fermented foods and sauces. They spend days, hours, months, and years to create consistency. While on our lengthy flight to Seoul I watched a show about the history and culture of restaurants that didn't take off until the late 80's. It was in 1988 when the Olympics would arrive in Seoul that the country started it's restaurant program to which they spent millions of dollars investing in hotels and foods for the masses to attend this grand World event.
Before this, many Koreans ate at home.
It was the arrival of chain foods such as McDonalds, KFC and Burger King that drove the Koreans to learn and understand the ways of fast food culture and turned this knowledge into something more fertile for their country. The idea of creating consistency was the main focus: How do we make "X" taste the same across each restaurant. Here began the start of mass production of goods to be consumed by Restaurants.
For example, KIMCHI- Korea's most beloved vegetable dish.
In order for kimchi to taste the same from one restaurant to another, began the manufacturing and production of kimchi for the masses. Now-a-days you'll notice that the kimchi served to you is identical from one place to the next, you can thank the Olympics for this!
Vegetables are common in the diet of Koreans, but mostly in a pickled variety. Items like ginseng, spinach, roots, and even mushrooms. Soy sauces and vinegars are used to flavor these veggies, giving them a longer life and making them a wholesome aid for the digestive system.
Our visit was topped off with a traditional Korean meal made by the famous monk Jeong Kwan. If you haven't yet seen her on Netflix's Chefs table, now's a good time to watch it.
The meal consisted only of vegetables and rice. It was this meal that we learned not many Koreans (present day) eat like this or even have the chance to try temple food. We watched as Chef Jeong prepared each item in a ceremonious dance, interacting with each item in a cared manner. We observed a root be cleaned, shaved and then macerated with pine nuts with a dash of sesame seed oil all the while mushrooms are being steeped with gentle earthy flavors.
Food is not just for eating in Korea, but sharing and enjoying the item to it's fullest. "Temple food is simple food" as Chef Jeong says. It's to be given the proper respect for it's energy both given and taken.
On a completely different note, you'll also enjoy tons of fried foods such as Korean Chicken. Don't forget that most dishes (including chicken) are spicy here! You may also be in search of Korean BBQ, to which there is no shortage of (and yes, it IS delicious).
Followed by no shortage of coffee shops!
We were very shocked by the amount of coffee shops per capita in Seoul. Unbelievably there are coffee shops next to coffee shops next to Starbucks. There were more Starbucks than I could keep count of on a single street.
Beyond coffee, Koreans enjoy drinking!
Japan is also well known for it's drinking culture, but never did we witness the drunken stupor of the Japanese like we did in here in Korea.
Koreans will mix various alcohols in a single drink, explicitly adding soju to beer. You'll see this widely across many restaurants and more specifically at places that serve Chicken & Beer.
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Soju is a variation of Vodka, but made out of rise or predominately from sweet potatoes. At 24% ABV and mixed with beer, you're likely to get yourself into a place you may have only visited when you were a teenager or at a fraternity party that got too rowdy too quickly.
Along with Soju, you'll also find Makgeolli as a popular option for it's inexpensive and tastes great when mixed with Sprite. Makgeolli is made again from rice; the bottle usually separates and needs to be homogenized before drinking.
If you're lucky to have a host order you a bottle of Bokbunja-ju, take it! This Black raspberry wine is delectably sweet and is to be drunk with a shot glass; however; proceed with caution as this particular beverage is known to be an aphrodisiac! Its lower ABV (14%) won't cause you any trouble with one drink, but the bottle is rather small and could easily be consumed by one without much pressure.
There are plenty of things to try in Korea, but beer is still king here. You may find a variety of options to try but there will be no shortage of 2700 cc pitchers and likely Cass will probably be your go to choice.
With this kind of drinking you're bound to observe some crazy antics of drunk persons along your journey. It's also customary to allow them to have a nap on the side of the street. We'd witnessed our fair share of this in Seoul (city center) and in Hongdae. One instance a man in a suit tried with all his might to get into the elevator to get down to the subway but just could get to the doors. After a 15 minute struggle he finally crouched into a seated position and nodded off.
Another scenario in Hongdae, a collage aged girl dropped into a fetal position at her friends feet while her friend attempted to keep her limp body upright. She'd let her friend take a nap on the sidewalk. Further into Hongdae we'd also see another collage student stumbling around with blood on his face, he was initially drapped over a large police barricade and then erected himself for a phone call where he's then try to make his way though the streets elsewhere.
It may seem all a bit outlandish, but that's Korea!
I hope you'll enjoy your meals and consume a few drinks to try, but maybe leave the heavy drinking to the locals.
Want more on Seoul?
Check out our Vlog on Youtube:
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