Soju has shaken up the global spirits industry. Pour one out and find out everything there is to know about Korea’s national drink.

The first time I tried soju, it confused my taste buds but in a good way. Before then, I had only heard of it, with rumours that it tasted like vodka. (I hate vodka, so I wasn’t running to my nearest Asian market to try it.) But one day, my partner brought some home, and shortly after our inaugural sip, we found ourselves staring at the bottle, wanting more.

Soju is a spirit distilled from grains like wheat, barley and/or rice. Other base ingredients include sweet potato and tapioca…

Thanks to K-pop culture and anime (#sojuvibes), the rice-based spirit has recently become popular in Western countries, but it’s been a staple in Korea for ages. Some say it dates back to the 13th century. Even if you’ve never tested it, chances are you might be ‘soju curious’.

What Is Soju?

Soju can be thought of as ‘the rice of the spirits world’ – versatile, a cultural staple and a blank canvas, which makes it perfect for infusing with flavour. In fact, rice is one of the primary ingredients in soju production, but it wasn’t always that way.

“In the 1950s, when Korean companies were banned from making soju out of rice because it was needed to feed people [during the Korean War], companies imported tapioca from Southeast Asia, and that is how the green bottle started,” says Bobby Yoon – owner of New York-based Korean barbecue restaurant, Yoon Haeundae Galbi, according to Food & Wine.

Soju is a spirit distilled from fermented grains like wheat, barley and/or rice. Besides grains, other base ingredients used in soju production include sweet potato and tapioca (starch derived from cassava), as well as grapes, apples, corn, Korean plums and even pine needles.

White or clear bottles are often associated with traditional soju, while sweeter, infused versions are typically categorised as ‘green bottle soju’. Some flavours include grape, blueberry, peach, plum, strawberry, apple, yoghurt and ‘fresh’ filtered with bamboo charcoal.

How to Drink Soju

Another distinction is the colour of the bottle caps. If you want ‘something stronger’, go red, not blue. Red-capped bottles contain about 20% alcohol by volume, while blue-capped bottles have approximately 17% ABV. Compared to vodka, which is considered a strong spirit with products ranging between 37.5% and 95% ABV, soju has a significantly lower alcohol content. This makes it ideal for social drinking and partnering with dishes like barbecued pork belly, chicken, seafood, gimbap and spicy foods like kimchi and tteokbokki.

Korean-based products like Jinro Chamisul, Jinro Soju and Chum Churum are popular among locals for their taste and trusted quality, with infused versions catering to a younger generation of soju drinkers. New York-based brand Tōkki Soju has also won over the palates of soju lovers in the United States; plenty more brands are sold in Asian markets worldwide.

While soju has evolved, the core taste remains unchanged: crisp and smooth. That said, it offers an entirely different tasting experience and presents hidden notes with each sip.

Like most ferments, the flavour profile changes depending on the time passed and how the base ingredients age. It could be sweet, bitter, fruit or clean. That’s part of the fun of drinking soju. Throw age-old rituals in the mix, and you’ve got a thriving drinking culture.

Some Drinking Rules

There are some ground rules when consuming Korea’s national drink…

Keep it chilled. If drinking at home, place bottles in the fridge at least an hour before enjoying with friends and family. Don’t use ice; it dilutes the flavour.

Neat or mixed? Soju is typically served neat, but brands like Jinro are enjoyed as a cocktail called ‘somaek’ – a portmanteau of ‘soju’ and ‘maekju’ (beer). Light beer or lager is used to avoid overpowering the drink’s flavour and is poured with a 3:7 soju to beer ratio. Soju bombs are also popular, where a shot glass of soju is placed inside a half-glass measure of beer. Soju Milkis, a mixture of equal parts soju, Sprite and beer is also popular.

Two’s company, three’s a crowd. It’s taboo to pour a drink for yourself, so always ensure you drink soju in the company of others.

Respect your elders! Age is important in Korean culture; the oldest at the table gets the first shot, while the youngest is the designated bartender and pours drinks for everyone. (South Korean locals are allowed to start drinking alcohol from 1 January of the year in which they turn 19 years old, so technically, 18 is the legal drinking age.)

Swirl it. Similar to drinking wine, most people swirl the bottle before pouring a glass. Bottles were previously corked, and swirling would separate cork debris from the liquid. Today, it’s mostly a ritual as bottles are capped.

Don’t empty your glass. If you are in a restaurant setting and you’ve had enough to drink, leave some soju in your glass. This way, the wait staff will know not to refill your glass.

Host a soju-drinking experience with this recipe for Popcorn Chicken with Korean Dipping Sauce and a Soju-inspired Yoghurt Cocktail. It’s perfect for entertaining friends. 

Want more? Try these Korean restaurants in Cape Town.