Korean Job Discussion Forums

[tottenhamtaipeinick]

Ok my gf found a bottle store selling Soju last night early after dinner here in Australia so we bought 3 bottles (not cheap here she said about 13,000 Won each).... anyway we got through them and watched a movie. I usually drink whiskey or wine and can drink a lot. Well this morning I felt like a truck hit me. I am confused as I wasn�t drunk or dizzy last night remember everything and slept well. Is it just me or is soju some really bad alcohol?

[nukeday]

it has a lot of sugar in it....think a cheap port wine or sherry.

[CrikeyKorea]

its not THAT bad, granted it is basically ethanol and water, one bottle is about 20% (sometimes 19=19.5%) and is half the size of a bottle of whiskey which is 40%, so one bottle is equiv to 1/4 bottle of scotch, you drank 3 bottles with ur girl- equiv of 3/4 a bottle of scotch. so that may have been a contributing factor (even if u split it 50-50 with ur girl....)

[AsiaESLbound]

It's bad. Of course, any alcohol can be bad as it turns to poison when your liver breaks it down causing the dreaded hangover and feeling of your heart, brain, and every other part of your body being raked over the coals.

[Underwaterbob]

Soju generally doesn't give me bad hangovers, though I'd attribute that to the food I eat at the time. The only time I drink it is out on Hoe Shik (회식: obligatory meal with co-workers.) It does make me pretty fearless at the NoRaeBang.

[zhanknight]

For some reason the soju just kills me. I can take whiskey, tequila, and others - but when I have even a shot or two of soju I'm just down the next day. Dunno why it's so different. I've started just opting for good ol' Cass.

[illvibetip]

could be another urban myth...

i was told (and can well believe this) that the majority of commercail korean alcohol (like modern alco-pops) are not made from alcohol, but are artifical chemical (alcohol substitute).
Purer alcohol usually lessens the effect of a hangover (eg, vodka, natural wine, whiskey).
Drink 2 litres of hite and you could feel as though someone put a brick in your skull - it isnt pleasant.
Anyway, originally soju was supposed to be made from potatoes so it would have given you a kick before they started cutting corners with it. The stuff in Andong is still natural for example.

Personally, I wouldnt touch anything alchoholic made in this country with a stick.
Its all disgusting rancid stuff and Id prefer to pay extra for a real drink.

[tottenhamtaipeinick]

I didnt have much at all my gf had more. I guess I had at most just over a bottle. Which is around 6 standard drinks or 4 beers over a 3 - 4hour period. I am absolutely wrecked and still at the office about to go home to sleep again. I can barely speak to anyone without sounding like I am about to spew yet the other week I had some chinese friends over 3 to be exact and we drunk 2 1/2 bottles of whiskey between 4 ppl with one guy not drinking much and yet the next day I was great yet that night I went to bed dizzy and saying to my gf I am never drinking with Chinese ppl again.

[pangaea]

It tastes like nail polish remover and makes me feel like I have a giant butcher knife stabbing me in the head the next morning. I used to drink it with friends but only mixed with something else. Now I just avoid it altogether. Personally, I think anything that can be used to polish metal and take lipstick out of laundry should not be consumed by anyone.

[tottenhamtaipeinick]

wow I am not the only one to feel the pain from this drink..... Now I am a tad worried if I am going to be marrying into a Korean Family and moving to Korea soon. LOL and I said the other week I would never drink with Chinese again because they drink expensive Whiskey straight like it is water! But Koreans drink SOJU and this has me more worried!

[Steelrails]

Where's Warren Pease? He's the expert.

[tottenhamtaipeinick]

I just remembered the worse thing. I spoke with my gfs brother about SOJU being only 19.5% alcohol and this being nothing to Whiskey and Vodka being 40%. I also mentioned in Taiwan I was drinking cups of Kaoliang 57% and that SOJU would be nothing compared to other spirits because Koreans put sugar in it.....well now I am screwed if he ever tries to test me out. I had to go and tell him Soju is nothing! oh man !

[Underwaterbob]

[illvibetip]

[Underwaterbob]

Wikipedia has some good information:

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Alcoholic_beverages