Korean Job Discussion Forums

own_king · Joined: 17 Apr 2004 Location: here

I had some Korean friends that I was "a big drunkard" and it was meant as a compliment. Laughing

Lemonade · Joined: 04 Jan 2006 Location: South Korea

After reading this thread, I have come to the realization that I am NOT normal here in Korea. Last night I had a slight headache. I hadn't drank any alcohol type beverages for a few weeks so it wasn't a hangover type of headache. I debated to myself that I should take an asprin before going to the bar with my friend. I decided not to. Also, I was fighting off the flu bug with a sore throat and runny nose all week... nothing severe though. I go to the bar and down a bottle of stout and chugged almost an entire bottle of Cass without a breather. I didn't get a buzz and I wanted to go someplace else. I drank a strong mixed drink and still not even a slight buzz. We decide to go home by 1am. I get home and have a nice sleep. I get up at noon and there's no headache, no sore throat and no runny nose. hmmmmm and I was debating about going to the doctor.

My friend asks me how I can drink so much without getting drunk and what would it take to get me drunk. I explain that the Korean drinks are like water to me. I tell her I need about two large pitchers of beer here to drink nonstop and half the time I will need to go to the toilet because my blatter won't hold that much. She is suprised. I'm use to drinking Guiness, Sam Adams, strong Mexican Tequila and quality wine. She asks me to try Miller. All I can do is laugh. Where are the Irish in South Korea? Where are the French?

stumptown · Posted: Mon Jan 16, 2006 12:27 am Post subject:

Yeah I guess that could have been taken as a compliment. I didn't really understand the logic of the statement at the time, so I naturally chose to take the most negative spin on it. They're really cool dudes, but they were hurting so bad the next day that I might not get invited again. Wink

Xerxes · Posted: Mon Jan 16, 2006 2:06 am Post subject:

Believe it or not, they probably will like the story that they can tell about it, and you probably have become legend.

If you buy a bottle of whiskey (small bottle if your finances don't allow it--Scotch Blue is good quality Korean brand that is pretty good drinking too at a reasonable price) and offer to drink it with them but only if they go out to drink it with you, they will probably jump at the chance for jocular drink talk about "that day with the Way-gook man." The whiskey will give them something to shoot for, kinda like a challenge. Most Korean restaurants don't mind you bringing your own as long as you drink plenty of their stuff too, and don't worry if the bottle you bring isn't enough for everybody's fill because the gesture is enough to endear them to you. There should be enough for everyone to have one ceremonial shot though.

This time, don't try to give them instant liver damage though because they will feel obligated to drink with you shot for shot out of courtesy. If you really want to go all out, offer to go bar hoping to another site and that will give the ones that had enough to make a polite exit while the stronger ones can stick it out with you. If only one or two offer to stay, they are doing it out of courtesy again so do go to the next place but just have a drink or two and let the poor kind ones go with 50% of their livers intact. However, if a cadre of them offers to go to the next spot with you, you truly have become legend. If you didn't pay for the first place (probably restaurant--more expensive), offer to pay and do pay for the second place (probably cheaper) as "penalty money" for giving them too much brain damage the last time you drank with them. Have the bottle you brought in hand and pour it with both hands on the bottle (unless you are their age or they are younger), wait for them to down the shot and drink the shot that they will offer you (from the same glass--this is a sign of trust although you should have your hepatitis shots up to date to do this) and accept their pouring it for you with your two hands on the shot glass. Down it, take the same glass and move down to the next person in line until you have made it all the way around the room. If there are many many, they will kindly offer you a very small shot (unless you want to flex your liver muscle again and insist on the full shot). For comic effect, empty the few drops or so on your head or drop it with a whipping motion across the floor (the floor where people where shoes on--not the sitting floor) and make a Kkkeh sound with your mouth. They will think you are really manly for it.

Let them pay for one of the drinking places because they will feel obligated as you are their guest. But if you don't pay for one of them, they will smilingly say bad things about you that day behind your back or the next day. The next time that you go out, you don't have to be this formal as you will now have become one of their "tes-ti-cle friends" (this just means that you are as familiar with them as if you grew up with them since wee babes when Korean children used to walk around with their test-ies exposed--to avoid diper rash).

If you do this well, you will have made instant friends here who will now go out of their way to help you in any situation, if you just ask them to (as long as you help them too, here and there). Reciprocity is an important etiquette point although they will insist in paying for everything and helping you, with requiring no help from you in return.

stumptown · Posted: Mon Jan 16, 2006 2:12 am Post subject:

Cool advice dude. I've been here for 3 years so I know about the drinking etiquette, but that's good advice for anyone. That was just the first time I heard that from someone I was drinking with. Usually if I go to a bar by myself I'll hit a couple of shots of tequila in rapid succession and it freaks the bartenders out a little. I admit I drink a lot but its far from a drinking problem. When I go to the hof I have what I call a man won special. Two 500ccs and two bottles of soju. Rightly proper way to begin/finish the evening.

Xerxes · Posted: Mon Jan 16, 2006 2:31 am Post subject:

Thanks, I just meant it to help because it seems cool that you are really trying to reach out to the natives. (I married mine.)

The teachers I worked with at a Korean high school before were alcohol-inhaling fish. If you work at a hakwon or a school where the teachers make some good money, you will see a group of guys there who will drink enough on a regular basis to make the Irish, Russian or Chinese hard drinkers blush. They will mix, go the distance, bar hop like there is no tomorrow, and then they will do it again tomorrow!

My liver gave out after working there, and now my doctor tells me I can't do that at all. Enjoy it while you can. I am now practically a tea-sipping vegetarian now. You may have the tolerance, but your liver is as mortal as mine.