Korean Job Discussion Forums

[ds_fan]

just curious as to what the laws are in korea about drinking alcohol in public- granted most people will joke about this and say everyone here is an alco, but just wondering if its legal to drink on the street or wherever.

[chevro1et]

I dunno if its technically legal, but the cops wont hassle you for drinking in the street, on the beach, at the table outside Family Mart, etc, etc.

[Bibbitybop]

I read in one of the foreigner magazines, the Groove I believe, that it is not illegal, but walking down the street with it is "culturally rude." So I guess you are supposed to be sitting down to drink, not walking. Regardless, it's not illegal according the Groove researchers a over a year ago.

[Cornfed]

Is drinking in public illegal in most other places? There's no law against it in New Zealand, although it has become the fashion for local councils to designate city centers as liquor ban areas to reduce the usual drunken lunacy on Friday and Saturday nights.

[ernie]

i bet 90% of what i do in public in korea could be considered 'culturally rude'... walking down the street drinking a beer is the best aspect of korean culture!

[southern boy]

[Unposter]

Southernboy,

I am very surprised! As far as I understand, and in all my experience, there should not be any problem drinking anywhere in Korea.

I thought Bibitybaps advice about walking with it being culturally rude is correct, though. Often, in Korea, it seems that there aren't laws for things that Koreans just wouldn't do. The stigma of having been rude seems a sufficient penalty.

And for those who live in more enlightened countries, in the "land of the free" (USA), it is illegal to drink almost anywhere that is not a bar or inside your home.

[southern boy]

I was refering to New Zealand responding to Cornfed.

[WoBW]

Yeh, I agree with Bibbity. I would feel a bit uncomfortable walking along with a beer in my hand. Used to have no problem sitting on the wall outside COEX, drinking a beer with my colleague after work. I miss that old job.

[sistersarah]

There's a vendor in Edae that sells take-out cocktails. If I weren't expecting, I would have gotten one the other day...

[JungMin]

Again, not totally sure on the laws here either....but i think there is one which applies to Korean males. Something like 'you must get completely fucked 5 days a week, 7 if the wife will let you. If she doesn't, just do it anyways. Preferably in a restaurant or hof, but a park bench, Family Mart table, or a strategically placed picnic mat will suffice.'

[Adventurer]

I think they need to put taxes on alcohol and cigarettes. They are causing all kinds of problems in Korea. 27% of males in Korea admit to a drinking problem. Yesterday, I was trying to sleep at 2 a.m., and I wasn't too thrilled to hear a drunk foreigner on a Wednesday mind you yelling to his friend that his girlfriend is a "wh*re and a *beep*". It's too bad he wasn't in Canada to where someone could call the cops on his drunk self. I drink sometimes, and getting drunk once in a while is fine, but alcohol is abused too much over here, though it's not as bad as Russia. Drink driving is also a big problem here and it doesn't seem like its taken seriously enough over here. Chuck Norris who first learned martial arts in Korea said and I quote "I saw my fair share of drunks in Korea to last me a life time".

[santafly]

Being Gringolandese (American) I asked a number of (adult) students/random Koreans if it is legal to drink in public. Eveyone has said "yes, but Koreans don't do it". If Koreans don't do it they also don't want you to do it - not that I personally care. There are also many things that are clearly illegal yet Koreans do them regularly and no one cares. For example, driving motorcycles on the sidewalk, running red lights, and (evidently) hitting women.

Right in front of a cop, I jaywalked through a busy intersection while taking a swig of my beer. No response at all from said cop.

Anyone know if you can drink on public transportatin? got a lot of stares on the subway when I walked on with a beer (by accident - but safely within a group of foreigners)

[thematrixiam]

I usually ditch my beer before getting on the subway. I'll drink it while walking to the subway then ditch it in the nearest trash can once I am in the terminal....

But, if drinking is a walk and go must, then I just grab a bottle of powerade or gatorade empty out 3/4ish of it and toss a bottle of soju in it.

That way people just see you downing a bottle of powerade and drooling out the side of your mouth... all acceptable.

[victorology]