“I do not remember a thing because I was drunk at the time,” is a common excuse made by Korean lawbreakers. And since Korean authorities routinely accept this excuse and let those off who have committed crimes while drunk with a mere slap in the wrist, drinking has recently been given quite a bad name. Yet alcohol is not the culprit here, but rather those who abuse it. Alcohol has been, since its discovery, more boon than bane to humanity.

Alcohol, in the form of liquor or fermented beverages, was first discovered by forest monkeys who used to store fruit in the hollow trunks of trees. After a period of time the fruit fermented; humans who discovered the monkey’s treasure found it tasted great. This was the beginning of the history of liquor. Liquor in its many forms developed along with human civilization. Myths of Egypt, Greece, Rome, China, and the founding of Korea incorporate stories of alcohol. For example, in Greek mythology, Dionysius is the god who manages the harvest of fruits and wine. The book of Genesis states Noah planted a vineyard and brewed wine, and many believe he was the first man to do so.

“Beer alone tastes great, but it is even better with fried chicken. To me, beer is the best beverage when watching a baseball game with my girlfriend,” said Kim Hyeong-Sub (20, Seoul). From the familiar–Hite, Cass, and Budweiser–to the exotic brands such as Saigon, Bernin, and Dos Equisbeer is the favorite beverage of millions. In every bar, a number of brands show the superb quality of premium beer. And yet, as Park Se-Won (44, Seoul) noted, “Most of the time people do not even think about wondering of the process of making beer. The process is so delicate that a slight change in the fermenting or brewing process can create a cup of beer with different taste.” These days, many people brew their own beer, but these are the cases when they have adequate knowledge about making it.

As cheap and accessible as beer is, the process of fermenting beer requires special care to create a great tasting beverage. Depending on its fermenting process, beer is classified into Ale, Lager, and Lambic. Stout Larger beer which is gaining popularity in Korea nowadays is a typical example of an Ale. Ale beer is characterized by its fruity taste. It is usually brewed using the upper layer of yeast after the beer is fermented. On the other hand, Lager beer such as Heineken, Hite, San Miguel, Asahi are brewed using the sediment yeast when fermenting beer. Lambic beer is fairly rare since it is produced around the areas near Belgium. More than 90 percent of beer manufactured either lager or ale beer.

Wine is considered to be a more sophisticated drink than beer. Kim Tae-Wan (21, Seoul) says, “Drinking wine makes me feel like I belong to the upper class of the society. It is expensive, and it requires a longer time to really taste its uniqueness.” Likewise, wine provides people with an elegant taste. It may sound strange, but wine prevents people from committing suicide. Wine is a liquor, which can be enjoyed better with a group of people sharing their stories. Take drinking beer in an open baseball stadium with a couple of people. It tastes much better than drinking in home alone. Wine definitely urges people to talk more and to less think about gloomy things while drinking wine. Be careful because wine can be a depressant when drinking too much. It takes more time to get drunk when drinking wine, therefore risk of having a hangover is unnecessary. Wine is also a good doctor. Professor Kim Tae Hwan (Medicine, Hanyang University) elaborates, “Wine is a good cure for patients suffering from depression. One glass per day would be a pleasing serving for patients who want to have a normal sleeping cycle.”

One of the most common characteristics of wine, at least in the past, was that it has an oak cork to prevent the liquid from escaping the bottle. However there are not many people who realize the magic of the cork. Why not other steel plug but a wooden cork? In fact, cork does much more than just not letting the wine sip through the bottle. It actually adds the scent and taste of traditional wine. Park So-Dam (58, Seoul) who owns a private liquor shop said “the length of a cork of a wine differs depending on the age of the wine. It usually adds the tart mushroom taste to the wine, and lots of professional sommelier describes it as the taste of forest. Also, the cork does expand, which allows the liquid to remain in a vacuum state, lasting for more than decades.”

In bars around the metropolitan areas in Seoul, vodka is a favorite of foreigners. Most people know that vodka originated from Russia; Russia and vodka go together in popular culture. Vodka was first produced in Russia during the 20th century. Its production technique was kept secret, but was later passed on to South Europe by few Russians during the communist revolution in the 20th century, after which, the Russian government banned the production of vodka, causing numerous artisans to flee to another countries. From then on, vodka production spread across the world.

Medicinal Wines

While alcohol is directly or indirectly responsible for many deaths and much disease, some liquor can enhance our health. Medicinal wines are produced differently compared to other fermented liquors. Medical wines use herbs and fruits and use traditional fermenting process, which may last even six months. Depending on the part of the herb a wine ferment, its efficacy of remedy differs. The herbs or fruit the wine is fermented from determines the type of medical problem it relieves. From oriental times, Japanese people brewed medicinal wines and they saw huge benefits. Medicinal wines mostly use invigorant herbs and with only a few sips people can see changes. Kwak Jung-Moon (44, Daejeon), a doctor who specializes on oriental medicine says, “Medicinal wine, in its rudimentary ingredients, is just as same as ordinary medicine. It has fixed usage and dosage. Therefore, medicinal wine should not be served like any other liquor such as beer or wine.” He incorporated, “People should drink no more than 20ml of medicinal wine, two times a day before meals. The dosage of medicinal wine may differ depending on the size and age of a person.” People who try to make medical wine may choose among the root, stem, leaf, and flower of herbs. Yet medicinal wine is not limited to only herbs and fruits. Some examples of medicinal wines are parsley, onion, blueberry, celery, and walnut. In China, artisans use a tiger’s bone to make wine, and this is called Hogolju. It is known to provide a magnificent power to anyone drinking it. As any wine would be, medical wine ripens to its full potential as the fermenting period lasts longer. Yet, Lee Hee-Won, a researcher studying organic products implied “It is not recommended to ferment a medical too long because the sediments would cause the bottle to explode after a certain period.”

Regular wine has health benefits as well. Park So Young, a former pharmacist in Ewha Women’s University (EWHU) noted several benefits of wine. “Wine has more than 10 vitamins and minerals including vitamin B, and phosphorous.” Park argued, “Wine is efficient in preventing skin aging, by maintaining the level of female hormone estrogen.” She then continued, “The polyphenol component of wine interrupts the shaping of melanin thus lessens the possibility of having freckles and pimples.” What is even surprising is that when putting on a white sheet of face mask moistened by wine, your skin can benefit from it.

Park said “In beer, there is hydrochloric acid which improves the function of neurons our body.” She again addressed the benefits of beer, “Drinking up to one cup of wine per week, people can prevent suffering from Alzheimer’s disease and their bone density would increase.”

"Medicinal wines use invigorant herbs 

and with only a few sips people can see changes."

A Part of Culture

Alcohol sometimes plays a huge role in each country’s traditional cultures. There are certain rituals that use alcohol in a sacred way. Drinking a cup of a traditionally made alcohol have meanings beyond our time. They are traditional cultures that people need to preserve. More practically, there are diverse cultural behaviors among the intake of alcohol.

Thais usually go out to bars with a bucket filled with liquors. Actually, the bucket was a drink created to promote communal drinking in the country. Thais enjoy the buckets when they go out to local disco for the evening. This is a traditional ritual that brings everyone to the table, and their attention. In Czech Republic, the custom of drinking absinthe developed along with myths and urban legends. Traditionally, absinthe is drunk by pouring cold water onto a sugar cube, which rests on a spoon over the green absinthe. In Russia, average Russian drinks a bottle of vodka a week. Before drinking shots of vodka, Russians sniff rye bread. Also, once a vodka bottle is opened, it must be finished. Russians drink pickle juice while taking shots of vodka just to prevent hangovers.

In Korea, alcoholic drinks have been distilled in each home for centuries. The traditional drink makgeoli, is fermented from rice. Other than that, there is the ever-popular soju. Ju is the other traditional Korean adult beverage. These drinks are used in times of memorial services in tribute to the ancestors. The sons and daughters of the ancestors bow to the shrine or the table and place a cup of alcohol before the ancestors. It is a courtesy to the ancestors signaling that their descendants still care about them.

China and Japan share similar ritualistic ceremonies regarding alcohol. Alcohol for them is also an item that teaches people respect and care for others. For instance, there are habitual actions that the Chinese people do while drinking, such as tapping the table twice before pouring the drink. This action means gratitude for the guests. In Japan, Rikako Amano (21, Tokyo), who is currently a sophomore in Keio University explains, “Drinking is, of course, popular in Japan. Beers in Japan is extremely famous worldwide, and there are a lot of varieties of them. It is delicious!”

In Greece, drinking is just a part of socializing. The Greeks love to drink outside, in the cool breeze of the sea. They dance while drinking, sometimes all night, enjoying the nature. Unlike other European countries, it is okay for bars to open through the night, since most people do not get heavily drunk but just enjoy drinking. Kevin Lee (49, Athens) confirms this drinking culture saying, “Drinking is merely a social gathering for the Greeks, rather than the act of drinking itself. Therefore, it is one of their sophisticated cultures. Wine is especially popular in Greece, with young people also drinking wine. Drinking before and after meals is also developed, since the Greeks believe this will help them digest.”

In the U.S., before-meal drinks are also popular. especially before dinners, some families gather around the living room and each has a drink to warm up before the actual dining. It is a casual time to catch up on what the others have been doing, and since the drinks are usually homemade and based on cocktails, it is not likely for people to get drunk.

Breaking the Ice

Park Hyo eun (’11, Business Administration) is just a second year student. She recently joined a Judo club in Korea University (KU). Unfortunately, most of the members were older than her and she was the only girl. At first, Park felt so awkward; she did not seem to get along well enough with the members. everything changed when she had a drink or two. It was much easier to share personal stories since all the guard that she had put up went down. Park still often has a drink with her fellow club members.

The case of Park is just a typical example of a life of a college student. It leads to another good point in drinking, that it is a great catalyst for ice breaking. At times such as the first time students gather in a new class at the start of the year or in a club meet- ing, people often think that they would do anything to break that awkward silence. The silence breaks so suddenly once people have a drop of alcohol in their blood. They talk, ask questions, laugh, and seem to feel much more relaxed. This is the power of alcohol.
Not only the first me etings, but other engagements are also often held in bars. When meeting up with friends, going to bars and having a glass of cocktail or fancy drink is the norm. A group of college students might go to bars and play games. Seniors would buy drinks to their juniors, having conversations and getting to know each other. The moody atmosphere of bars, usually a bit dark, helps people open up to each other easily. However, lee Seok Ki (’08, linguistics) notes, “drinking does help with socializing easily, but I think the culture of forcing alcohol on someone still remains, so people not good at drinking might feel left out of these social gatherings.”

Taking tons of alcoholic drinks to Membership Trainings (MT) is also proof of the socializing effect alcohol has. Both groups of students, students who are already close together and students who barely know each other always take enough alcohol when they go to MTs. for students who are not close, they drink up and loosen up. They can talk more with strang ers with the help of alcohol. Students who are already friends get to see the ungraceful and sometimes extremely funny behavior. Shin Woong Hee (’09, Spanish language and literature) says, “These behaviors later on become a good topic of conversation. Also, the fact that we share unforgettable memories helps us become good friends.”

▲ A gathering of The Granite Tower (GT). Photographed by Park Sang Eun

Socializing through drinking does not only apply to college students. for career men and women, drinking may be a place for getting to know their bosses and familiarizing themselves with the people at the firm. It is much harder to get closer to the senior members of a firm than to seniors in school. But with the help of alcohol, younger and newly-hired employees have a chance to show their faces and listen in on the works of their firm. The experienced employees also will feel more comfortable without office tables between them, and will be able to treat others like friends. As Ryoo Yeonuk (49, Gyeonggi Province) states, “Korea still has the culture of giving each other a glass of alcohol. This ‘giving’ is an exchange, not only of the alcohol but also of care and consideration for the other person. So the fact that a variety of people meet together for the purpose of drinking is a significant social gain.”

Jeon Jae Gu (40, Seoul), who is the president of the Korean Institute of Beverage Culture (KIBC) comments “Currently in Korea, the drinking culture is too focused on drinking itself, rather than ice breaking. I am trying to spread out the fun and enjoyable way to drink alcohol and focus more on the advantages of alcohol rather than the downsides.” The members of KIBC hold regular seminars on alcohol and its culture. They are trying to bring forward the socializing effects of drinking.

Drinking, unlike common impression, has good sides to it. However, people should always remember that too much means harm. People who are drunk driving and those who get violent after getting drunk is becoming one of the biggest social problems in Korea. These people commit crimes without their sane minds and later in court defend themselves with alcohol. Some crimes that created a ripple in Korean society were misbehavings after getting heavily drunk.

The government systems, when compared those of with foreign countries, are very lax in terms of alcohol. People can be seen drinking freely anywhere, anytime, and with anyone. It is not hard to buy alcohol well past midnight. However, drinking is a choice. One is not forced nor asked to drink. Being adults mean responsibility that follows every action. Korean citizens, as well as people in general should keep this fact in mind even when they get drunk.