• How to Drink Like a Korean

        • 02/13/2024

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  • How to Drink Like a Korean

    From Soju to Beer and Somaek

    Photo of filling a glass

    Soju and beer are two of Koreans’ favorite choices of drinks. According to a 2019 survey of 1,158 Koreans conducted by Gallup Korea, 61% of those who regularly drink chose soju as their most favorite drink and 31% of them chose beer. Soju is an alcoholic beverage unique to Korea, while beer is enjoyed around the world for the cold, refreshing taste. And there is also somaek, a mixture of these two alcoholic beverages. Let’s find out which side dishes go well with which drink when drinking like a Korean.

    A Fresh and Savory Sliced Raw Fish
    Sliced Raw Fish and Soju
    Assorted raw fish photos
    A Platter of Assorted Sliced Raw Fish
    Enlarged photo of assorted raw fish
    Assorted Sliced Raw Fish with Sliced Raw Salmon and Yellow Tail
    Photo of raw fish being lifted with chopsticks
    Sliced Raw Yellow Tail, a Seasonal Winter Dish
    Photo of sliced raw yellowtail on top of seaweed
    Laver Adds to the Flavor of the Sliced Raw Yellow Tail
    Soju and assorted sliced raw fish photo
    Soju Goes Well with Fresh Sliced Raw Fish

    There are so many side dishes that go well with soju, but almost every Korean would agree that sliced raw fish and soju make a delicious combination. In Korea, sliced raw fish is made with live fish. It’s often considered an expensive delicacy because of the process of having to catch and deliver the fish with freshness intact before it’s prepared by a skilled chef. Sliced raw fish is usually served with sweet and sour red chili paste, soy sauce or “soybean paste with red chili powder,” which is actually a sauce made of mixed paste, sesame oil, thinly sliced garlic, and green onions. Instead of dipping the sliced raw fish in any of these three sauces, some prefer to wrap it with a perilla leaf or lettuce leaf just like they would with grilled pork belly. The reason being is that the vegetables bring out the flavor of the raw fish. Sliced raw fish goes particularly well with soju compared to other types of alcoholic beverages because it’s perfect for washing away the oily taste of the fish, making you want to reach for some more of the sliced raw fish. Compared to other types of drinks, soju is a perfect match for seafood that can be too rich in flavor or foods that are greasy because of its light taste. After eating the sliced raw fish, you can choose to order a spicy fish stew that will be made of what’s left of the fish you just ate. This stew also goes very well with soju.

    • Noryanghaejeon Noryangjin Hoetjip
    • 1F, 4 Manyang-ro 16-gil, Dongjak-gu, Seoul
    • +82-507-1334-5551
    • 12:00-01:50 / Last order at 01:20 / Open all year round
    • Assorted Sliced Raw Fish Set (Medium) KRW 100,000
      Assorted Raw Seafood KRW 80,000
      Nutritious Cold Raw Fish Soup KRW 70,000
    • Jayeonsan Hoetjip Odaegam Twigim
    • 117 Baeksajang 1-gil, Anmyeon-eup, Taean-gun, Chungcheongnam-do
    • +82-41-673-2117
    • Winter 09:00-21:00 (Spring-Autumn 09:00-22:00) /
      Closed days may vary during winter depending on the weather
      (Inquiries by phone before visiting)
    • Sliced Raw Wild Fish Set Menu 2 (2 Servings) KRW 120,000
      Sliced Raw Rockfish Set Menu (2 Servings) KRW 90,000
      Seafood Ramyeon (1 Serving) KRW 14,000
    • Seorak Hoetjip
    • 54 Haemaji-gil, Ganghyeon-myeon, Yangyang-gun, Gangwon State
    • +82-33-672-3918
    • 11:00-21:00 / Closed days may vary (Inquiries by phone before visiting)
    • Assorted Sliced Raw Fish (Live Fish) (Small) KRW 80,000
      Grilled Clams KRW 65,000
      Cold Raw Seafood Soup KRW 20,000
    Dried Seafood with Delicious Texture
    Grilled Dried Pollack and Beer
    Grilled pollack and Sauce Photo
    Grilled Dried Pollack Dipped in a Sauce
    Photo of grilled pollack dipped in sauce
    Dried Pollack Goes Well with Soy Sauce Mixed with Mayonnaise and Cheongyang Chili Pepper
    Spam Egg Rice Bowl Photo
    Soft Fried Egg and Grilled Spam to Go with the Drink
    A table set with beer and snacks
    A Table Full of Beer and Side Dishes at a ‘Gamaekjip’, a Convenience Store Turned into a Bar
    A table set with beer and snacks
    A Table Full of Beer and Side Dishes at a ‘Gamaekjip’, a Convenience Store Turned into a Bar
    A gamaekjip selling a variety of snack
    A Gamaekjip Selling Various Types of Drinks and Snacks
    Choose your own drinks and snacks
    A Gamaekjip, a Self-serve Bar Where You Choose and Bring the Drinks and Snacks of Your Choice

    Many Koreans choose dried seafood as their favorite side dish to go with beer because it’s not too heavy on their stomach. Dried seafood is just that, fish or seafood that’s naturally dried under the sun or artificially dried with heat. Many Koreans love to have some grilled dried pollack with their beer because of its unique rich flavor. Dried pollack is characterized by the dark color of the skin, which darkens while being naturally dried. A naturally dried pollack is moister and more tender than the ones that are artificially dried, making it a perfect side dish to go with beer. If you want to follow the way Koreans prepare and eat their grilled dried pollack, then first, slightly grill a dried pollack over the fire, tear it into thin strips, and dip the thin strip of grilled dried pollack in soy sauce mixed with mayonnaise and Cheongyang chili pepper. This is one of the best ways to enjoy the savory taste of the fish and the spice of the sauce at the same time. Have a sip of the beer with this unique umami flavor in your mouth, and you will instantly get a taste of this all-time favorite side dish for beer among Koreans. Grilled dried pollack became even more popular with the rise of “Gamaekjip,” a unique type of self-serve bar that originated in Jeonju, Jeonbuk State. A number of convenience stores in this city started selling grilled dried pollack along with beer, hence the name “ga-maek,” which literally means “store-beer” in Korean. This unique culture of drinking at a convenience store soon became very popular in Jeonbuk State because of the cheap prices of beer and snacks including squid and dried pollack that are relatively cheaper than most other foods for drinks. Gamaekjip also served simple side dishes such as eggs and spam. In addition to these, some of the unique advantages of drinking in a gamaekjip included that you can choose any of the alcoholic beverages and snacks that the convenience store carries to eat and drink.

    • Nanuri Japhwajeom
    • 47 Yeonmujang-gil, Seongdong-gu, Seoul
    • +82-2-467-0344
    • 16:30-01:00 (Closes at 00:00 on Sundays) / Closed on the day of Seollal (Lunar New Year's Day) & Chuseok (Korean Thanksgiving Day)
    • Grilled Dried Pollack KRW 14,000
      Fried Eggs and Spam KRW 13,000
      Butter-grilled Pollack Roe KRW 17,000
    • Seonhwa Super Gamaek
    • 1F, 16, Bomun-ro 30ra-gil, Seongbuk-gu, Seoul
    • +82-2-925-4627
    • 12:00-01:00 / Last order at 00:30 / Closed Sundays
    • Grilled Dried Pollack KRW 13,500
      Instant Tteokbokki KRW 4,000
      Half-dried Squid KRW 13,500
    • Hwangnam Jutaek
    • 45-8 Poseok-ro 1050beon-gil, Gyeongju-si, Gyeongsangbuk-do
    • +82-507-1480-5359
    • 15:00-24:00 / Open all year round
    • Grilled Dried Pollack KRW 15,000
      Squid KRW 13,000
      Laver Chips KRW 6,000
    A Combination of Fresh Vegetables and Sundae
    Stir-fried Sundae and Somaek
    Sundae stir-fry and sauce photo
    Stir-fried Sundae without the Red Chili Paste for a Plain Flavor
    Stir-fried Sundae dipped with Red Chili Paste
    Stir-fried Sundae Dipped in Red Chili Paste Sauce
    Stir-fried Sundae Wrapped in Vegetable Wrap
    Sundae Dipped in Red Chili Paste and Wrapped in a Vegetable Leaf
    Soju and beer
    Making a Glass of Somaek with Soju and Beer
    Somaek, a mixture of soju and beer
    A Technique for Mixing Soju with Beer Using Chopsticks

    Somaek is a mixture of beer and soju known for its fizzy tang and the spice of alcohol. The taste of somaek can change according to the ratio of beer and soju, and also the person who made it. In addition to the varying ratios of beer and soju, there are also various ways of making a glass of somaek. The most popular method is to put a chopstick in the glass of somaek and hit the chopstick with another chopstick to create a vibration to mix the two different alcoholic beverages. A simpler way to make a glass of somaek is just stirring it with a spoon.

    Stir-fried sundae is a recommended side dish for somaek. This dish is made by stir-frying sundae with various types of vegetables such as perilla leaves, cabbage, chives, sauce, perilla seed powder, and chewy noodles on a hot iron plate. Stir-fried sundae is often spicy because it usually includes chili pepper powder and/or red chili paste, but there are a variety of stir-fried sundae that doesn’t include any chili pepper powder or red chili paste. Plain but savory thanks to the perilla seed powder, many Koreans love to order this dish when they are about to have some somaek. While it can be served as it is, you can also dip it in the spicy red chili paste sauce or wrap it in a vegetable leaf. The perilla seed powder can become a little sticky in the mouth, so it’s when Koreans have a sip of somaek to wash it away so they can have some more of the delicacy. The chewy noodles will also make you want to drink more somaek because it’s coated with perilla seed powder.

    • Ttosuni Wonjo Sundae Main Branch
    • 14 Sillim-ro 59-gil, Gwanak-gu, Seoul
    • +82-507-1400-7565
    • 10:00-05:00 (Closes at 21:30 on Mondays) / Open all year round
    • Stir-fried Sundae and Small Intestine KRW 10,500
      Stir-fried Sundae KRW 10,500
      Stir-fried Sundae and Squid KRW 11,500
    • Wonjo Eommane
    • Jidong Sundae Town, Jidong Market, 19 Paldalmun-ro, Paldal-gu, Suwon-si, Gyeonggi-do
    • +82-31-253-5210
    • 10:30-22:30 /
      Closed on the first and third Tuesdays, and second and fourth Wednesdays
    • Stir-fried Sundae and Small Intestine KRW 13,000
      Boiled Korean Beef Head Slices (Small) KRW 30,000
      Boiled Pork Slices (Small) KRW 15,000
    • Yubaksa Gopchang
    • 1-3F, 56 Angol-ro 103beon-gil, Guri-si, Gyeonggi-do
    • +82-31-568-0320
    • 11:00~01:00 / Open all year round
    • Stir-fried Sundae KRW 15,000
      Stir-fried Vegetables and Small Intestines KRW 13,000
      Stir-fried Sundae and Small Intestine KRW 15,000

    * The column was written in December 2023, hence some of the details may have changed. Please check with the restaurants before visiting.

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