Survival Tip: Unspoken Rules of Drinking in Korea

You've moved to Seoul and, on top of living in a city you know little about, you live in an area that is the "bright lights, big city" equivalent of...

The only times you've been "out" have been with your coteachers/coworkers who, 9/10, will be speaking only Korean the entire time. If you speak Korean, good on you, this might actually be fun, but if you don't you'll just sit there, smiling dumbly, laughing only because other people are laughing, and all the while thinking...

But, come on, this is a HUGE city, there must be SOMETHING fun out there to do at night when getting your drink on is absolutely essential.

I'm here to tell you just how right you are...

However, there are some "unspoken" rules about partying in the Soul of Asia:

1) Soju is from both Heaven and Hell

Ohhh sweet, sweet soju. As I've described in previous posts: soju is cheap, available everywhere, and the perfect beverage to compliment one of the greatest foods in the world: Korean BBQ.

It's been one week (translation: it's been too long!)

When you're out on the town and have been hitting overpriced bars and even more overpriced clubs, soju seems like the perfect way to end a night. It stares at you from the refrigerator of the CU Mart or waits tantalizingly close to you at a restaurant. So cheap... so alcoholic...

It looks all...

When in reality, it's...

Soju, as a way to end a night, is an absolutely terrible idea. It's also a terrbile "middle of the night" choice. Pretty much it should only be consumed at the beginning of the night or with food. You see, soju, pre-drunk, tastes like a weak vodka. It's not the greatest drink in the world but, in the right context, is enjoyable. As the night goes on, however, and your taste buds become extra-dumb, the taste kinda goes away and you're just left with "awesome, this alcohol makes my alcohol more alcohol!" When consumed while already drunk it will flow like the substance it most closely resembles (aka water), and in the morning... well... lets just say few hangovers are more hangover-tastic than soju hangovers. Side effects will most likely include: incredible headache, the runs, inability to ingest anything other than ramen, and a stink that won't wear off for 24 hours no matter how hard you scrub.

Because we foreigners are not used to the effects of soju, a decent percentage of us have taught at least one class... well...

2. Beware of Anju

Alcohol in Korea is DAMN CHEAP. I mean, cheap as free. Less expensive than soda. Bars, to make up for the fact that selling booze makes them almost no money, will often not allow you to drink unless you order food. This type of food is called anju, the Korean version of bar food, and can run the full spectrum of what is served (anything from cheese ddokbokki to fruit platters). Also to help offset costs, the anju will frequently be FREAKING EXPENSIVE! This is because they fully expect you to want to get drunk and, as we all know, when you get drunk you make poor financial and diet decisions.

Did I say "poor diet decisions"? I meant "the most epically awesome diet decisions!!!"

The best way to avoid anju is to always avoid bars that kinda look like restaurants, or ones that don't look more like western bars. Western style bars are mostly found in Itaewon, Gangnam, or Hongdae, but even these areas are not anju-free. The absolute best anju-free bars, in my opinion, are "self-bars." 

*angels singing*

Now, please don't get confused, there is also an amazing chain of all-you-can-eat Korean BBQ buffets called "Self Bar," pretty much if you see BBQ grills when you go into a place marked "self bar" these are not the droids you are looking for. Look for a large wall of beer coolers that is out in the open, not behind a counter. Also, look for the word "셀프" on the signs outside. You just go to the fridges, grab your beer, consume it, and then take all the empties up to the counter at the end. You can also feel free to grab any snacks you see and pay for them at the end. This is an amazing way to avoid the overwhelming fear many Asian establishments have of splitting the bill.

3. Lock Up Your Stuff!

If you're the club-going kind and a night full of sweating, dancing, and permanent inner-ear damage sounds ideal to you, have no fear, Seoul has plenty of playgrounds for you to abuse. There's amazing clubs throughout the city, but that's for another post. Clubs in Korea, like clubs everywhere, can be either over-priced and swanky or cheap and full of creepers. The best thing about Korean clubs, however, is that almost all of them, rather than a coat-check, have lockers. You'll need 500 won coins to use these, so steal some from your Daiso piggy bank before heading out. No matter how jam-packed the club, you can normally find at least one locker vacant, so your arms will be free to...

Or, if you're planning more to club hop or bar hop and want to drop off your briefcase/backpack/small child, almost every subway station in Seoul has lockers available to rent. Even after the subway closes these lockers are still accessible. The drawback, however, is that many of these are now digital and without menus available in English, and, most of the time, you SHOULD NOT LEAVE YOUR THINGS IN THESE UNTIL THE NEXT MORNING. Take your stuff out before the subway opens again at 6am. 

4) Sharing is Caring

Koreans are a super friendly people. They are insanely giving to their friends and, once the alcohol starts flowing, become SUPER friendly to strangers. Chances are, if the table next to yours has someone who can speak even high-beginner English, you will make new friends when out at the bars and restaurants. Koreans love talking to each other and, with liquid courage, are anxious to practice their English and give foreigners a good image of Korea. I've had middle-aged groups of Koreans buy massive amounts of alcohol for me and my friends. These bottles will be brought to you by waiters or waitresses still sealed, so no need to worry about being drugged.

So when the table next to yours looks at you like...

WARNING: The people doing this will probably NOT be this young or attractive

Say anything in Korean to them... seriously... anything... even just "anyeonghaseyeo" (hello) and they'll be all...

Translation: WOWW!!!

And then they might order your table drinks until both of your tables are all...

The next kind of sharing is a little more... unorthodox. When you're in an area with a large crowd-density late at night, getting a cab can be a massive pain in the ass. The cab drivers are also well aware that you are leaving the party district because you are either a) super drunk b) super tired c) both. They know how desperate you are to go home and will try many things to get as much money as possible. This will include quoting you a price or inviting other people that you don't know to share the cab if you're going in the same direction. Both of these things are technically illegal, and, if you don't want to, you don't need to put up with it. If you express to them that you know that it's not legal or make clear that you won't accept it, they won't force the issue. However, sharing a cab, if you have a buddy with you, is not the worst thing that could happen to you, because it will help make the cab ride less costly!

So there you have it. Did I miss anything? Leave a message in the comments. Also, what do you think are the "unspoken rules" of getting drunk where you live?