No trip to South Korea would be complete without experiencing the country’s unique alcoholic beverages. Soju, makgeolli, and other traditional Korean liquors are some of the most iconic.
Have you ever heard of soju? International drinkers may already be familiar with soju flavors and soju alcohol percentages due to the reputation of Korean soju. However, newcomers to Korea may be unfamiliar with it.
Traditional Korean liquors, like makgeolli, are characterized by the fermentation of ingredients like rice, and their sweet and sour flavors pair well with Korean food. Today, we’ll take a look at Korea’s national drink, what is soju and korean traditional liquor and introduce you to some of the best snacks and restaurants that pair well with it.
1. All about Korean soju and Korean traditional liquor
China’s Kaoliang liquor, Japan’s sake, and Korea’s soju. But what is soju and is it a must-try in Korea? Korean soju is a colorless, clear, diluted soju with a soju alcohol percentage that varies from 16.8% to 45%. While high soju alcohol percentages of 25% or more used to be the norm, lower alcohol soju is becoming more popular these days with the rise of low-alcohol liquor. Still, some people who can’t drink soju alone drink “so mack” a mixture of beer and soju.
Korean soju, most has alcohol percentage of 20% to 25%, is made from ingredients such as rice, barley, and potatoes. Each region produces different soju flavors and ingredients; some have a clean taste, while others are savory and rich. If you’re planning to travel to different regions, it’s a good idea to try Korean soju flavors that are unique to each region.
Korean traditional liquor consists of spirits and medicinal liquors, such as makgeolli, which is made by fermenting rice. Korean traditional liquor is characterized by its high alcohol content and clean aftertaste, which pairs well with many snacks. Korean-style liquors made with yeast and rice have become trendy in recent years, and can also be enjoyed as spirits, such as Hwayo and Seoul Night.
2. Foods that go well with Korean soju and Korean traditional liquor
There are certain alcoholic beverage combinations that pair particularly well with certain foods, such as wine with cheese and beer with chicken, but what are the best snacks to pair with soju and Korean traditional liquor? Because of the strong flavors and aromas of common soju flavors and Korean traditional liquors, salty or soy-based snacks tend to go well with them. Below is a list of snacks that are known to pair well with Korean soju and Korean traditional liquors, so check them out and choose a restaurant to go with them.
1) Chewy and light ‘sashimi’
Sashimi is a classic seafood dish made with freshly caught ingredients. It’s known for being a high-protein, low-fat dish that contains the nutrients of the fish itself, and its chewy texture makes it a favorite among many people. Different types of fish have slightly different flavors and aromas, making it a fun dish to eat.
Because sashimi is made with fresh fish and no seasoning, it’s inherently rich and flavorful. This can be overpowering when eating sashimi alone due to the oils in the fish, but the combination of strong soju flavors and Korean traditional liquor flavors is refreshing and mellows out the flavors of the sashimi itself. Of course, you can also pair beer and soju together. If you’re visiting South Korea, here are some of the best sashimi restaurants you should check out.
Aged sashimi with seasonal ingredients, <KAPPO AKII Dosan Park>
- Address : Cookie Building, 8-3, Dosan-daero 45-gil, Gangnam-gu, Seoul
- Business Hours : 17:30 ~ 00:30 (Closed every Sunday)
KAPPO AKII Dosan Park is a Japanese restaurant located on the Apgujeong Rodeo side of the city, and their style of cooking is to use seasonal ingredients to bring out their natural flavors. If you don’t like a certain fish or composition, they will change it to meet your needs, so even picky eaters can feel free to visit.
There is aged sashimi here, which doubles the chewy texture by cooking sashimi. If you’re tired from a long day of traveling, why not melt away your travel fatigue with a seasonal aged sashimi made with a variety of seasonal fish and Korean soju?
2) ‘Pork belly’, the eternal companion of soju
Pork belly is one of Korea’s most iconic dishes, with the right mix of lean meat and fat to create a tender, savory flavor. It’s typically grilled on a charcoal grill, and when it’s done, it’s often wrapped in lettuce or kimchi and dipped in sauces like gochujang and ssamjang.
Samgyeopsal is also a classic dish to share with family, friends, and colleagues, and it’s become a cultural tradition to serve it with soju, a strong drink that maximizes the savory flavors of the pork belly! When you hear the word “samgyeopsal” you think “Korean soju” and the two are inseparable. Which restaurants specialize in pork belly that Koreans love so much?
<Seongmigol> , where you can taste Iberian black pork
- Address : 102, 137 World Cup-ro, Mapo-gu, Seoul
- Business Hours : Mon-Thu 14:00 ~ 23:00 / Fri-Sun 13:00 ~ 23:00 (Closed every Tuesday)
Seongmigol is a Mangwon-dong meat restaurant where you can eat Iberian black pork, one of the world’s top four delicacies. Iberian black pork is a Spanish pig that is raised on eco-friendly grazing and the highest quality feed. If you order an assortment instead of a specific part, such as pork belly, you can get a detailed description of the part and how to eat it!
The interior is spacious, so it’s easy to make a reservation as a catch table and visit with family and friends. The menu is divided into two main categories: grilled set meals and single dishes, and the single dishes include pork belly, marbled brisket, and duroc flower pork belly, so you can choose according to your preference. While I usually enjoy soju with my pork belly, there are many people who enjoy both beer and soju together!
Why not enjoy a delicious piece of grilled meat, a glass of Korean soju or traditional Korean liquor, and a good chat with friends at Seongmigol?
3) Perfect side dish for drinking ‘Sundae’
Sundae, also known as “Korean sausage” is a traditional Korean food made from ground pork offal and other ingredients. It’s nicknamed for its long, sausage-like shape before it’s sliced. It’s commonly eaten with tteokbokki, dipped in tteokbokki broth, or used in broth dishes like sundae soup.
Because of the variety of ingredients, sundae has a rich flavor that fills your mouth as soon as you bite into it. When paired with soju, a light and refreshing traditional Korean liquor, it complements and enhances the flavor. Where are some of Korea’s favorite sundae restaurants?
The infinite transformation of sundae! <Leebukbang>
- Address : 2F, 16 Mapo-daero 1-gil, Mapo-gu, Seoul
- Business Hours : Lunch 12:30 ~ 14:00 / Weekdays Dinner 19:00 ~ 20:30 / Weekend Dinner 17:00 ~ 21:00 (Closed every Monday)
- Break time (Weekend Dinner) : 18:30 ~ 19:30
Where is the endless transformation of sundae? LeeBukbang is a restaurant run by Chef Jihyung Choi. The restaurant offers a “sundae omakase,” which is a traditional Korean dish made with sundae.
The restaurant offers a variety of carefully prepared sundae, including vegetable skin sundae, white sundae, abai sundae, and duck sundae, as well as a variety of side dishes such as traditional pollock sundae and low-temperature cooked suyuk. The sundae was inspired by her maternal grandmother from Hamgyong Island. If you’re curious to find out what the prestigious Guide Seoul 2023-recommended Leebukbang sundae tastes like, make a reservation through Catchtable!
4) A Greasy, Flavorful Treat ‘Beef tripe’
One of Korea’s favorite foods is offal, or cow’s intestines. Beef tripe is a dish of grilled, cleaned, and trimmed offal. It’s usually grilled on a barbecue, and it’s so firm and chewy that you won’t be able to put it down.
It’s this korean soju, or traditional Korean liquor, that acts as a softening agent for the unique flavors and tastes of giblets. It’s relatively low in alcohol and has a refreshing flavor that cuts through the grease and enhances the flavor of the giblets. Here are some of the best places to eat so gopchang in Seoul that you won’t be able to stop using your chopsticks.
The best flavor, <Mogdong Yangdaechang>
- Address : 1F, 32, Omok-ro 46-gil, Yangcheon-gu, Seoul
- Business hours : 17:00 ~ 24:00
Although it is a grilled food, the life of offal is its freshness and quality. There is a giblets restaurant where you can eat quality and fresh giblets. The name is Mogdong Yangdaechang.
Many of the ingredients in Mogdong Yangdaechang, including beef giblets, have a very chewy texture and are gaining popularity every day. Although the interior is not very spacious, it is possible to make a reservation for a catch table, so you can easily visit and have a small conversation with your family, lover, or friends who are traveling together while enjoying Korean soju or Korean traditional liquor.
Today, we learned about what is soju and Korean traditional liquor, and looked at the food and restaurants that go well together. Korean soju and Korean traditional liquor, which are loved by many people! If you travel to Korea, I hope you eat it with delicious food.