It’s believed that alcoholic beverages first appeared on the Korean peninsula somewhere between 15,000-17,000 years ago. The discovery of rice grains in Soro-ri Village, Chungcheongbuk-do Province, provides evidence of the world’s oldest known rice cultivation. This suggests that as agriculture began, rice grown here was likely fermented, giving birth to the first rudimentary alcoholic drinks. Much later, about 2,000 years ago, alcohol made an appearance in the founding myth of the Goguryeo Kingdom (37BC-AD668), woven into the love story of Haemosu, son of Heaven and Yuhwa, daughter of the God of Water. And in the Samguk Sagi (History of the Three Kingdoms), it’s recorded that during the reign of King Yuri of the Silla Dynasty (57BC-AD935), people prepared alcohol and food to celebrate the Chuseok harvest festival. Later, during the Goryeo Dynasty (935-1392), distillation technology arrived in Korea along with Islamic alchemy, brought by the Mongolians after their conquest of the Khwarazmian Empire in what is now Iran. This potent liquor was called soju, from the Sino-Korean characters so (燒), meaning “to burn,” and ju (酒) “liquor” — a name that echoes the etymology of the English word “brandy,” from “burnt wine.”
In Korea, regions that were under strong Mongolian influence, such as Andong, Gaegyeong (modern-day Kaesong), and Jeju Island, developed as centers of soju production. The Joseon Dynasty (1392-1910) would later bestow this precious soju as a gift to the feudal lord of Japan’s Tsushima Island. According to Japanese sake sommeliers, the techniques of Joseon soju are believed to have played a role in the development of barley shochu in the Kyushu region.

Traditionally made soju was exceedingly rare and precious during the Joseon era. From 1kg of rice, one could produce only about 400ml of 40-proof soju. During times when food itself was scarce, drinking such a spirit was the height of luxury. The Joseon Dynasty kings thus frequently issued prohibitions on alcohol. However, King Jeongjo, who championed commerce, relaxed these prohibitions to stimulate economic growth. It was during this time that the jumak, or traditional tavern, flourished. There were various classes of jumak. The five-star equivalent was the yeok, a large-scale government waystation, which might employ as many as a hundred serving women (jumo) and female assistants (damo), and also functioned as a stable, a currency exchange, and even a courier service. A four-star equivalent was the won, which was jointly operated by the government and private citizens.

In Korea, it was the mothers of the household who tradi¬tionally crafted the alcohol. Seventeenth-century texts like the Jubangmun (Recipes from the Kitchen) and the Eumsik Dimibang (Recipes and Principles of Cooking), penned by Lady Jang of Andong, contain records of married women brewing traditional liquors in their homes. Traditional Korean alcohol begins with just three simple elements: rice, water and nuruk (a fermentation starter). From these basic components, an astonishing variety of styles and flavors can be created. These women crafted imaginative drinks like ihwaju, a thick, spoonable makgeolli (a milky, unfiltered rice wine) made without adding water; hongtakju, colored with red nuruk; and even a type of wine made with both rice and grapes. They captured the essence of each season in their brews, using azaleas in the spring, lotus flowers in the summer and chrysanthemums in the fall. It was believed that if a household’s liquor tasted good, it was a sign of peace and prosperity, as the delicate nature of fermented drinks required careful management to maintain their quality.
Much of this rich culture was lost during the Japanese colonial period. In 1909, the Japanese government issued a law prohib¬iting home brewing. Later, after a severe famine in 1963, the Korean government banned the use of rice and barley for making alcohol. As a result, a much simpler, diluted soju made from alcohol mixed with water and sweeteners, along with makgeolli made from wheat flour, came to dominate the market. It was a time when the traditional culture of savoring the taste and aroma of well-crafted spirits rapidly faded.

The 1988 Seoul Olympics served as a catalyst for the revival of traditional alcohols, with the government beginning to designate traditional liquor-making traditions as National Intangible Cultural Heritages in advance of the games. In the 2010s, this effort was further bolstered when the government permitted the online sale of traditional liquors. This paved the way for the emergence of high-end makgeolli and other premium traditional spirits, and famed Korean restaurants in areas like Gangnam and Hongdae began to specialize in them.
These modern craft spirits are made with local agricul¬tural products, often aged for long periods, and contain no artificial sweeteners, allowing the pure flavors of the ingre¬dients to shine. To further celebrate this revival, the Ministry of Agriculture, Food and Rural Affairs launched the “Visiting Brewery” program in 2013, highlighting breweries across the country that offer unique cultural and hands-on experiences.
With this growing interest in cultural and culinary tourism, traditional liquor has entered a renaissance. Korean Presidents now serve it to foreign dignitaries at state dinners, specialty traditional liquor sections have appeared in department stores, and dedicated retail shops are popping up everywhere.
Recently, the market has exploded with an even greater diversity of offerings that are further expanding the connec-tion with consumers. There are now brands that recreate recipes found in ancient texts and feature artistic collabora¬tions with well-known artists. Some offer miniature bottle gift sets, and interesting new twists like oak barrel-aged soju and whisky made from distilled rice.
In the global culinary hub of Seoul, traditional Korean liquor is now emerging as a new star. At acclaimed modern Korean fine-dining restaurants like Evett, Eatanic Garden and Bium, the chefs are directly involved in brewing their own traditional liquors to create sophisticated food pairings, offering a truly immersive dining experience.
Here, traditional liquor is not just a drink on the side; it is an essential part of the story, a traveling companion to the cuisine. In that moment when a beautifully aged spirit meets a modern culinary sensibility, the meal is elevated into a sensory narrative.
At Bar Cham, ranked sixth on the Asia’s 50 Best Bars list, innovative cocktails made with traditional Korean liquors and local ingredients are drawing in not only the millennial and Gen Z crowd but also a constant stream of curious tourists.
Traditional Korean sool is an experience that embodies the pure flavor of its ingredients, the unique character of its region, and the deep connections between people. With hundreds of wineries, breweries and distilleries across the country producing a rich variety of drinks, from makgeolli and yakju (a refined rice wine brewed with medicinal herbs) to cheongju (clear rice wine), soju and fruit wines, traditional liquors have become a powerful cultural force, full of potential for tourism and storytelling. The day may soon come when one cannot truly speak of the Korean Wave without first understanding the world of traditional Korean liquor.

Myung Wook is Korea’s leading expert on liquor-related humanities and trends. He now dedicates his time to sharing the profound value of spirits of brewed and distilled beverages through writing and lectures.

• Written by Myung Wook
• Edited by Yang Yeonju
• Photography by Park Dabin (Grid Studio)
• Food styling by Moon Inyoung (101 Recipe)