South Korea has an unmatched love for the bottle — specifically hard liquor — than any other country in the world. According to a Euro monitor International report, South Koreans down 13.7 shots of hard liquor every week! Russia trails at a distant second with 6.3 shots and Philippines third, consuming 5.4 shots. Soju, a locally fermented rice spirit with a 20% alcoholic content, accounts for 97% of all sales.
South Koreans definitely didn’t become a drinking nation out of the blue. There are reasons, and outlined next are 8 of them.
Number 1. It is cheap and readily accessible
In most Western and European countries, selling alcohol is restricted to either specific hours of the day, certain days of the week, or among selected retailers. South Korea sails on a different boat.
Alcohol is readily available at any convenience store, supermarket, street vendor, shop, or restaurant 24 hours a day. Even in rural parts, you’re bound to find alcohol. Any person with an ID can access alcohol anywhere at whatever time they please. You can also drink almost everywhere; be it on the beach, public park, or street, as there are no specific regulations barring public drinking.
Liquor in South Korea is also cheap compared to, say, America. A 375 ml of Soju is around 1500…
