[edit] Drinking Practices 음주 습관

Learning Korean drinking practices will be helpful in making friends.

[edit] Exchanging Glasses. 순배.

When someone else's glass or cup (suljan 술잔) is completely empty, it is proper etiquette to take the bottle with two hands and pour the person another drink. When people are close, they may exchange cups. When one has emptied his cup, he may give it to the other person and then pour a drink into it for him to drink. Exchanging cups like this affirms friendship and trust.

[edit] There is never 'only' alcohol. 안주 없이는 술은 안 먹는다.

When Koreans drink, they always have some food on the table as well, called anju (안주). There are simple anju assortments of dried things to nibble on, but people prefer to have greasy foods such as gui (구이) or jjim (찜) made from fish or meat.

[edit] Who pays? 누가 돈을 내나?

When friends go to enjoy a drink together they almost always determine who will be paying. Whoever says "Let me buy you a drink" will be paying. It is becoming more common among young people, however, for everyone to pay their own bill. If the occasion is someone's birthday or going away party (송별회), everyone but the person being so honored pays together.

[edit] External Links

http://english.chosun.com/w21data/html/news/200107/200107090270.html [Korean Business Culture] Entertainment Culture @ Chosun Ilbo