Poktanju (Korean : 폭탄주;lit. bomb liquor or bomb shot [1] ) is a cocktail that is made by mixing soju or whiskey and beer. A poktanju consists of a shot glass of soju or whiskey dropped into a pint of beer; it is drunk quickly. [2] It is considered to be a ritual drinking activity among office workers, friends, and colleagues. [3] Other possible names for poktanju are boilermaker, bomb shot, bomb drink or somaek.
In Korea, the act of partaking in drinking is the equivalent of socializing over dinner. Many Koreans view drinking as the quickest way to solidify bonds between family members, friends, and colleagues. "According to a 2013 survey...conducted in collaboration with the Korea Alcohol and Liquor Industry Association, a large majority of Korean people (71.8 percent) regard drinking as a necessary element of social life in Korea, particularly significant for men (65.8 percent)". [4] In a study to identify behaviors and the culture of drinking alcohol in Korean People it was found that most behaviors were in the domain of leisure time. [5] "Drinking for two or more times a month and binge drinking were mainly concentrated in five occasions types: going out with friends (44.2%), going out with colleague (34.2%), drinking at home or friend’s home with friends (32.9%), drinking at home alone (29.3%), and drinking with meals at home (27.5%)". [5] Social gatherings including alcohol usually involve participants becoming exceedingly drunk. Ritual Drinking, such as the poktanju, has been integral to the drinking culture of Korea. Since many Koreans feel being drunk is necessary in order to be openly honest with the individuals they are socializing with, poktanju became the cheap, ideal alternative to expensive drinks like whiskey, allowing individuals to become drunk inexpensively. [6]
Poktanju is consumed in the traditional Korean "bottoms up style" often referred to as "one shot". [1] The consumer downs the cocktail quickly "then shakes the empty glass with the shot still inside to make a ringing sound, followed by applause of other drinking partners, and it is passed to the next person." [1] Poktanju, or the "bomb-drink" came about due to social meetings resulting in heavy drinking. "As its name suggests, its main goal is to bombard the drinker with a heavy dose of alcohol until he or she nearly passes out". [6] "A foreigner traveling in Korea and socializing with the locals is likely to be bombarded with such cocktails, which have long been a hallmark of the Korean drinking culture". [4] In March when universities welcome new students, welcoming ceremonies are conducted. "The welcoming ceremonies usually involve binge-drinking events, which generally take the form of all-night sessions in a bar downing boilermaker "bombs". [7] In the military, "Poktanju symbolized power". [8] "The profiles of those who became a high-ranking position or a head of a power organization or such candidates used to include how much they can drink it". [8] "A person who can drink dozens of glasses of alcohol was considered a broad-minded big man". [8]
The origins of poktanju begin first with the origins of soju, the primary ingredient in Korean bomb shot. "Soju is distilled from rice, barley, and koji (a cultured grain), and cheaper brands are made from sweet potatoes". [9] "Soju originated in 14th century Goryeo, when Mongol invaders led by Genghis Khan introduced the Levantine distilling technique from Arabia to the Korean Peninsula". [10] Over time, Koreans learned to distill soju from rice and other grains and eventually we have the popular distilled rice wine that exists today.
There are three theories as to how poktanju originally became a cultural phenomenon in Korea, though the agreeance between the theories is that it originated sometime between the 1960's and the 1980's. The first theory is that poktanju emerged when binge drinking became a trend in Korea amongst salaried workers. "Amid rapid economic growth, salaried workers were forced to work hard and found no way to relieve their mounting stress other than heavy drinking"; poktanju became the inexpensive way for workers to bombard their senses and binge on alcohol. [11] The second theory of the origins of poktanju are that it began in the Korean military. "It is believed that the military introduced poktanju to Korean society first. Portal websites also say soldiers who studied in the U.S. in the 1960s and 70s first introduced it to Korea". [8] The third theory is that the "current style of poktanju ― beer with a shot of whisky ― made its Korean debut in the early 1980s, at a meeting between prosecutors, policemen and journalists in Chuncheon, Gangwon province". [12]
Soju is a clear and colorless distilled alcoholic beverage, traditionally made from rice, but later from other grains and has a flavor similar to vodka. It is usually consumed neat. Its alcohol content varies from about 12.5% to 53% alcohol by volume (ABV), although since 2007 low alcohol soju below 20% has become more popular.
A boilermaker is either of two types of beer cocktail. In American terminology, the drink consists of a glass of beer mixed with a shot of whiskey.
Drinking culture is the set of traditions and social behaviours that surround the consumption of alcoholic beverages as a recreational drug and social lubricant. Although alcoholic beverages and social attitudes toward drinking vary around the world, nearly every civilization has independently discovered the processes of brewing beer, fermenting wine, and distilling spirits, among other practices. Many countries have developed their own regional cultures based on unique traditions around the fermentation and consumption of alcohol, which may also be known as a beer culture, wine culture etc. after a particularly prominent type of drink.
HiteJinro Co., Ltd. is a South Korean multinational drink, brewing and distiller company, founded in 1924. It is the world's leading producer of soju, accounting for more than half of that beverage's domestic sales. It also manufactures a variety of other alcoholic beverages including red wine and whiskey. Distilleries are located in Icheon, Cheongwon, and Masan, with the Masan plant geared toward exports. In addition, Jinro produces the Soksu brand of bottled water at a factory in Cheongwon. In 2006, the company was acquired by Hite, a popular beverage company whose main product is beer.
Korean cuisine has a wide variety of traditional alcoholic drinks, known as sul (술). Many of these drinks end with the Sino-Korean word -ju, and some end with the native Korean word -sul. The Sino-Korean -ju is not used as an independent noun.
Various unique terms are used in bartending.
Yorsh, also known as mora grogg, is a Russian mixed drink consisting of beer thoroughly mixed with an ample quantity of vodka. It is traditionally drunk in a social setting, typically with a toast followed by downing a full glass of it at one go. It is commonly consumed in Russia. The term is colloquially used similarly to the "jungle juice" in English to designate an alcoholic mix of incompatible ingredients.
An Irish car bomb, Irish slammer, Irish bomb shot, or Dublin drop is a cocktail, similar to a boilermaker, made by dropping a bomb shot of Irish cream and Irish whiskey into a glass of Irish stout.
A shooter, or shot, is a small serving of spirits or a mixed drink, typically consumed quickly, often in a single gulp. It is common to serve a shooter as a side to a larger drink.
A beer cocktail is a cocktail that is made by mixing beer with other ingredients or another style of beer. In this type of cocktail, the primary ingredient is usually beer.
Drinks containing alcohol are typically divided into three classes—beers, wines, and spirits—with alcohol contents between 3% and 50%.
A bomb shot, depth charge, or drop shot (Canada) is a kind of mixed drink. A drink in a small glass is dropped into a larger glass holding a different drink. The resulting cocktail is typically consumed as quickly as possible ("chugged").
Korea's drinking culture interfaces deeply with its social structure, lifestyle, and traditions. The beverages themselves are also reflective of the country's varying geography, climate, and culture.
Somaek (Korean: 소맥) is a South Korean beer cocktail made with soju and beer. The beer used is typically a lager-style.
Tōkki Soju is a brand of soju founded in Brooklyn, New York in 2016 by master distiller Brandon Hill. The company prides themselves on quality over profit, using expensive ingredients that contribute to taste such as glutinous rice.
North Korean cuisine is the traditional culinary practices and dishes of North Korea. Its foundations are laid by the agricultural and nomadic traditions in southern Manchuria and the Korean Peninsula. Some dishes are shared by the two Koreas; however, availability and quality of Northern cuisine is much more significantly affected by sociopolitical class divides.
Hoesik is a popular type of gathering in the society of South Korea, and refers to a group of people getting together to eat and drink. In Korean society, Hoesik has been established as a subculture of an organization or enterprise. In Korean corporate culture, Hoesik which have been a longstanding tradition, typically take place after work hours. However, such events have come under scrutiny as social issues due to the collectivist nature of Korean corporate culture, which has led to structural problems characterized by rigidity and coercion.