Abstract

This article examines the case of Soju, South Korea’s most iconic alcoholic beverage, as an example to explore its significance to contemporary Koreans and the diverse and tense drinking cultures, class structures, and identities that coexist within a seemingly unified collective identity. Soju's rise to national status stems from government policy in the 1970s. In 1973, the South Korean government enacted the “One Province, One Company” policy to support local soju production. In 1976, it enacted the “Mandatory Purchase System for Local Soju,” requiring liquor wholesalers to purchase at least 50% of the soju they sell from their own region. This regulation was abolished in 1996 after the Constitutional Court ruled it violated the principle of free competition. Amidst the multitude of alcoholic beverages competing in contemporary South Korea, soju has maintained a significant market share and continues to grow. This article explores the dynamics and tensions involved in this process, including those related to drinking culture, social class and identity, and discusses how soju has developed in a polarized manner during this period of social change.

Keywords: South Korea, soju, drinking culture, hierarchy, identity