Tomorrow is St. Patrick’s Day when we celebrate the rich heritage of our Irish brothers and sisters by drinking ourselves shit-faced. Koreans are often referred to as the Irish of the Orient because of shared traits between the two countries such as our history of subjugation, volatile tempers and the ability to drink like fish. But is this really true? Do Koreans really drink more than any other group or is that just a baseless stereotype? Chinky or not chinky?

Let’s start with some anecdotal evidence. A short while ago, I asked you, our readers, via our Twitter and Facebook pages what you thought of the Koreans=heavy drinkers “stereotype.”  Here’s a sampling of some of your responses:

Min Joo: Definitely yes! it’s in our blood and our culture. Also, Korean food and alcohol just go so well together. Since we love our food so much, and alcohol is always accompanied by food, we tend to drink more since food helps us absorb the alcohol better.

Rana: Korea is the geo-politico-socio-cultural equivalent of Ireland.

Andre: My name is Andre and I am not Korean. I do not want to generalize. What I have seen is Koreans matching the Irish for consumption, but not tolerance. My Korean friends seem to go from 0 to sh@tfaced with alarming speed.

Hyunjin: Is this going to be another one of those things that “proves” I’m not really Korean because I think I’ve had a total of 2 cocktails in the past 12 months. Have I mentioned that I don’t like sesame seeds either?

Peter: I don’t know if they drink more but they certainly will TELL you they drink more.

Dominic: From my experience in the casino with the Asian underculture, yes they drink a LOT. I think the Japanese drink comparatively, but (as with other things) the Koreans drink with passion. They drink until the women are fighting six foot tall security guards.

Neusa: No one beats British people on that…..they start drinking at breakfast!!!….they dont drink socially….they drink all time!!!

John (who is definitely Korean): I drink religiously.

The data does seem to support the claim that Koreans are heavy drinkers:

In this previous blog, I cited a statistic from the Jinro soju company that stated that an average of a whopping 90 bottles of soju are consumed each year in South Korea by adults over the age of 20. And this is just soju and doesn’t account for the consumption of other types of alcohol. Jinro is incidentally the best selling brand of liquor in the world.

Hey, who took the photo of my fridge?

This New York Times article from a few years back, talks about changes in South Korea as more women enter the corporate world and how that’s impacted the traditional drinking culture. In an environment where post-work drinking sessions were “mandatory” to encourage bonding, “we drink ‘til we die” was a common battle cry and job applicants were subjected to “alcohol interviews” where your ability to hold your liquor might determine if you were hired or not, it would be easy to feel like an outcast if you were a non-drinker.

But things aren’t always as they appear. According to the Organization for Economic Cooperation and Development, Koreans consume less alcohol than Europeans (more on this below) and the drinking culture itself is changing. In May 2007, in the first ruling of its kind, the Seoul High Court declared that “forcing a subordinate to drink alcohol was illegal.”

And here are some more “facts” courtesy of Ask A Korean:

World Health Organization compiled a list of countries by per capita alcohol consumption, and Korea finishes at number 50 – above the median among 191 countries surveyed, but not necessarily in the elite group of drinkers. The winner is Portuguese, who – astonishingly, the Korean must add – consume more than twice of Koreans per capita. Both United States and Canada rank ahead of Korea. Among Asian countries, Thailand ranks first, then Korea, followed by Japan.

Second, is it socially acceptable to be an alcoholic in Korea? Not really. It is true that there exist specific subgroups in Korea (e.g. among young people or high-stress occupation like attorneys) where binge drinking is a badge of honor, like within fraternities or among investment bankers in the U.S. But overall, alcoholism in Korea is nothing to be proud of. There is a general sense of benign neglect over alcoholism in Korea, but the Korean is not aware of any country or culture that swiftly intervenes at the first sign of alcohol dependence. (Except, of course, certain cultures that condemn alcohol consumption altogether.)

One important distinction, however, is — while alcoholism is not a badge of honor in Korea, public drunkenness in Korea is certainly more tolerated than in America. Korea has no open container law that is common in the U.S., and no “drunk tank” that rounds up the intoxicated. In fact, at night around popular hangouts, it is quite common to see people having passed out on the street after what presumably was a night of revelry.

Wake me up before you go, Jo.

Of course, here in Los Angeles, we have the largest Korean population outside of Korea and Koreatown functions as its own mini-Seoul. And if you spend any amount of time hanging out in K-Town, you’re likely to find evidence of a community that loves its drink. So I wanted to ask a Korean American who was knowledgable about this scene to offer his or her thoughts. I immediately thought of my friend Jully and she was kind enough to discuss in detail her thoughts on this subject. Here’s what she had to say:

Drinking is instilled in Korean culture. So much so that cultural protocol has been developed in the pouring, accepting and drinking of any alcohol. I personally am not aware of any other culture that dictates drinking procedure/etiquette so specifically and explicitly. Not even close. The pouring/receiving with one or two hands. To whom the first drink is poured. The second, etc., to the last. The turning of the head. Downing vs. sipping. The expectation of the consumption of alcohol during business meetings, etc.

I have a personal story. I went to a licensed doctor that practices eastern medicine, and he started me on this “han yak” diet plan for 6 weeks. (Herbal concoctions in tea form to promote health and well-being.) Along with a long list of dietary restrictions (i.e. no pork or wheat products), he said “no alcohol.” I stopped him right there and repeated “’no alcohol?’ At all?” He then continued “well, in those instances where it’s necessary to drink alcohol, like hwae shiks, you should wait until the next day to take the tea. Definitely don’t mix.” (Hwae shiks are like office/business outings where people get together after a workday. Much like ‘happy hour,’ except attendance is sometimes implicitly compulsory.)

That basically said it right there. “In instances where it’s necessary to drink alcohol.” American doctors would probably never utter these words but hey – that’s Korean culture!!! So……with “drinking” being so instilled in Korean culture, this PROBABLY lends towards “more drinking than other people.”

What’s great (and special) about drinking with Koreans is that there’s that cultural component of drinking which makes it extra communal and social. I don’t know if it’s genetics, but most Koreans can drink. Maybe it’s cultural. It’s fun to go shot for shot with other people who enjoy drinking and can handle it.

I like the communal aspect of drinking the most. “Cheers”-ing with one another, pouring shots or mixing drinks for one another. I like the idea of people being responsible for each other as a community and I think that’s inherent in most Asian cultures in general. “Family style” eating, etc. I like sharing. I like paying the whole tab. I like the whole tab being taken care of by someone else. Drinking is an extension of that — and it’s a way to be demonstrative of that appreciation of getting together with others.

I also like the buzz.

So do you think Koreans heart their booze more than other people? If so, is there a difference between Koreans and Korean Americans when it comes to drinking? Chinky or not chinky?