KOREAN HERITAGE

Alcoholic drinks have long been deeply intertwined in the lives of Korean people. A cup of wine enhanced the joy of social gatherings, and community celebrations and rites of passage were not considered complete without the alcohol presented as an offering to deities. Diverse kinds of alcoholic beverages were developed depending on their intended uses and consumers. Some of the many recipes for making traditional Korean alcoholic drinks have been carefully transmitted to the present as local traditions or family heritage.

Listing and Safeguarding

In traditional Korean society, alcohol was conceived as being in line with good health, not something detrimental to it. Koreans of the past made alcoholic beverages using the same grains they consumed as staples. Based on the long-entrenched belief that “everyday food is medicine,” Koreans treated alcohol as part of the culinary elements they could use to maintain their health.

Efforts have been underway to identify alcohol-making traditions with distinctive characteristics and enter them onto the national intangible heritage list to support the transmission of traditional recipes for alcoholic beverages. This article explores the traditional Korean alcoholic drinks that have been placed under the guardianship of the state as an important part of the country’s intangible heritage.

A brewery making traditional Korean alcohol

A Cloudy Beverage for Popular Consumption

One traditional alcoholic beverage recently registered on the national intangible heritage list is makgeolli, a cloudy low-alcohol beverage that earned national heritage status in June 2021. The designation of makgeolli is particularly noteworthy as its impetus came directly from the public. The Cultural Heritage Administration made a nationwide call in 2019 for national intangible heritage candidates by organizing a public contest and through a petition-submission channel. Makgeolli was selected as a finalist through this process and was eventually entered onto the list. It was the first listing initiated by members of the public since the intangible heritage registration system was operationalized in 1964. Its widespread popularity, history supported by documents dating back to the Three Kingdoms period (57 BCE–668 CE), and robust transmission communities nationwide were all positively evaluated when determining its registration.

It is estimated that this milky rice beer can trace its history far beyond the Three Kingdoms period and back to the introduction of farming to the Korean Peninsula. Makgeolli, along with other typical fermented foods of Korea such as kimchi and soybean- based sauces, was made by individual households. It played an important role in agriculture as the drink with which farmers quenched their thirst while working in the fields. It was usually offered along with snacks or meals, all of which boosted the energy of farm workers and helped promote solidarity among them. A distinctively Korean tradition, makgeolli is indispensable for studying and understanding the culinary culture of Korea. Makgeolli is entrenched as a popular alcoholic beverage in contemporary Korean society as well.

It is produced these days by local breweries across the country. There are makgeolli breweries that use local grains and other specialty ingredients, and unique local terms are applied to refer to makgeolli as well. This traditional off-white alcoholic beverage is widely enjoyed across the Korean nation while boasting a colorful array of local variations. There are an abundance of folkloric sayings and modern-day episodes associated with makgeolli. One of them is the Joseon-era idiom “five virtues of makgeolli”. It means that the milky rice beverage relieves hunger, never intoxicates its consumer, warms up the body, boosts energy, and enhances interpersonal communication. Makgeolli is also closely connected to Cheon Sang-byeong, one of the most prominent 20th-century Korean poets, who was known for his love for the drink. He regarded makgeolli as equally—or even more—important as Korea’s staple grain of rice. He noted, “Makgeolli is not just as important as rice. It is also a godly blessing as it provides the consumer with excitement.” Today, makgeolli still serves as an indispensable element in traditional rites and celebrations occurring at the community, family, and individual levels. The milky rice beer is also utilized as a holy offering in diverse modern ceremonies, for example, when commemorating the completion of a building, purchase of a new car, or opening of a shop. Makgeolli-making is a simple process requiring just a few widely available ingredients. Although details vary widely by region, makgeolli-making basically starts with rinsing rice and soaking it in water. The rice is then steamed, cooled, and mixed with water and the fermentation starter nuruk.

This mixture is left to ferment, after which it is run through a sieve. Traditional knowledge and skills related to makgeolli-making are actively practiced and transmitted not only by local breweries dispersed across the country, but also by an array of relevant research institutes.

It is interesting to note that there has been an increasing inflow of younger people into the production of makgeolli. These young brewers are carrying out diverse experiments with its alcoholic content and the design of the bottles. Such efforts have resulted in diversifying the varieties of available makgeolli products in the market, including high-end versions sold at higher prices. All of these changes represent the creative adaptation of this time-old tradition in response to sociocultural transformations.

Three Liquor-making Traditions Collectively Registered

Before the designation of makgeolli, three more variants of traditional Korean alcohol had been registered on the national intangible heritage list. They are munbaeju (wild pear liquor), Myeoncheon dugyeonju (azalea liquor from Myeoncheon), and Gyeongju Gyodong beopju (authorized liquor from Gyo-dong, Gyeongju), which were collectively designated in November 1986 under the name Local Liquor-making.

A Grain Liquor with a Pear Scent

Munbaeju, literally “wild pear liquor,” gained its name from its scent reminiscent of the wild pears native to Korea. Although made purely from grains, munbaeju imparts a distinctive flavor resembling the wild pears known as munbae. The production of munbaeju involves a long and complex process. The two most significant steps in its journey are the making of a fermentation starter and the distillation. The fermentation starter for munbaeju is created with wheat as the starchy source; it is the most significant ingredient in determining the flavor of this traditional liquor. Millet and sorghum are the grains of choice for munbaeju. The clear liquid made from the fermentation of these grains is gently boiled in a cauldron, which is topped by a two- story still known as a soju gori. The gap between the cauldron and the condenser is tightly sealed with rice or wheat dough. The resulting liquor has a yellowish or brownish tinge and gives off a wild pear scent. It is recommended that munbaeju be consumed after six to 12 months of aging. This wild pear-scented liquor reaches 48 ABV, allowing extended preservation.

Brewing with Azalea Petals

Myeoncheon dugyeonju, literally “azalea liquor from Myeoncheon,” is brewed with the petals of azalea flowers, a harbinger of spring. This floral alcoholic beverage is associated with the virtue of filial piety. Legend has it that the azalea liquor was born as a medicine brewed by a daughter for her ailing father. When the general Bok Ji-gyeom, who made significant contributions to the founding of the Goryeo Dynasty (918–1392), fell ill, his daughter went to great lengths to alleviate his suffering. However, no available medicine could cure him. Out of desperation, his daughter embarked on 100 days of prayer to seek divine assistance. She prayed with utmost care for 100 days, and on the final day she had a dream in which a deity offered a recipe to her. When she awoke, she immediately produced an alcoholic beverage as she had been instructed the night before. It is said that this beverage cured her father’s illness. The azalea liquor requires two fermentation sessions. First, glutinous rice is steamed and mixed with water and the fermentation starter nuruk. This mixture is left to ferment. Through this process, the amount of fungi is maximized. Steamed glutinous rice, nuruk, and water is added to this fermented mash. During this second fermentation, azalea petals are mixed into the mash. The mixture is set aside to ferment and produce a clear liquid called Myeoncheon dugyeonju.

A Family Tradition with Royal Roots

Gyeongju Gyodong beopju, literally “authorized liquor from Gyo-dong, Gyeongju,” is based on a recipe transmitted through generations of the Gyeongju Choi clan, the head family of which is based in the Gyo-dong neighborhood of Gyeongju. The origins of this liquor are associated with Choi Guk-seon, who worked at the royal palace during the reign of King Sukjong (r. 1674–1720). After the completion of his service in the capital, Choi returned to his home in Gyeongju and crafted the liquor known today as Gyeongju Gyodong beopju. It is thought that he used a royal recipe to produce it. What is distinctive about this liquor is the use of groundwater from Choi’s house. First, a fermentation starter is prepared using rice and wheat. Glutinous rice is cooked into a porridge and mixed with the fermentation starter. After a period of fermentation, this basic mash is mixed with steamed glutinous rice and water. This final mash sits for 60 to 70 days to ferment. The clear liquid resulting from this is known as “original liquor” (bonju). This liquid is further fermented for about one month to produce Gyeongju Gyodong byeopju. This Cho clan liquor is pale yellow and has an unusually high viscosity. It is known for its gentle flavors epitomizing a grain-based alcoholic Gyeongju Gyodong beopju, literally “authorized liquor from Gyo-dong, Gyeongju,” is based on a recipe transmitted through generations of the Gyeongju Choi clan, the head family of which is based in the Gyo-dong neighborhood of Gyeongju. The origins of this liquor are associated with Choi Guk-seon, who worked at the royal palace during the reign of King Sukjong (r. 1674–1720). After the completion of his service in the capital, Choi returned to his home in Gyeongju and crafted the liquor known today as Gyeongju Gyodong beopju. It is thought that he used a royal recipe to produce it. What is distinctive about this liquor is the use of groundwater from Choi’s house. First, a fermentation starter is prepared using rice and wheat. Glutinous rice is cooked into a porridge and mixed with the fermentation starter. After a period of fermentation, this basic mash is mixed with steamed glutinous rice and water. This final mash sits for 60 to 70 days to ferment. The clear liquid resulting from this is known as “original liquor” (bonju). This liquid is further fermented for about one month to produce Gyeongju Gyodong byeopju. This Cho clan liquor is pale yellow and has an unusually high viscosity. It is known for its gentle flavors epitomizing a grain-based alcoholic beverage.