Last Updated: April 12, 2022
Korean Drinks You Must Try
Korean drinks are very different from, well, pretty much any other drinks you are likely to try. While everyone talks about the food, art, and other great things to see while visiting South Korea, no one really mentions the astounding number of drink options you’ll have the opportunity to taste.
Join me as I run through all the Korean drinks you must try on your next visit to South Korea, and you can even make them at home if they sound too tasty to wait for.
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Dalgona
The first Korean drink you must try is known as a South Korean specialty and it’s absolutely delicious. Dalgona is the perfect drink to start your morning with as it’s a concoction of coffee milk that kind of becomes a reverse cappuccino.
Dalgona is pretty much whipped coffee that is served on top of milk which gives the drink a lovely tone, caramel coffee color on the top, and milk beneath. It’s made by whipping instant coffee, sugar and water until they become foamy and are then layered on top of the milk – like a reverse coffee milk cappuccino.
The milk can be served cold or warm, depending on your preference and you can even experiment with some flavored coffee or throw in a bit of cinnamon or chocolate into the whipped coffee portion. But, you have to use instant coffee as real coffee will not allow you to form the foamy whipped section that makes this Korean drink so yummy.
RELATED: Discover the best coffee shops in Seoul
Makgeolli
One of the Korean drinks you must try while in South Korea is Makgeolli which is the oldest alcohol in the country. Makgeolli is a rice wine that is made from fermented rice and as alcoholic drinks go, it’s quite delicious and has a low alcohol content of 6-9%.
This rice wine drink isn’t filtered and it has a milky white color to it and some sediment too. The flavors are perfectly balanced as this Korean drink has a sweet flavor with a balancing bitterness that creates a smooth combination.
You might be surprised to hear that this rice wine is also a little bit sparkling which makes it quite a refreshing drink too and it’s used in cocktails in Korea to boot.
Your chances of finding Makgeolli outside of Korea is pretty slim but some shops in the US do sell it but the alcohol content might go up to around 15%.
Sujeonggwa
This Korean drink, Sujeonggwa, is quite an interesting one and it resembles a drink you’d have in winter in the west.
Sujeonggwa is made by adding spices such as pepper, ginger, and cinnamon to hot water along with a dash of honey or brown sugar to give it some sweetness. Sometimes, dried persimmons are added to this drink adding a unique flavor and some texture to the drink.
Sujeonggwa is a drink full of flavor that is slightly sweet with a depth of spices. You’re probably expecting that this drink would be served warm but it will arrive cold with some pine nuts sprinkled on top.
Milkis
Milkis is a very popular drink in Korea with everyone including kids and it’s a soda, but a very weird one. Imagine a sweet drink made of a combination of white milk and sparkling water and you pretty much have the idea of Milkis.
Milkis soda is made with carbonated milk and high fructose corn syrup to give it the sweet taste that everyone seems to love. Being fizzy, it’s also very refreshing and you’ll be able to find bottles of Milkis all over other Asian countries and even in the US too.
The original Milkis isn’t flavored and pretty much tastes like sweet fizzy milk but now you can buy strawberry and banana-flavored versions.
Banana Milk
A drink that Koreans love more than any other is their banana milk, so much so that more than a million bottles are sold from Korean supermarkets every day. So what is this magical drink made of? Literally milk and bananas, Koreans love banana-flavored milk.
The flavor of banana milk is quite addictive as its perfectly balanced sweet flavor with a dash of savory just keeps you wanting more. But, it’s a good thing that loads of banana milk is drunk in Korea as it’s a great way of getting the many health benefits of milk.
There are numerous banana milk brands in South Korea but by far the most popular brand is Binggarae which sells other flavors too such as strawberry.
Sikhye
Sikhye is a sweet rice drink that is often served as a dessert or with a dessert in a restaurant but it is also used as a refreshing beverage sometimes too. It’s a really delicious drink and one you should definitely try while in South Korea.
Sikhye is made by combining cooked rice with malt water and when served, it’s unfiltered so you’ll probably find some rice floating around in it – but don’t let this put you off.
Sikhye (the non-alcoholic version) is also a healthy drink that is packed with dietary fiber and antioxidants so it’s great to drink when you’re feeling a bit depleted. It’s also a common drink you can find in the supermarkets of South Korea and will be labeled as rice punch.
Omija Tea
South Koreans love their fruit-infused teas and the most traditional Korean tea is probably Omija Tea. Omija means “five-flavor berry” as the berry used to make the tea is meant to create five flavors for you to taste – spicy, sweet, sour, bitter, and salty.
To make some of this tea you just need to add a prepared berry to hot water or warm water and let it infuse, just like making any other fruit tea. You can also add other things to increase the flavor such as honey or even flower petals or mung bean powders.
Omija is used in traditional Korean medicine as the tea drunk every day is healthy for your liver and aids in its restoration – very handy for a nation that drinks a lot of booze. It’s also great for colds and respiratory illnesses.
Soju
Soju is probably the most famous Korean drink and you will find it everywhere in South Korea from cafes to restaurants to every convenience store. Soju is a liquor that comes in a little green bottle and it packs a punch ranging from 17% up to 53% ABV.
Soju is traditionally made from rice which is fermented but other grains can be used instead. Drinking Soju isn’t particularly delicious, especially if you buy the famous brands of Soju such as Chum Churum and Chamisul. Drinking Soju for a South Korean isn’t about being able to get smashed for a very small price.
This liquor taste is a little bit like sweet watery vodka but you can find other brands outside of Seoul that make better tasting versions.
Chrysanthemum Tea
Chrysanthemum Tea is a tea made with full flower blossoms of Chrysanthemum added to hot water. The Chrysanthemum flowers are first dried and soaked in honey for a month and when added to boiling water.
This creates a semi-sweet tea that is great for drinking when it’s cold as it helps to stave off flu, colds, and helps with high blood pressure. Without the honey, this drink wouldn’t really taste of anything as Chrysanthemum doesn’t have much flavor to it and you can add some sugar to the tea if needed.
The great thing about Chrysanthemum tea is how pretty it looks when served as you get a full flower in your tea.
Cheongju
Image courtesy of Wikimedia
Cheongju is a rice wine that is made from rice that has been fermented multiple times. It’s a better-tasting version of Soju and is a clear liquor with a sweeter taste to it making it a lot easier to drink than the watery vodka flavor of Soju.
Cheongju wine is also not overly alcoholic like Soju and it’s usually around 14% ABV so you can enjoy drinking a glass or two with dinner and not feel like you’ve drunk petrol.
You will be able to find it all over the country with multiple brands to choose from and it’s a South Korean drink that you have to try.
Bacchus
Bacchus is pretty much the South Korean version of Red Bull and it was first created as a hangover remedy by Dong-A pharmaceutical company in 1963 before Red Bull was on the scene.
Today, however, Bacchus is used as an energy drink and is packed full of taurine, caffeine, sugar, high fructose corn syrup, and a dash of water. It’s not delicious and has limited flavor but drinking it will certainly kick-start you into your day or night.
This Korean beverage isn’t good for you but if you’re hungover, tired, or looking to party all night, add this to the mix and you’ll be good to go.
Green Plum Tea
Carrying on with traditional Korean teas, Green Plum tea can be made in numerous ways and the most common version ferments little green plums with sugar. This makes a syrup or fruit preserve called maesil syrup which is then added to water to make a tasty drink.
Creating the syrup also preserves the mixture allowing it to be used for longer than fresh plums, for use in winter and summer. It can be served with fizzy water to make a kind of Korean elderflower that is popular in the summer and a hot tea for winter.
The plumbs are harvested in early summer from the Ume tree which can be found across East Asia and both the fruit and flowers are often used for making drinks around the continent.
Citron Tea
Image courtesy of John Pasden
Another traditional Korean tea made from fruits that is popular in Korea is Korean Citron Tea, also known as Yuja-cha or yuya tea. It’s made by combining a citrus infusion with boiling water and is a very popular drink in the wintertime as it helps to soothe colds, flu, and soar throats.
The citrus infusion is made from yuzu fruit which is a lemon-like citrus fruit commonly found across Korea. You can add slices of fresh yuzu to water and some sugar dissolved in the mixture will also add to the flavor.
Another option is using a yuzu preserve that is already soaked in sugar or honey which you then just add to boiling water to make the citron tea. If you’re traveling back from South Korea, it’s a good idea to bring some preserve with you so you can make this delicious tea at home.
Misutgaru
Misutgaru is a traditional beverage from Korea that has a long history and you’ll find it everywhere is Seoul and the surrounding regions. It’s pretty much a shake that is made from a powder consisting of roasted grains.
The grains include roasted rice variations, barley, millet, sesame seeds, soybeans, and even nuts too. This powder is then blended up with ice, milk, and honey to create a healthy shake that is has a very high protein content and other nutritious benefits.
You can also make this Korean Misutgaru drink at home as you can buy a pack of the powder at any store. Just add some ice, milk, and honey to the powder and blend away.
This is one of the most popular non-alcoholic Korean drinks in the country and it’s great to have in the morning instead of food just like a protein shake at home.
Barley Tea
Barley tea often referred to as corn tea is one of the most popular Korean drinks that is drunk all year round but it’s not just popular in Korea, every country in Asia loves their corn tea too.
Making barley tea is easy as you can actually buy tea bags for it in Korea, so you just need to add a tea back to some boiling water and you’re set. Adding a bit of honey or sugar is also recommended.
About the Author Roger Timbrook
Roger is a little obsessed with travel. He has been to over 40 countries, broken 3 suitcases and owned over 10 backpacks in 12 months. What he doesn't know about travel, ain't worth knowing!
