Editing Soju (section)

==Consumption==
[[File:Hard liquor consumption.svg|thumb|right|On average, South Koreans drink the most hard liquor of any nationality.]]

Although [[beer]], [[Whisky|whiskey]], and [[wine]] have been gaining popularity in recent years, soju remains one of the most popular alcoholic beverages in Korea because of its ready availability and relatively low price. More than 3 billion bottles were consumed in South Korea in 2004.<ref>{{cite web|url=http://english.chosun.com/w21data/html/news/200501/200501300012.html |title=Cigarette Sales Surge to Historic High |work=[[The Chosun Ilbo]] |access-date=June 29, 2005 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20071017104535/http://english.chosun.com/w21data/html/news/200501/200501300012.html |archive-date=October 17, 2007}}</ref> In 2006, it was estimated that the average adult Korean (older than 20) had consumed 90 bottles of soju during that year.<ref>{{cite web |title=Let's Have a Soju Tonight |url=http://world.kbs.co.kr/english/culturenlife/culturenlife_newworlds_detail.htm |publisher=[[KBS (Korea)|KBS World]] |access-date=January 1, 2008 |archive-date=March 9, 2010 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20100309062915/http://world.kbs.co.kr/english/culturenlife/culturenlife_newworlds_detail.htm |url-status=dead}}</ref> In 2014, it was reported that South Koreans of drinking age consumed an average of 13.7 shots of spirit per week, the highest per capita consumption of alcoholic spirits of any country.<ref>{{cite web | url=http://qz.com/171191/south-koreans-drink-twice-as-much-liquor-as-russians-and-more-than-four-times-as-much-as-americans/ | title=South Koreans drink twice as much liquor as Russians and more than four times as much as Americans | date=2 February 2014 | publisher=Quartz | access-date=December 14, 2015 | archive-date=February 8, 2014 | archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20140208074557/http://qz.com/171191/south-koreans-drink-twice-as-much-liquor-as-russians-and-more-than-four-times-as-much-as-americans/ | url-status=live}}</ref>  However, due to the lower concentration of alcohol in soju compared to other hard spirits<ref name="Park" /> and the lack of an international standard for the volume of a shot, this does not necessarily imply a larger consumption of alcohol from hard spirits.{{Citation needed|date=December 2023}}

===Cocktails===
[[File:Soju Cola.jpg|thumb|A "soju cola" prepared by floating soju on top of [[cola]] with the aid of a napkin]]

While soju is traditionally consumed [[Straight (bartending)|straight]], a few cocktails and mixed drinks use soju as a base spirit. Beer and soju can be mixed to create ''[[somaek]]'' ({{Korean|hangul=소맥|labels=no}}), a [[portmanteau]] of the words soju and maekju (맥주  beer).<ref>{{cite web | url=https://drinkpirate.com/soju-and-beer-cocktail-somaek/ | title=Korea's favorite soju and beer cocktail – how to make somaek | work=Drink Pirate | date=15 August 2021 | access-date=September 30, 2021 | archive-date=September 30, 2021 | archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20210930192042/https://drinkpirate.com/soju-and-beer-cocktail-somaek/ | url-status=live | last1=Dean | first1=Tim }}</ref> Flavored soju is also available. It is also popular to blend fruits with soju and to drink it in "slushy" form.<ref>{{cite web | url=http://www.allkpop.com/buzz/2014/06/slushie-soju-a-new-way-for-koreans-the-1-alcoholic-consumers-in-the-world-to-enjoy-their-favorite-beverage | title=Slushie Soju, a new way for Koreans (the #1 alcoholic beverage consumers) in the world to enjoy their favorite beverage | publisher=6Theory Media, LLC | access-date=December 14, 2015 | archive-date=December 22, 2015 | archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20151222123452/http://www.allkpop.com/buzz/2014/06/slushie-soju-a-new-way-for-koreans-the-1-alcoholic-consumers-in-the-world-to-enjoy-their-favorite-beverage | url-status=live}}</ref>{{Unreliable source?|reason=See reliable sources list on [[WP:KO/RS]]|date=March 2025}} Another very popular flavored soju is yogurt soju ({{Korean|hangul=요구르트 소주|labels=no}}), which is a combination of soju, yogurt, and lemon lime soda.<ref>{{cite web |title=koreataste.org |url=http://www.koreataste.org/lang/en/en/blogging-en/drinking-in-korea/ |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20120620170744/http://www.koreataste.org/lang/en/en/blogging-en/drinking-in-korea/ |archive-date=2012-06-20}}</ref>

A ''[[poktan-ju]]'' ({{Korean|hangul=폭탄주|labels=no}}) ("bomb drink") consists of a [[shot glass]] of soju dropped into a pint of beer (similar to a [[Boilermaker (beer cocktail)|boilermaker]]); it is drunk quickly.<ref>{{cite web | url=http://theseoultimes.com/ST/?url=%2FST%2Fdb%2Fread.php%3Fidx%3D2462 | title=Heavy-Drinking Culture Challenged in S. Korea | publisher=The Seoul Times Company | access-date=December 14, 2015 | archive-date=December 22, 2015 | archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20151222110303/http://theseoultimes.com/ST/?url=%2FST%2Fdb%2Fread.php%3Fidx%3D2462 | url-status=live}}</ref> This is similar to the Japanese [[sake bomb]].<ref>{{cite web | url=http://www.instructables.com/id/Sake-Bomb/ | title=Sake Bomb | publisher=Autodesk Inc. | access-date=December 14, 2015 | archive-date=July 8, 2016 | archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20160708091016/http://www.instructables.com/id/Sake-Bomb/ | url-status=live}}</ref>