Drinking is a big part of Korean culture - that's not news. Drinking is heavily encouraged almost everywhere.
Public intoxication is not a crime here (or if it is, it is never enforced). It's not uncommon to see grown men passed out in parks or on the sidewalk. Hiking groups carry soju and beer with them on the hike to drink along the way. Beer is sold on trains and in bus stations for the ride.
Perhaps one of the most transparent endorsements of public drinking is the attitudes of convenience store owners. They keep corkscrews and bottle openers behind the counter, so you don't have to wait until you get home to enjoy your adult beverage. You can drink it on your way out the door.
haha..
ReplyDeletei always have a good lough whenever i see foreigners holding beers on their hand walking along the street in Seoul. If you feel it's very awkward to see drinking in the public.. yes you are either American or Canadian. I remember my eurotrip back in .. 2002 and the most retarded thing was people getting on the train with 6 or 12 cans beer per person and finish them all before the trip ends. Where was it? Cardiff, Wales to Edinburgh, Scotland. People were singing, shouting and fighting in the cabin.. oh god. yes, people in Korea they do drink in the public but it's well controlled. Never seen those kinda incident with my many trips with KTX. there are no enforcement but certainly some type of silent agreement is there. :)