What is Soju

Amongst the young folks in Singapore, there is no liquor more popular than soju. You’ll see these deceivingly tasty spirits in almost every bar and convenience store (deceiving because you can barely taste the alcoholic burn and won’t realize when the kick hits you)!

With the “Korean Wave” that hit the shores of Singapore, the growth of K-pop culture and Korean dining has experienced a tremendous increase. One prominent aspect of Korean culture is their drinking culture and the most popular brands in Korea, Jinro soju has consistently reigned as the world’s best-selling spirit for the last few years!

So, what is soju? It's a clear, distilled spirit that is about 20-24 percent ABV that originated from Korea. Soju is traditionally made from a blend of rice and grains until the 1960s to 1990s due to the rice ban implemented towards soju production as rice was in short supply. As a result, Koreans started to make soju with alternative starches like sweet potatoes, tapioca and wheat! This practice continued even after the ban was lifted in the late 1990s and many of the best selling soju brands in Korea still use alternative starches.

Popular soju brands

This list is for the Singapore audience and will include the top 3 most popular brands that you can find in Singapore!

Jinro

The best-selling soju brand of all time is Jinro, it is considered as the world’s leading producer of soju! Furthermore, Jinro is the world’s number 1 most sold spirit. It is also the most prominent brand of soju that you can find in Singapore!

Chum Churum

The second most prominent soju brand is Chum Churum, which translates to “like the first time”. On a global level, Chum Churum sits comfortably on the second place spot right after Jinro.

GoodDay

GoodDay soju is made using natural mineral water found at Jirisan Mountain, they are known for the different fruit flavors offered. Though not as well-known as the first two, GoodDay soju earns a respectable third place in our popularity ranking!

How to enjoy soju

There are many different ways that you can enjoy soju. Here are some of our favourites:

Yakult soju

If you are someone that wants to enjoy soju without being faced with the taste of alcohol, you can add Yakult to your soju and experience an entirely different drink! The end result will be a flavor that is sweet and milky that masks the alcoholic taste of soju! For those that enjoy a little fizzy punch to your drink, you may add in some Sprite!

Recommended mix: 

2 bottles of Yakult + 1 bottle of soju + ¼ can of Sprite (optional)

If you would like to give this mix a try, 3 Musketeers has you covered! Click here to purchase our affordable Yakult Soju bundle!

Somaek (Soju bomb)

Somaek is a cocktail combination that is extremely popular in Korea, it is a simple cocktail requiring only soju and beer. You can mix any soju flavors with any brand of beer, so feel free to choose it according to your personal preference. However, do note that as a general rule of thumb, avoid strong, deep-flavored beers and opt for a light beer or lager instead! Our personal favourite is the Jinro green grape soju + Hite beer combination!

Recommended mix:

3 parts soju + 7 parts beer

Neat

There are many flavored sojus in the market that are an alternative to flavorless soju that is reminiscent of traditional vodka. Flavored sojus are ones that are flavored with fruits such as grapefruit, strawberry, green grapes etc. These soju have most of the alcoholic taste masked by the delicious fruity taste and are perfect for drinking neat!

Our personal recommendation is the Jinro green grape soju, quite possibly the crowd favourite in Singapore too!

End Note

Soju is an extremely popular spirit and for a good reason! This delicious tasting spirit is easy to drink due to its low alcohol content and versatility in making cocktails. Order a couple of bottles now to give it a try yourselves! Click here to browse our selection of soju.