Hansan Sogokju is a locally brewed liquor that comes from the town of Hansan-myeon in Chungcheongnam-do Province’s Seocheongun County. According to legend, the beverage was served to royals during the ancient Baekje Kingdom, but commoners began to drink it to mourn their old country after the kingdom collapsed. It’s considered to have the longest history among Korean traditional liquors that are still enjoyed today, dating back some 1,500 years.

Made with sticky rice, Sogokju tastes sweet and smooth despite an alcohol content of 18 percent. The beverage is nicknamed “sitting drink” because drinkers find it so irresistible that they would drink it until they couldn’t walk.

It’s said that Gyeryong Baekilju was produced in the royal palace during the earlier part of the Joseon Dynasty, and that it became widely consumed only after King Injo gave the beverage’s brewing secrets to Yi Gwi as a reward for assisting his coup that dethroned Prince Gwanghae and brought him to power. For more than 400 years, the Yeonan Yi clan has been producing the liquor from generation to generation. Yi Seong-u, the 15th generation of the clan, continues to produce the beverage in Bongjeong-dong, Gongju.

In 2001, Gyeryong Baekilju became the first traditional liquor picked among the list of Korean National Souvenirs. It was served during a dinner reception at the inter-Korean summit of 2007. The name of the drink comes from Gyeryong Mountain, which is said to be where the beverage originated from. Baekilju means “100-day beverage,” which is the time it needs for fermentation.

Myeoncheon Dugyeonju is a liquor made with azalea petals. Known for its unique scent, the beverage is smooth and pairs well with a variety of foods. It was served at a dinner reception of the inter-Korean summit of 2018.

The origins of the beverage are unclear, but there’s a legend that links it with Bok Ji-gyeom, a key contributor to the founding of the Goryeo Dynasty. When Bok fell seriously ill, his daughter, Yeong-rang, prayed for her father’s recovery at Amisan Mountain. One day, a mountain deity appeared in her dream and told her to make liquor using the azaleas of the Amisan Mountain and water of the Ansaem Well and serve it to her father 100 days later. She was also told to plant two ginkgo trees in the courtyard of her house. She did exactly as she was told in her dream and her father recovered. The Ansaem Well is preserved at the Myeoncheoneupseong Fortress, while the old ginkgo trees are one of the landmarks of Myeoncheon.

Jungwon Cheongmyeongju is a traditional liquor usually enjoyed in early April, a period that is called Cheongmyeongil, which means “clear and balmy season of the year.” Yi Ik, a prominent scholar from the school of Silhak, or “practical learning,” picked Cheongmyeongju as his favorite beverage and once wrote he’s “writing down the brewing methods just in case I would forget it.” The brewing methods of Cheongmyeongju differ by region, but Jungwon is considered among the best versions. Jungwon Cheongmyeongju was enjoyed by travelers visiting Chungju, which was a river transport hub during the Joseon Dynasty.
It was served during ritual services, meals for important guests and even offered to the king. Students were known to drink the beverage before taking Joseon’s notoriously competitive state exam because of superstition that it would help them get good grades.