Korean Drinking Games and Somaek Etiquette for Visitors

What somaek actually is

Somaek (소맥) is soju mixed with beer, usually built table-side with a spoon-flip or bottle-tap trick that aerates the mix. Ratios vary by group, but a common starting point is roughly one part soju to three or four parts beer. You are never obligated to drink somaek specifically -- ordering beer or soju straight, or a non-alcoholic drink, is completely normal and no one will press you if you decline clearly.

The pouring etiquette that actually matters

• Don't pour your own drink at a group table if others are pouring for each other -- wait for someone to fill your glass, and return the gesture for theirs.
• When someone senior pours for you, it's polite to hold your glass with both hands, or support your pouring arm with your other hand.
• When pouring for someone older or more senior, turn slightly away or use two hands as a mark of respect; among close friends this is relaxed.
• Never leave a glass completely empty at a group table for long -- topping off is part of how the group keeps track of who's included.

Drinking games you'll likely be invited into

1. Baskin Robbins 31: players count upward taking turns, saying 1-3 numbers per turn; whoever says "31" drinks.
2. Titanic: a shot glass floats in a beer glass while soju is poured in turns; whoever sinks it drinks the whole glass.
3. Nunchi (eye-contact) game: players randomly make eye contact and shout numbers in sequence; mistakes mean a drink.

These are casual and low-stakes -- it's entirely acceptable to sit out a round, sip water instead, or ask a Korean friend to explain the rules again mid-game.