The History and Meaning of the Production and Consumption of Andong Soju

Abstract

It is reported that Soju(a traditional liquor) was introduced to the Andong society along with King Chungyeol and his court, and the Mongolian army when the allied forces of the Goryeo Kingdom and Mongolia fought against the Japanese army in 1281, during the reign of King Chungyeol. Until the late Joseon Dynasty. Soju was a home brewed liquor which was made of 100% rice and passed down in some families of the Andong area. Its alcoholic content is much higher than that of any other liquor.<BR> During the Japanese occupation period. the regulation which prohibited home brewing was enforced and made it difficult to brew Soju at home. Fortunately in 1915. a rich resident in Andong founded Andong Brewing Company and marketed Andong Soju made in a factory. Thanks to his efforts. Andong Soju came to be well known not only domestically but also overseas such as in Japan and Taiwan. At that time, the proof of Andong Soju was fixed at 45% for the process of taxation, and the percentage has been applied up to now. The brewing industry had to be under the control of the government in the course of modernizing national administrative systems. Thus the quality of Andong Soju came to be standardized. And Andong Soju was symbol of Andong locality.<BR> From 1965, the lack of food caused the prohibition of brewing a liquor out of pure rice. So Andong Soju worthy of the name, a liquor distilled from pure rice was no longer produced. After that time, the liquor produced under the same name of Andong Soju was actually diluted Soju. In 1970's, according to the governmental policy. Kumbokju, a Daegu-based brewing company acquired the copy right of Andong Soju named 'Jebiwon Soju'. After that time, Andong Soju gradually disappeared from the Andong area.<BR> As the national project was promoted in the 1980' s to discover traditional liquors, the process of brewing Andong Soju was designated as an intangible cultural asset of Gyungsangbukdo Province in 1987. Andong Soju made a triumphant reappearance in the world. A certified brewer specializing in Andong Soju became a knowledgeable model for brewing Andong Soju and was placed at the powerful center of making Andong Soju. So a certified brewer of Andong Soju got a permit from the National Tax Service and established a company named Traditional Liquor Andong Soju to produce the traditional drink in abundance. Later, several companies were established to compete with Traditional Liquor Andong Soju and produce Andong Soju. Some of them still survive, making Andong Soju. Still, the Andong Soju made by the certified brewer designated as an intangible cultural asset by the local government is most favored. Nonetheless, Andong Soju is much less popular than it used to be when it first appeared in the late 1980's and the early 1990's. It's because the spreading trend of health care makes people unwilling to drink hard liquor, and its price is nearly as high as that of whiskey. With the process of brewing Andong Soju designated as an intangible cultural asset of Gyungsangbukdo Province. Andong Soju has been introduced to and sold in many countries in the world.<BR> In conclusion, Andong Soju, which was introduced to Andong due to a national affair during the late Goryeo Kingdom, retains its place as a traditional liquor of significance despite various changes of quality stemming from national history and policy, globalization, social changes, cultural asset policies and community trends.