All About Korean Drinking Games

Round two of Korean drinking culture! In the first post I got into all the hierarchy, rules, and culture in different areas. Now let’s get into the more fun and relaxed part with all the Korean drinking games, slang, and more.

Korean Drinking Games!

Now I’m sure if you love watching k-dramas you have seen a couple of these games. Maybe if you have Korean friends they have introduced you to a game or two while out. First off a really common one that people sing when someone losses a drinking game and has to drink that every Korean knows is:

마셔라 마셔라
마셔라 마셔라
술이 들어간다
쭉 쭉쭉쭉쭉
쭉 쭉쭉쭉쭉
언제까지 어깨춤을 추게할거야
내어깨를 봐!
탈골됐잖아!
탈골! 탈골 탈골 탈골!
drink drink, drink drink!
the alcohol goes in
Jjuk jjuk (sound of drinking alcohol)
until when are we going to do the shoulder dance
look at my shoulders
theyre dislocated!
dislocated! dislocated, dislocated, dislocated

Soju Bottle Cap Flick

To play this game simply twist the long strip that extends from the soju bottle cap until it’s nearly coming off, and then everyone takes turns flicking the strip. Whoever flicks it off has to take a shot as a punishment.

삼육구 게임 – 3-6-9 Game

In this game players take turns counting numbers starting with 1 and counting up but skipping anything that has 3, 6, or 9 and clapping instead. It starts out simple but when it goes fast with drinks it’s much easier to mess up! Also remember that its ANY 3, 6, 9 in a number so 29-39 everyone claps but on 33, 36, and 39 you have to clap twice. A great way to learn Korean numbers for sure!

버니게임 – Bunny Game

하늘에서 내려온
토끼가 하는 말
움치치 움치치
움치치 움치치
a rabbit came down from the sky
and said these words
om chee chee ( bunny eating sound)

After the intro song the first player says “bunny bunny” (in English not Korean) while imitating a bunny eating holding their hands up to their mouth and touching their thumbs with their other fingers twice, then says “bunny bunny” again while doing the same gesture and extended out to another player.

The receiving player needs to say “bunny bunny” same as the first (initially to themselves than to someone else) but each person on either side of them have to move their arms up and down and say “당근 당근” (carrot carrot).

There’s honestly a bunchhh more Korean drinking games out there so these are just a preview! There are some variations too, like the 3-6-9 game but excluding numbers 2-5-7.

Some Nice Drinking Vocab to Know

Let’s finish off with some Korean drinking games vocab and slang to know!

술: liquor
안주: side dish

짠: cheers
건배: cheers
원샷/한잔: one shot; take a shot and drink it all in one go
폭탄주: bomb shot; a shot glass of soju/whiskey dropped into a pint of beer

취하다: to get drunk
취했다: to be drunk

Slang:

치맥 (치킨 + 맥주): chicken + beer – A popular snack to pair with beer in Korea is fried chick hence this slang!
소맥 (소주 + 맥주): soju + beer – Mix of soju and beer; Korean beer typically is much weaker than soju for alcohol content so mixing them together is a popular way to get drunk faster
불금 (불 + 금요일) :  fire + friday – Like TGIF (thank god its friday) in English
술고래: drunard/ big drinker (lit. alcohol whale)
알딸딸: buzzed/tipsy