Local Drinks

1. 식혜

   Sik-hye

   Sikhye (sweet rice punch)

   Usage

   A sweet drink made by malting rice; grains of rice float in it. Served as a dessert and sold at every Korean sauna

2. 수정과

   Su-jeong-gwa

   Sujeonggwa (cinnamon and persimmon punch)

   Usage

   Ginger and cinnamon decoction served chilled with dried persimmon and pine nuts. A traditional after-meal drink

3. 유자차

   Yu-ja-cha

   Yuja tea (citron tea)

   Usage

   Citron preserved in sugar, dissolved in hot water. Contains no tea leaves. Drunk in winter for the throat and sold in jars as a souvenir

4. 보리차

   Bo-ri-cha

   Barley tea

   Usage

   Often served instead of plain water at restaurants. Caffeine-free and served either hot or cold

5. 옥수수수염차

   Ok-su-su-su-yeom-cha

   Corn silk tea

   Usage

   One of the most common bottled teas in convenience stores. Slightly sweet and caffeine-free

6. 매실차

   Mae-sil-cha

   Maesil-cha (green plum tea)

   Usage

   Green plum syrup ("매실청") diluted with hot or cold water. Sweet-sour, most often drunk chilled in summer

7. 대추차

   Dae-chu-cha

   Jujube tea

   Usage

   Dried jujubes simmered for a long time. A fixture of traditional tea houses, often served with pine nuts or honey

8. 생강차

   Saeng-gang-cha

   Ginger tea

   Usage

   Sliced ginger preserved in honey and dissolved in hot water. Drunk in winter or when feeling unwell; noticeably pungent

9. 인삼차

   In-sam-cha

   Ginseng tea

   Usage

   Made from the ginseng root, not tea leaves. Bitter, and widely sold as powdered sticks for souvenirs

10. 오미자차

    O-mi-ja-cha

    Omija-cha (schisandra berry tea)

    Usage

    Brewed from red schisandra berries, usually served chilled. The name means "five-flavour berry"

    Grammar Note

    Written 五味子茶: "오미자" is the berry said to carry five tastes at once

11. 미숫가루

    Mi-sut-ga-ru

    Misutgaru (roasted grain powder drink)

    Usage

    Roasted and ground glutinous rice, barley and beans stirred into sweetened water or milk. A summer drink that also appears on cafe menus

    Grammar Note

    Strictly the word means the roasted grain powder; the drink made from it is also called "미수". Menus almost always write "미숫가루"

12. 사이다

    Sa-i-da

    Saida (clear lemon-lime soda)

    Usage

    ⚠ Not English "cider". In Korea it means a clear lemon-lime soda. One of the most ordered soft drinks at barbecue restaurants

13. 바나나우유

    Ba-na-na-u-yu

    Banana milk

    Usage

    A staple of convenience stores, saunas and subway kiosks. The pot-shaped bottles are labelled "바나나맛 우유" (banana-flavoured milk)

Browse all TravelPhrases languages