Alcoholic beverages can be viewed as repositories of historical information reflecting agricultural environment, economic and scientific level, religion, literature and art of their country. Korean Alcoholic beverages are based largely on rice, which have been developed in the following order: Takju, Cheongju and distilled spirits, Soju. They are closely related with the development of agriculture and historical levels of science and technology, and thus can be seen as symbolizing economic and political changes as well as rises and declines throughout the culture's history. The present review assessed the past and present flows of Korean alcoholic beverage culture, which has had a significant influence on the mental world of Korean people, based on literature concerning the history of food in Korea. Another focus of the study was a discussion on the future transmission and refining of Korean alcoholic beverage culture, which is undeniably informed by the Korean people's unique imagination and cultural sense.

• 고경희 | Koh, Kyung-Hee