Write your teThe origin of soju dates back to the 13th century Goryeo, when the Levantine distilling technique was introduced to the Korean Peninsula during the Mongol invasions of Korea (1231–1259), by the Yuan Mongols who had acquired the technique of distilling arak from the Persians during their invasions of the Levant, Anatolia, and Persia. The distilleries were set up around the city of Gaegyeong, the then capital (current Kaesong). In the surrounding areas of Kaesong, soju is still called arak-ju . Andong soju, the direct root of modern South Korean soju varieties, started as the home-brewed liquor developed in the city of Andong, where the Yuan Mongol's logistics base was located during this era.
Soju is traditionally made by distilling alcohol from fermented grains. The rice wine for distilled soju is usually fermented for about 15 days, and the distillation process involves boiling the filtered, mature rice wine in a sot (cauldron) topped with soju gori (two-storied distilling appliance with a pipe). In the 1920s, over 3,200 soju breweries existed throughout the Korean Peninsula.
Soju referred to a distilled beverage with 35% ABV until 1965, when diluted soju with 30% ABV appeared with South Korean government's prohibition of the traditional distillation of soju from rice, in order to alleviate rice shortages. Instead, soju was created using highly distilled ethanol (95% ABV) from sweet potatoes and tapioca, which was mixed with flavorings, and sweeteners, and water. The end products are marketed under a variety of soju brand names. A single supplier (Korea Ethanol Supplies Company) sells ethanol to all soju producers in South Korea. Until the late 1980s, saccharin was the most popular sweetener used by the industry, but it has since been replaced by stevioside.
Although the prohibition was lifted in 1999, cheap soju continues to be made this way. Diluted soju has showed a trend towards lower alcohol content. The ABV of 30% fell to 25% by 1973, and 23% by 1998.[16] Currently, soju with less than 17% ABV are widely available.[4] In 2017, a typical 375 millilitres (13.2 imp fl oz; 12.7 US fl oz) bottle of diluted soju retails at ₩1,700 (approximately $1.69) in supermarkets and convenience stores, and for ₩4,000–5,000 (approximately $3.99–4.98) in restaurants.
Several regions have resumed distilling soju from grains since 1999. Traditional hand-crafted Andong soju has about 45% ABV. Hwayo is a brand with five different mixes constituting an ABV range from 17% to 53%.
In the early 2000s, soju started to gain share in the global spirits market.[citation needed] As of 2015, Jinro soju had been the largest selling spirit in the world for more than a decade.Two other soju brands, Chum Churum and Good Day, featured in the top 10, and three other soju brands are present in the top 100 global spirits brands of 2016.[dead link] Fruit sojus have been produced since 2015. Fruit soju has a distinct fruit flavor and lower alcohol content compared to standard soju.
The growing appreciation for fruit soju spread to southeast asia. HITEJinro, Chum Churum, and Good Day soju hit the shores of the Philippines. Hallyu Wave greatly influenced the drinking culture of the Filipinos through Korean dramas, Korean music, and the Korean fanbase communities.