As a recovering alcoholic, I can assure you there is NO good reason to get wasted. If getting wasted is one's goal, or if the goal is to drink to forget, then that's a good indication one either has a problem or is on the way to having a problem. Whether drinking is a big deal or less of a big deal is only relevant to the drinker. If it is a problem for those around them then it's a problem.
I never had a problem with my ex-wife getting wasted at a party but she sure had a problem with me getting wasted at parties. Of course, most of the parties I went to way back when I went to with the full intent of getting wasted.
A few weeks ago I sat in a Korean restaurant for lunch and was enjoying golbi with my friend. The place was owned by new people who had run a restaurant at a different place. They now want to have karaoke at this new place and we were asking about promotions they might have in the future. I innocently asked the lady we were talking to if they were going to seek out American customers for their night time entertainment as well as Koreans and to my surprise she said they preferred American men because, and this is what she said, not what I'm saying, Korean men were crazy when they drink. This was a Korean lady we were talking to and I was quite surprised by not just her candor but the emphasis with which she said this.
So, it may not be a big deal but obviously it is to others and it appears that some of those it's a big deal to are Korean ladies.
But then, abuse of alcohol, like so many other drugs is a world wide issue so it shouldn't be a surprise that any nationality would have their problems with it.
[QUOTE=Sarang Haeyo]One must understand Korean culture to understand the impact of soju. Drinking is like a national pastime in Korea.
If I was one of these girls I could think of no better excuse to get wasted in order to forget about all the sweaty, hairy, nasty guys who climb all over me all day.
Once one understands that drinking is a way of life for many Koreans it becomes less of a big deal. My girl only stopped drinking it because I don't drink at all.
It was no more of a problem than if my ex-wife (an American) had gotten wasted at a party.[/QUOTE]