How two different societies view alcohol, and how drinkers are viewed

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Joanne Pan
ENGL383
Professor Rudacille
December 8, 2014
Alcohol in East Asia and the United States
Alcohol is a problem in both East Asia and in the United States. Culturally, there is a
difference in how alcohol and treatment are viewed. In East Asia, alcohol has been around since
their civilizations started, and is considered a drink of good luck when celebrating festivals,
especially the New Year’s. In the United States, alcohol has been around for a shorter period of
time but it the choice of drug for many adults since it is easily accessible. The main cultural
difference between Asian culture and American culture is how alcohol is viewed, how it is used,
what treatments there are for alcoholism and how catching signs of early alcoholism can help
with effective treatments.
In Asian cultures, getting drunk in public is an embarrassment and can humiliate the
family. Also, because so many Asian children have many burdens placed on them along with
other factors can drive them to drink at a younger age as well. Many Asian American children
know that they are sometimes among the first in their families to go to college, so they must get a
high paying job to take care of their parents when they are unable to care for themselves. Asian
culture is highly influenced by Confucianism, which emphasizes filial piety and honor to the
family which places even more stress on the child. A national survey among Asian Americans
found that:

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Ethnic drinking cultures may significantly influence alcohol use by Asian Americans.
The influence of ethnic drinking cultures may be conditioned by the degree of integration
into the ethnic cultures. To inform alcohol interventions for reducing harmful and
hazardous alcohol use among immigrants, future research needs to explore the cultural
and social processes occurring in immigrant communities that might significantly
influence drinking. (Cook, Won Kim, et al. Ethnic Drinking Cultures and Alcohol Use
Among Asian American Adults: Findings from a National Survey).
The drinking culture in Asia is different from the drinking culture in the United States. In
China, because of their one child policy and traditionally prefer male children, they are even
more stressed out which leads to a higher drinking rate among their young men rather than young
women. Historically and culturally, alcohol has always been important to China. Viewed as the
choice of drink for many as an agricultural society, it was easy for the people to make and
ferment their own drinks. Culturally, alcohol is also viewed as a gift. When going to another
family’s home, it is customary to bring a gift for the hosts, and oftentimes the gifts are alcohol or
food. There are also certain foods that are fermented as well with small amounts of liquor that
young adults and sometimes children are allowed to drink.
Alcohol is rapidly becoming a problem in China as well. A Marketline research
company, part of the Informa publishing company did a study on alcohol and graphs in China.
They found that in 2013, China’s beer market value had a 9.8% increase worth about 86.5 billion
dollars compared to 2010 where the market value had an 8.2% increase and was worth about
64.3 billion dollars. (Marketline Industry Profile: Beer in China). Because China is so vast, there
are different types of alcohol in each region with their own distinctive tastes as well. However,

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because there is such a variety of alcohol, there are also people who are addicted and abuse it for
their own reasons. A study done by the Huazhong University of Science and Technology in
China found that “Nearly 15% of urban Chinese adults aged 15-65 were alcohol abusers” and
In addition to common risk factors such as economic status, deviant peers’ and fellows’
drinking behaviours and negative attitudes to alcohol drinking, maternal alcohol drinking habit
influenced significantly the offspring’s drinking habits. Therefore, efficient intervention and
education of healthy drinking habits in early motherhood is necessary for Chinese women.
(Zhang Jiafan, et al. Alcohol Abuse in a Metropolitan City in China: A Study of the Prevalence
and Risk Factors).
Because both China and the United States are very similar, treatment for alcohol
addiction both starts at home with the parents and to catch alcoholics early before they need to
get treatment and support groups after rehab. Alcohol is also easily accessible as well, which
contributes to high alcohol rates as well. Other factors that lead to high alcohol rates are ethnic
backgrounds and the lack of opportunities. In Taiwan, much of the culture is the same as China
but because it is an island nation, alcohol is used as both food and gift.
In Taiwan, alcohol is considered both food and gift, and so people drink it for special
occasions, for business, or in private. When greeting a friend or family member, it is customary
to bring gifts to the host family by the guest, and it usually is either food or alcohol. Games of
rock, paper and scissors are played and whoever loses has to drink the same way games that
involve alcohol are played in the United States. There are different standards men and women
are held up to for alcohol as well, which is not different from how men and women are judged in
the West for drinking as well. There is no age limit to when one can drink.

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For men in Taiwan, one of the most often ways to get them to drink is for business and
they have no choice but to accept for reasons of politeness. Women who work in bars,
restaurants, and other establishments that serve alcohol are sometimes asked to drink with them
as well. For women in Taiwan, drinking is more of a solitary activity done in private rather than
public. The few exceptions are when they are out on business and are required to drink with their
male counterparts in private rooms, for weddings and for serving. Women who serve alcoholic
drinks to their customers are sometimes required to have some drinks with them as well in
private rooms. In traditional wedding ceremonies, both the bride and groom drink from each
other’s cups to show that they are bound together. Afterwards, the bride serves the elders of the
groom’s family alcohol as well to show that she is now a part of his family. Because Western
customs are so integrated into Taiwanese culture, weddings are now performed with Western
customs-in churches with a priest or a pastor, and then a reception for the guests. In recent
traditional weddings, the bride and groom drink tea from the other’s cups, and the bride will
serve the groom’s family elders with tea instead of alcohol as times have changed. Alcohol is
also used in cooking and in different fermented foods. For example, a popular alcohol used in
cooking is rice wine, which gives it a sharp flavor and in dishes such as fermented rice, alcohol is
also used in small amounts, which allows for children to have some alcohol as well. Rice wine,
aside from being used in cooking is also used as a drink because of its flavor. Because it can be
substituted with other different types of alcohol for both cooking and drinking, and has a lower
alcoholic content than other types of alcohol in Taiwan it is the choice of cooking liquor for both
children and adults.

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Drinking is a part of Korean culture. When researching rates of alcohol abuse between
the United States and South Korea, researchers found statistics showing that the rates of alcohol
dependence and alcohol abuse between the United States and South Korea were inverted.
According to a study on alcohol use disorders by the Diagnostic and Statistical Manual of Mental
Disorders, Fourth Edition, researchers found that:
The prevalence of 12-month alcohol abuse was greater in the United States (5.3%) than
Korea (2.0%), whereas the rate of alcohol dependence was greater in Korea (5.1%)
compared with the United States (4.4%). The odds of abuse were significantly greater
among men, and in the youngest groups in both countries. There was increased odds of
12-month dependence among men, and those who were employed or never married in
each country. Further, the rates of abuse and dependence in the United States and of
abuse in Korea decreased as a function, of age, a result that did not generalize to
dependence among Koreans. (Lee, Hae Kook, et al. The Prevalence and Correlates of
Alcohol Use Disorders in the United States and Korea-A Cross-National Comparative
Study).
Because alcohol is such a prevalent part of Korean culture, they also have the highest
rates of addiction among young men. However, there is also a high rate of addiction of alcohol
among young men in the United States. The study shows that because men are more often in a
high-stress environment because of different factors that they cannot control, turn to alcohol for
escape. In yet another study, researchers have also found that women are drinking in higher
amounts as well. The study, done by the School of Social Work at the University of Buffalo in
New York and the College of Nursing in Seoul National University in Korea, found that there
was a sharp increase of females drinking from a “33.0% in 1993 to 59.5% in 2001” (Kim,

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Wooksoo, Kim Sungjae. Women’s Alcohol Use and Alcoholism in Korea). Because of
generation gaps and differences in how alcohol is viewed and used in Korea today versus a
generation ago, more women are drinking in public than men in Korean history. While South
Korea is known for its nightlife and its pop music, its government has noted that drinking has
become a major problem. However, many of the alcohol problems with women in Korea are
cultural because their society has two different viewpoints on how men and women should
behave when drinking. The researchers state that “Societal acceptance of alcohol use is limited to
men, however, and the values and norms regarding women’s drinking are unclear and often
contradictory.” (Wooksoo, Kim, Sungjae. Women’s Alcohol Use and Alcoholism in Korea).
Because women have two standards to hold themselves up to, they often turn to alcohol for
social lubricants, feelings of inadequacy, relationships, and peer pressure and as an escape.
Because alcohol is a big money maker for both the companies and countries that make and
export these goods, they do not want to lose their market there. According to MarketLine
Industry Profile: Beer in Korea there was a 1.7% increase in 2013. (Beer Profile Industry: Beer
in Korea). Because Korea has more nightlife in Seoul and is known for its parties, the alcohol
industry has a large market for the citizens there as well as other countries in East Asia, such as
China.
Many factors that drive people to drink are very similar. Alcohol is used as a social
lubricant, as liquid courage, peer pressure, and as an escape both in East Asia and in the United
States. Because so many alcoholics are affected by their parents drinking, especially their
mothers, treatment is critical in lowering addiction rates among the young people. In the United
States, there is still a stigma for accepting treatment of alcoholic disorders, and in Asia there is
also the same reluctance to find treatment to save face. However, many are reluctant to seek

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treatment as there is still a stigma attached to finding and getting the treatment they need. In big
cities however, there are numerous different support groups that can help with the treatment after
rehab with full anonymity.
In the United States, alcoholism is seen as an increasing problem. While there is still a
stigma attached to those who get drunk and refuse to get help, those who seek help are often
ostracized as well and so they relapse into drinking again. It then becomes a cycle of drinking,
rehab, support groups and relapse into drinking again because of stigmas. A study done by
Columbia University found that
The main outcome was lifetime intervention including professional services and 12-step
groups for alcohol disorders. Individuals with a lifetime diagnosis of an alcohol use
disorder were less likely to utilize alcohol services if they perceived higher stigma toward
individuals with alcohol disorders” (Keyes, K.M. et al. Stigma and Treatment for Alcohol
Disorders in the United States).
Because so many find a stigma in seeking help for addiction, they often relapse into
drinking again. However, with the creation of Alcoholics Anonymous more and more people
have sought help and while alcoholism is something that can never be cured, it can be treated.
Addicts often have the belief that they do not have an alcohol problem and so will resist attempts
for treatment, even by well-meaning family members. Children are the most affected by alcohol
in both East Asia and in the United States, and numerous studies show that if one parent is
alcoholic, there is a higher risk of the child becoming an alcoholic as well. Social workers have
seen first-hand how alcoholism can destroy families, and writes “Alcohol is the most common

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drug used among adults in the United States” (Moss, Howard B. The Impact of Alcohol on
Society).
Because alcohol use is so widespread among adults in the United States, treatment for
alcoholism is also high. In many cities across the country, there are different support groups that
can help alcoholics after leaving rehab. Yet even after leaving rehab and going to support groups
alcoholics still relapse into drinking. A factor that leads to drinking again is the amount of liquor
stores in the United States. A study done by Marketline shows that by “…2018, the United States
beer market is forecast to have a value of $83.1 billion, an increase of 3.6% since 2013” (Beer
Profile Industry: Beer in the United States). While the market for beer has increased in the
United States, they can also change over time and may start to decrease.
One way for alcoholics to get treatment is for alcoholism to get recognized as a mental
disorder. Because so many who suffer believe that there is nothing wrong and are in denial, they
are not getting the help they need. However, it is slowly getting recognized as a disorder and
need trained staff to help care and rehabilitate those who suffer.
While there is little difference in how alcohol is used culturally among Americans and
East Asia, the main difference is how treatment is viewed. As treatment of alcoholism slowly
gets better more resources will be devoted to helping those who suffer from alcohol abuse and
addiction. Culturally, both East Asia and the United States must understand that treatment is
something that can help, and not a stigma. As the liquor market grows and there are more
addicts, learning the basic signs of someone becoming an addict will help in stopping and getting
effective treatment early enough to prevent others from also turning into alcoholics.

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Works Cited
“Beer in China.” Marketline Industry Profile. Informa.com, Aug. 2014. Web. 6 Dec. 2014.
“Beer in Korea.” Marketline Industry Profile. Informa.com, Aug. 2014. Web. 6 Dec. 2014.
“Beer in the United States.” Marketline Industry Profile. Informa.com, Aug.2014. Web. 7 Dec.
2014
Cook, Won Kim, Mulia, Nina, Karriker-Jaffe, Katherine. “Ethnic Drinking Cultures and Alcohol
Use Among Asian American Adults: Findings from a National Survey.” Oxford University
Press: Alcohol and Alcoholism: Medicine and Health. Volume 49 Issue 6 (2014): 340-348.
Online.
Keyes, K.M., Hatzenbuehler, M.L., McLaughlin, K.A., Link, B., Olfson, M., Grant, B.F., Hasin,
D. “Stigma and Treatment for Alcohol Disorders in the United States.” American Journal of
Epidemiology. Volume 172 Issue 12 (2010): 1364-1372. Online.
Kim, Wooksoo, Kim, Sunjae. “Women’s Alcohol Use and Alcoholism in Korea.” Substance Use
& Misuse. Volume 43. Issue 8 (2008): 1078-1087. Online.
Lee, Hae Kook, Chou, Patricia S., Cho, Maeng Je, Park, Jong-lk, Dawson, Deborah A., Grant,
Bridget F. “The Prevalence and Correlates of Alcohol Use Disorders in the United States and
Korea-a Cross-National Comparative Study.” Science Direct. Volume 44. Issue 4 (2010): 297-
306. Online.
Moss, Howard B. “The Impact of Alcohol on Society: An Overview.” Social Work in Public
Health. Volume 28 Issue 3 (2013): 175-177. Online.

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Zhang, Jiafang, Wang Jiachun, Lu Yunxia, Qiu Xiaoxia, Fang Ya. “Alcohol Abuse in a
Metropolitan City in China: A Study of The Prevalence and Risk Factors.” Addiction. Volume 99
Issue 9 (2004): 1103-1110. Online.

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