Love a night out drinking but despise the after-effects i.e. hangovers? Then you need to get your hands on a new South Korean hangover remedy.
South Korea’s convenience store chain, Withme FS, recently launched a hangover-fighting ice cream called the Gyeondyo-bar. The name translates as “hang in there” and according to Withme FS, it is the first ice cream bar made and marketed specifically t combat hangovers!
Its name “expresses the hardships of employees who have to suffer a working day after heavy drinking, as well as to provide comfort to those who have to come to work early after frequent nights of drinking” said Withme FS, a unit of E-Mart Co Ltd and part of the Shinsegae Group conglomerate.
Fun fact: South Koreans are Asia’s biggest per capita alcohol consumers. In fact, South Koreans drink 12.3 litres of alcohol per year, the most in Asia-Pacific, according to a 2014 World Health Organisation report.
This is not the first time that South Korea has “invented” a hangover cure. In fact, hangover cures generate roughly 150 billion won ($126 million) in annual sales, ranging from pills and beverages to cosmetics for women who want to keep their skin soft after a hard night of boozing.
Its most popular hangover beverage, Hutgae (컨디션) Condition, has been sold in China, Japan, and Vietnam since 2014. The drink was also featured in Psy and Snoop Dogg’s 2014 music video, “Hangover”.
The above-mentioned cures do not even include the “hangover soup” that is a staple of Korean restaurants, such as:
- Haejangguk (해장국) – Pork-based Korean soup
- Gomtang/Galbitang (곰탕/갈비탕) – Beef-based Korean soup
- Kongnamulguk (콩나물국) – Vegetable-based Korean soup
And many more.
Gyeondyo-bar has been made available at all WithMe FS outlets. The grapefruit-flavoured dessert contains 0.7% oriental raisin tree fruit juice, a traditional hangover remedy cited in a Korean medicine book from the 17th century that is included in popular hangover potions.
Sources: Reuters, Hypebeast, seoulistic, PEOPLE / Featured image: Getty.
