Korean singles drink away year-end blues

/ Korea Times file

Six out of 10 Koreans who are not in relationships drink more alcohol than usual at the end of the year.

This is due to the various end-of-year festivities.

The findings are based on a survey by matchmaking firm Duo of 523 Korean single men and women in their 20s and 30s.

According to the survey, 76.1 percent of respondents drink at least one bottle of soju at year-end gatherings. They drink an average of 1.7 bottles at each gathering.

The largest percentage of men and women said they intend to attend three to four gatherings planned for the end of the year.

The majority say such gatherings are opportunities to catch up with acquaintances that are hard to meet during the year. Others regard them as occasions to promote friendship, or a required formality.

They had the least appreciation for individuals who make spiteful remarks which such people later claim they cannot remember having said after they sober up.

Next on the list of undesirable types are people who try to preach on how to live life and those who drink until they pass out.

Women dislike people who force them to drink, and prevent them from going home along with individuals who make dirty jokes.