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Korea’s premium liquor, Hwayo soju, is now sold in Hawaii.
Kwangjuyo, the country’s most prominent pottery company, has created a premium soju that has been winning awards in Korea and is now available in high-end retailers around the world.
Soju is a distilled beverage made from rice or other starch that ranges from 13 percent to 45 percent in alcohol content with a price of $1 to $5 in Korea. Its distinctive bottles are often seen in K-dramas.
Hwayo chairman Tae Kwon has himself been on the forefront of promoting Korean cuisine on a global scale and saw the need for a premium beverage to be paired with Korean food, much like wine to Western cuisine.
Soju has a clean taste and neutralizes the palate by toning down the intense flavors and spiciness of Korean food. It’s not vodka or sake, but in a category of its own.
Hwayo soju is available in Palama Supermarket.
THIS WEEK’S SYNOPSES
"That Winter, the Wind Blows"
Episodes 11 and 12
Today, 6:45 p.m.: Attorney Jang traces Soo’s criminal records and ID number from his fingerprint left on a picture frame and learns he’s not the real Oh Soo. Moo-cheol asks his sister to be Young’s doctor and in return asks Soo to pay him back sooner than later.
Today, 7:45 p.m.: Dr. Jo tells Young there’s only a 10 percent success rate for her surgery and recommends that she not go through with it. But Young decides to undergo surgery for Soo’s sake. Ms. Wang finds the secret room in the atrium and watches Young’s videotapes.
"Jang Ok Jung, Living by Love"
Episodes 3 and 4
Monday, 7:45 p.m.: Ok-jung reunites with her long-lost brother Hee-jae with Jang Hyun’s help. Hee-jae introduces Ok-jung to Prince Dong-pyong. In-kyung asks Ok-jung to help with the dresses for the candidates of the crown prince’s brides. Ok-jung happily agrees, excited to see the royal garments.
Tuesday, 7:45 p.m.: Yi Soon lets Ok-jung watch him train when he learns Ok-jung is trying to make armor. Ok-jung runs into bandits, and Yi Soon comes to her rescue.
"My Love, Madame Butterfly"
Episode 51 (Final Episode)
Wednesday, 7:45 p.m.:Sul-ah sneaks off with the bag of money Yeon Ji-yeon gave her for Harry and Shoe. What Sul-ah doesn’t know is that there is a tracking device inside the bag. She struggles with Moon Hyun-shik when he catches her trying to run away. He falls down a flight of stairs and ends up unconscious. Sul-ah feels alone and desperate once she gets away — desperate enough to do something foolish.
"All About My Romance"
Episode 1
Thursday, 7:45 p.m.: Su-young is a judge turned politician who is first elected to office in the National Assembly. He won the popular vote by making progressive rulings during his days on the bench, but was outcast by his peers and decided to enter politics.
Min-young is one of two assemblymen in her small party. She never dreamed of becoming a politician, but her sister’s death changed everything.
"Incarnation of Money"
Episodes 21 and 22
Friday, 7:45 p.m.: Jae-in runs to her mother’s side when she hears of her collapse. She finds out her mother has Alzheimer’s. Ji-hoo’s mother urges Se-kwang to run for mayor of Seoul and encourages him to marry Ji-hoo.
Saturday, 7:45 p.m: A large volume of Hwanghae Credit Union stocks pours into the market, and Jae-in has a hard time trying to deal with the swarm of people who come to withdraw their money. Cha-don continues to butt heads with So-tae in prison.
Jeff Chung is general manager of KBFD TV, which televises Korean dramas with English subtitles. Reach him at 521-8066 or jeffchung@kbfd.com.
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