Pocari Sweat, a Faved Korean Drink: What is It?

In Korea, the types of drinks you can purchase are limitless. However, the most interesting drink--both to foreigners and those more Korean than kimchi--is a flavored water drink called Pocari Sweat. Pocari Sweat is purely a Japanese drink by name, but Korea eagerly imports millions of it every year to the delight of many parched Korean natives.

Pocari Sweat is almost the equivalent of Gatorade in the United States, and is considered the brand if you want a delicious Korean drink to quench your thirst. Korean actress Kim So Eun recently became Pocari Sweat's official spokeswoman, and many expect her to become extremely famous in Korea. This is all thanks to Pocari Sweat. So what's so great about this mystical Korean flavored drink in the famous blue can? Unfortunately, I know this first hand, as Pocari Sweat was my drink of choice while I stayed in Korea in the summer of 2005.

Pocari Sweat: How This Faved Korean Drink Really Tastes Like
My first run in with Pocari Sweat was in a small town called Munmak, neighboring Wonju City in Kangwon Do province. My mother and I were walking along the sidewalks in downtown Munmak when we came across a peculiar vending machine with various drinks. Being very, very thirsty, I naturally wanted to choose a cool drink to calm my thirst. Flashing its bold blue and white design at me was Pocari Sweat, looking tentatively at me from its cool confines in the vending machine. I thought back to a little known website called Engrish.com, where Pocari Sweat was featured for a brief but notable time, and I knew I had to try it. Little did I know this innocent Korean drink would leave me heaving in the rubbish bin for the next three hours.

Pocari Sweat has a very strange taste. In fact, to this very day, I still wonder why it is such a popular Korean drink. Pocari Sweat, according to Korean manufacturers, contains water, sugar, flavoring, calcium lactate, potassium chloride, and magnesium carbonate. I am not too thrilled about the flavoring bit; the taste of this drink is hard to describe. It is important to note that the taste of sugar in Korea is different than in the States, so it's not really that strange. It's a bit sweeter but still mild, and I don't mind it at all. But the sweetness in this drink is not the type noticed in most Korean drinks. It's a barely noticeable sweet that starts off tasting like plain water and then slowly progresses into a strong, watery but sweet flavor. It's almost like really watered down soda with a touch of syrup. Or to be more accurate, watered down Gatorade.

On the bright side, Pocari Sweat is low in calories and is sold everywhere in Korea, so if you're thirsty, this drink is easy to get.

Pocari Sweat is Really Korean Gatorade
Pocari Sweat actually does serve a legitimate purpose. Kim So Eun, who is Korea's Pocari Sweat endorsement lady person (you get what I mean), was recently featured in Korea's national Pocari Sweat commercial, burning in the hot Thai sun and looking up to the sky anxiously. She pauses to sweat, thinks for a moment, and then cocks her head back to indulge in a cool can of Pocari Sweat. The clouds part from the heavens, there is peace in the world, and she jollily dances about as she feels refreshed, thanks to the refreshing taste of Korea's favorite flavored drink. I really wish that would happen every time I drank Pocari Sweat, but unfortunately my life is not a really awesome Korean commercial.

If you did not guess it from the commercial, this drink is basically Korean Gatorade. Pocari Sweat, as the name suggests, contains electrolytes and nutrients that naturally replace in the body after one sip. Many Koreans drink it to keep them focused, well nourished, and active throughout the day. This is why it is such a popular Korean drink--it helps everyone stay focused and alert, from working a long day at work to night time, when most wind down by singing at the local noraebang. So if you are in Korea, and god forbid you hate soda or regular water, drinking Pocari Sweat is actually a good idea. The taste is different, and takes some getting used to, but your body will eventually thank you. You may want to steer clear of this drink if you have a sugar sensitivity, which is what I had (and why it made me pretty nauseous. I can't drink regular soda either, and I vomit if I have anything too sugary), but otherwise you're good to go. Pocari Sweat is pretty cool, if you get past the name and unfamiliar taste. A great Korean drink to heal any lingering dry throats.

Sarang hae Pocari Sweat!

Sources:
PocariSweat.com, "What is Pocari Sweat?" by Anonymous