Gunbae!
Mix it up this weekend with Korean drinking games
By Melanie Barnes, Entertainment Writer
October 11, 2007 | 2:37 p.m.
The day-to-day games of flip cup and beer pong can grow old quickly as the school year progresses. However, in the world of Korean drinking games, extreme rules and a fast pace can take an average night to a whole new level.
Take notes from Ohio University’s international students, and get ready for a little cultural enlightenment with these Korean drinking games:
- Titanic
For this game, students need two different types of alcohol. For example, students can use beer and cheap vodka. First, pour half of a can of beer into a cup. Next, place an empty shot glass in the beer-filled cup so that it floats. Players then take turns pouring the vodka into the shot glass until it sinks. The player who makes the shot glass sink completely must chug the shot and the beer in under one minute.
- Kings
Students need a deck of playing cards for this game. The deck should consist of all number cards and one king, with only enough cards for the amount of people playing. First, someone should pass out one card to every player. The student holding the king is the only one to take action, but everyone else must keep his or her number identity secret.
The King is allowed three "orders" per turn but may only direct them by commanding the numbers in the game. For example, "I want four and two to kiss, and for number three to take a shot!" The students who have those numbers must obey the King. If they refuse the King's orders, they must take a double shot.
- Catch the Mice
In order for this game to work correctly, it must be fast-paced. Everyone should sit in a circle and chant, "Catch the mouse, catch the mouse, chk, chk, chk." (mouse noises) Then everyone says, "How many?" The person who starts must shout out a number, for example, “Three!” The person to the right then says either "catch" or "miss."
This continues, player by player, until the correct number of mice have been caught, meaning three people say "catch." Then everyone shouts "Wow!" and the process starts over again. Play continues until someone messes up by forgetting to shout. That student must then either chug a half can of beer or take one shot.
- 3-6-9
Similar to "Catch the Mice," players must again sit in a circle and keep up a speedy pace. Begin play with everyone chanting, "3-6-9, 3-6-9, 3-6-9, 3-6-9!" Then, one person starts counting, beginning with the number one. Whoever lands on a number with a three, six or nine in it has to clap instead of saying the number.
For example, "3-6-9, 3-6-9, 3-6-9, 3-6-9!"
"One!"
"Two!"
*clap*
"Four!"
Players keep this up into the double digits, and the number 13 becomes "one" and a clap. If a three, six or nine appears in the same number, two claps are required. The number 33 should be two claps, as well as 36 and 69, etc. Whoever messes up must take a shot, and the whole game starts back at number one. For the advanced version, people can add multiples of five and say "wow" instead of saying the number. For example, the number 35 would require a clap and a "wow" combo.
- Low, Middle, High
For this game, three dice are needed. Someone should put three dice in a cup. Then, he or she shakes the cup and flips it over but does not reveal the numbers. Everyone must first guess the range of the sum of the dice by saying either "high," "middle" or "low." Sums ranging from three to seven are considered low, eight to 12 are middle and 13 to 18 are high. Next, someone should show the dice and add the numbers together to place them in a range. All players who guessed the wrong ranges must take a shot.
General rule
If a player doesn't feel like taking a shot, then he or she can ask someone else to take it instead. The person who is asked can choose to drink it or not. If he or she does drink it, then the first player owes the drinker a favor, such as answering an intimate truth or dare question or being a personal servant. If the person asked refuses to drink it, the person who asked now has to take a double shot. This concept can be applied to any game.
As with any drinking game, students need to be careful and responsible for themselves and for their friends. Moderation is key for a safe and enjoyable time. Students should keep those in mind while preparing for their night of international proportions. With that said, "Gunbae!" which in Korean means, "bottoms up!"
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