Dictionary — Entry No. 0695
맥주
maekju · noun
맥주
maekju
[MAEK-joo]
nounbeginner
Meaning
맥주 means ‘beer’ in Korean — a Sino-Korean word combining 麥 (맥, barley) and 酒 (주, alcohol/liquor). Beer is deeply embedded in Korean social culture, most famously as the essential second half of 치맥 (chimaek) — the beloved combination of fried chicken and beer.
K-Pop & K-Drama Context
치맥 (fried chicken + 맥주) is one of Korea’s most iconic food rituals, portrayed in countless K-Dramas as the ultimate comfort activity. In ‘My Love from the Star’ (별에서 온 그대), Cheon Song-yi’s obsession with 치맥 became a global phenomenon reportedly credited with boosting fried chicken sales across Asia. Korean convenience stores selling cold 맥주 for outdoor ‘convenience store picnics’ is a beloved modern ritual woven throughout K-Drama aesthetics.
Example Sentences
퇴근 후에 맥주 한 잔 어때요?
Toegeun hue maekju han jan eottaeyo?
How about a beer after work? (a classic Korean after-work invitation — extremely common in office dramas)
치킨이랑 맥주가 최고야!
Chikinilang maekjuga choegoya!
Chicken and beer is the best! (the 치맥 declaration — a near-universal Korean sentiment)
편의점에서 맥주 사 올게.
Pyeonuijeomeseo maekju sa olge.
I’ll go buy beer from the convenience store. (convenience store 맥주 culture is a beloved Korean social ritual)
⚠️ Don’t use maekju when…
Korean 맥주 brands like Hite, Cass, and Terra are light lager-style beers, milder than many Western craft beers — don’t expect an IPA. Also, never confuse 맥주 (beer) with 소주 (soju, distilled spirit) or 막걸리 (makgeolli, milky rice wine) — Koreans treat these as entirely different beverages with different social occasions.
🎵 Heard In
- K-Drama: My Love from the Star (별에서 온 그대) — Cheon Song-yi’s iconic 치맥 obsession turned 맥주 and fried chicken into a K-Drama cultural landmark, inspiring real restaurant trends across Asia.
- K-Pop: Stray Kids — God’s Menu
ℹ️ Editorial Note: The cultural context and example usage are for educational reference only. Artist names, song titles, and drama references are used descriptively to illustrate vocabulary in context. This content is AI-assisted and reviewed for accuracy. For official information, please refer to the respective artists’ or studios’ official channels.