What is the alcohol percentage of soju? Classic green-bottle soju is about 16% to 17% ABV. Jinro's Chamisul Fresh is listed at about 16.5% to 17%, while Chamisul Original is 20.1%. Fruit-flavoured soju, such as peach or grapefruit, is usually 12% to 13%, and traditional distilled soju can be 25% to 45%.
A 360 ml bottle of 16.5% soju contains about 5.9 UK units or 3.3 US standard drinks, more than a bottle of beer and about two-thirds of a bottle of wine. This guide shows soju strengths by type, what a bottle contains, and how to count soju shots.
Soju alcohol percentage chart
| Soju type | Typical ABV | UK units per 360 ml bottle | US standard drinks per bottle |
|---|---|---|---|
| Fruit-flavoured (peach, grape, grapefruit, plum) | 12%–13% | 4.3–4.7 | 2.4–2.6 |
| Classic "fresh" soju (green bottle) | 16%–17% | 5.8–6.1 | 3.3–3.5 |
| Chamisul Original | 20.1% | 7.2 | 4.1 |
| Premium or older-style soju | 20%–25% | 7.2–9.0 | 4.1–5.1 |
| Traditional distilled soju (such as Andong soju) | 40%–45% | 14.4–16.2 | 8.1–9.1 |
Strengths change over time. Korean brands have cut the ABV of mainstream soju in steps over the last two decades, and retailers often list older figures. Check the label on your bottle; small differences such as 16.5% versus 16.9% barely change the totals.
How strong is soju compared with other drinks?
Soju sits between wine and spirits. Classic soju at 16.5% is a little stronger than most wine (12% to 14%) and less than half the strength of vodka (37.5% to 40%). People often think of it as a mild spirit because it is drunk in small shots, but a whole bottle is a lot of alcohol. See the alcohol percentage chart for beer, wine and spirits for comparison.
How much alcohol is in a bottle of soju?
In Korea, the standard soju bottle is 360 ml. In the US, bottles are often 375 ml, and some shops sell 750 ml.
| Bottle | At 13% | At 16.5% | At 20.1% |
|---|---|---|---|
| 360 ml (UK units) | 4.7 | 5.9 | 7.2 |
| 375 ml (US standard drinks) | 2.8 | 3.5 | 4.3 |
| 750 ml (US standard drinks) | 5.5 | 7.0 | 8.5 |
A single 360 ml bottle of classic soju is 5.9 units, which is 42% of the UK weekly low-risk guideline of 14 units. Two bottles shared between two people is a typical night out in Korea and adds up to almost 6 units each.
How many shots are in a bottle of soju?
Soju glasses are small, often around 50 ml when filled. A 360 ml bottle pours about 7 shots of that size.
- One 50 ml soju shot at 16.5%: 0.8 UK units, or about 0.5 US standard drinks.
- Seven shots: about 5.8 units, which is essentially the whole bottle.
That means two small soju shots are close to one US standard drink. Because shots are poured for each other at the table and topped up often, it is easy to lose count.
Soju bombs (somaek)
Somaek mixes a shot of soju into a glass of beer. A 50 ml soju shot at 16.5% added to 300 ml of 4.5% lager contains about 2.2 UK units. That is close to a full UK pint of the same lager (2.6 units in 568 ml), in about 60% of the volume.
The formula for any soju
UK units = ml × ABV ÷ 1,000
US standard drinks = fluid ounces × ABV (as a decimal) ÷ 0.6
Example 1: a 360 ml bottle of 16.5% soju (UK units)
360 × 16.5 ÷ 1,000 = 5.94 units
Example 2: a 375 ml bottle of 20.1% soju (US standard drinks)
375 ml = 12.7 oz. 12.7 × 0.201 = 2.55 oz of pure alcohol, and 2.55 ÷ 0.6 = 4.25 standard drinks
Example 3: one somaek
Soju: 50 × 16.5 ÷ 1,000 = 0.83 units. Beer: 300 × 4.5 ÷ 1,000 = 1.35 units. Total = 2.2 units
The alcohol units calculator and the standard drink calculator work for any soju and bottle size. For other pour sizes, see how many ml are in a shot.
Why soju is easy to underestimate
- Sweet, smooth flavours hide the alcohol, especially in fruit soju.
- Small glasses make each serving feel minor, but seven of them make a bottle.
- Table culture means glasses are refilled before they are empty, so counting by "glasses" does not work.
Logging each bottle opened is often easier than counting shots. [Alcohol Tracker°](/) lets you save soju with its bottle size and ABV on iPhone or Apple Watch, so you can add a bottle or a shot in one tap.
Never drive after drinking soju. Arrange a designated driver service, a taxi, or public transport instead.
Frequently Asked Questions
What is the alcohol percentage of soju?
Most mainstream green-bottle soju is about 16% to 17% ABV. Chamisul Original is 20.1%, fruit-flavoured soju is usually 12% to 13%, and traditional distilled soju can be 40% or more.
Is soju stronger than vodka?
No. Classic soju is about 16% to 17%, while vodka is 37.5% to 40%. A shot of soju has well under half the alcohol of the same shot of vodka. Traditional distilled soju is the exception.
How many units are in a bottle of soju?
A 360 ml bottle of 16.5% soju contains about 5.9 UK units. A bottle of 13% fruit soju contains about 4.7, and a bottle of 20.1% soju about 7.2.
How many standard drinks are in a bottle of soju?
A 375 ml bottle at 16.5% is about 3.5 US standard drinks. A 360 ml bottle at the same strength is about 3.3.
How many shots are in a bottle of soju?
A 360 ml bottle pours about seven 50 ml soju shots. With larger 1.5 oz (44 ml) US shot glasses filled to the top, it is about eight.
The quick answer
Classic soju is about 16% to 17% ABV, Chamisul Original is 20.1%, and fruit soju is 12% to 13%. A 360 ml bottle of 16.5% soju contains about 5.9 UK units or 3.3 US standard drinks, and it pours about seven 50 ml shots.
Sources: NIAAA: What is a standard drink?, CDC: About alcohol use, NHS alcohol units, and the UK Chief Medical Officers' low-risk drinking guidelines. Brand strengths come from product listings; check the bottle label for the current figure.
Keep exploring
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