One of the most typical convenience store cocktails in Korea is this Yogurt Soju Drink, known colloquially as the Soju Yakult ‘Cocktail.‘ It calls for just 3 ingredients and a tall glass of ice, but the fruity, creamy flavor screams both ‘summertime in Korea‘ and ‘I didn’t have more money for mixers.’
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About this recipe
Creamy Soju Cocktail: with the sneaky trick of combining the Korean probiotic drink Yakult with soju, this soju cocktail is creamy and a bit tangy with a sweet aftertaste.
Youthful Korean Cocktail: while this may be a strange and fun combination for most people, in Korea this is often one of the first drink combos people try in high school or college, along with the soju bomb. It’s a strange clash of two eras, as well, because when I taught English in Korea, all my elementary schoolers would drink a Yakult every day after lunch.
Super Easy to Make: requiring just 3 ingredients and as many minutes, it doesn’t get much more simple than this when it comes to summertime Korean cocktails!
Ingredients
Soju: this clear liquor is known generically as Korean vodka, and is available in numerous brands and formats around the world, but no more varied than where the drink originated – in South Korea.
Yakult: these tiny yogurt shots are both creamy and flavorful, enjoyed in Korea for the same reasons as kimchi, as a way to repopulate good gut bacteria. They’re meant to taste mildly fruity, and they’re very sweet.
For such tiny, unassuming packaging, you wouldn’t guess that these are the same tiny yogurt drinks enjoyed by all Korean elementary schoolers at the same time each afternoon. I wonder if this is what gogurt was supposed to taste like?
Citrus Soda: in Korea they have a drink called ‘Cider’ which tastes just like Sprite and is used in all the cocktails. But since there are a lot more drink options in the States, I paired the creamy probiotic Yakult with the prebiotic prowess of a low-cal Poppi soda (feeds good gut bacteria), which tastes fizzy & delicious.
How to make soju yakult cocktails: step-by-step instructions
Step 1. Fill your cup to the top with cubed ice. Then measure out 2oz. of Yakult (or you can use the whole 2.7oz. container for a sweeter, creamier Yakult cocktail) and pour it over the ice.
Step 2. Measure out 2oz. of soju (1/4 cup or two shots) into the glass, and stir the yakult and soju together.
Step 3. Either measure or just pour your soda to the top of the glass, then lightly stir everything together (just don’t shake it or the soda will lose its fizz).
Recipe notes & tips
Swap for Yakult: if you can’t get your hands on or don’t have time to pick up some Yakult, you could use any flavor of Calpis, kefir, or a combination of thinned-out yogurt and some simple syrup (though either swap will change the overall flavor of your soju yogurt drink).
No Sprite, No Problem: even if you can’t get your hands on Sprite, never fear, because you can use any sweet fizzy drink as a swap for the Sprite, though lemon-lime is the standard flavor combo. However in Korea, the local version of Powerade is another popular swap, or even lemonade.
Using Flavored Soju: if you decide to use a flavored soju rather than plain, note that it will make your drink sweeter and more flavorful, but it will also lower the alcohol content by about 40%.
Other soju cocktails to try
Homemade Soju Yakult Cocktail Recipe Card
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Soju Yakult Sprite Drink (Yakult Soju Cocktail)
A sweet & creamy Soju Yakult Cocktail, made with just 3 ingredients, like a typical Korean college student would make it.
Ingredients
- 2oz. soju
- 2 oz. Yakult
- 3-4oz. Sprite or 7-Up or fizzy drink of choice (Powerade is weirdly popular to use in Korea)
Instructions
- Fill your cup to the top with cubed ice. Then measure out 2oz. of Yakult (or you can use the whole 2.7oz. container for a sweeter, creamier Yakult cocktail) and pour it over the ice.
- Measure out 2oz. of soju (1/4 cup or two shots) into the glass, and stir the soju and Yakult together.
- Either measure or just pour your soda to the top of the glass, then lightly stir everything together (don’t shake or the soda will lose its fizz).
Notes
Swap for Yakult: if you can't get your hands on or don't have time to pick up some Yakult, you could use any flavor of Calpis, kefir, or a combination of thinned-out yogurt and some simple syrup (though either swap will change the overall flavor of your soju yogurt drink).
No Sprite, No Problem: even if you can't get your hands on Sprite, never fear, because you can use any sweet fizzy drink as a swap for the Sprite, though lemon-lime is the standard flavor combo. However in Korea, the local version of Powerade is another popular swap, or even lemonade.
Using Flavored Soju: if you decide to use a flavored soju rather than plain, note that it will make your drink sweeter and more flavorful, but it will also lower the alcohol content by about 40%.