If you go to the entrance of a mountain on a weekend during autumn foliage season, you'll see a curious sight. Adults in hiking clothes sit in rows, eating pajeon and drinking makgeolli. A foreign student once asked, "Didn't you come to see the autumn leaves? Why are you drinking first?" ## The Misunderstanding That People Come to the Mountain to Drink With so many restaurants at the entrance to the mountain and everyone holding a cup, it's easy to think that way. But the order is different. Most people climb the mountain first, then eat after coming down. Pajeon and makgeolli are the finishing touch to a hike. ## Why pajeon and makgeolli, of all things? After walking for several hours, you get hungry and your legs get tired. They say makgeolli was the drink farmers used to have when the work got hard. Since it's made from rice, it's filling and fairly low in alcohol, so it was called "the drink you have while working." Pajeon is hot and greasy, so it takes the edge off your hunger. Also, the sizzling sound of pajeon frying is said to resemble the sound of rain, so on rainy days Koreans often think of pajeon. ## Tips You Can Use Right Away It's fine if you don't drink alcohol. You can just order pajeon and a soft drink. Makgeolli tastes better if you gently turn the bottle upside down a few times to mix it before drinking. Don't drink it before climbing the mountain; be sure to have it after you come down. Prices and menus differ from shop to shop, so check the menu.