Black Corporation: Joseon [EN]: Chapter 1002

1002. Meanwhile, Elsewhere… (7)

Rum flooded the European market upon its release.

-The greatest virtue of alcohol is intoxication.

According to this widely accepted drinker’s adage, distilled spirits were the superior form of alcohol. Compared to fermented beverages like wine or beer, staples of the European diet, distilled spirits boasted a significantly higher alcohol content. However, they suffered from one critical drawback: their high price.

Regardless of how inexpensive the wine or beer used for distillation might be, the sheer volume required made the final product costly. Rum, however, circumvented this issue. It was produced by distilling fermented alcohol derived from sugarcane processing byproducts.

Consequently, rum entered the market at a dramatically lower price point than European brandy, leading to widespread addiction among the lower classes. Over time, higher-quality rums, aged properly, were introduced, attracting the upper classes as well. This influx of premium rum ignited a fierce competition within the European luxury alcohol market, turning it into a ‘Warring States’ period.

Alongside established contenders like fine wines and multicolored liqueurs, brandy and high-end rum joined the fray, fiercely vying for market dominance. Milwei’s Giru [a high-end establishment similar to a modern-day lounge or club] profited immensely from this surge in demand. Aside from private banquets, Milwei’s Giru was the only place where nobles and the upper class could enjoy alcohol and conversation in a refined setting.

While existing guilds attempted to replicate Giru’s success with similar establishments, they were hampered by the absence of entertainers—like the Yegi [skilled female entertainers, similar to Japanese geisha, but not prostitutes] of Giru—and a lack of staff adequately trained to cater to the needs of nobles and the upper class. This allowed Giru to maintain its position as the premier destination for the elite, who engaged in both casual conversation and serious political maneuvering within its walls.

This marked the beginning of the ‘Giru Politics Era.’ This shift in the landscape reversed the power dynamic between European liquor guilds and Giru. Now, the liquor guilds were actively seeking to supply their brandies to Giru, as the upper-class patrons of Giru purchased their preferred liquors separately and in substantial quantities. Later, Hyang, upon receiving a report on this development, frowned in disbelief and muttered:

“Is it a Giru Warranty instead of a Royal Warranty?”

* * *

As rum captivated the lower classes, a significant social problem emerged in Europe, particularly in Northern Europe, including England and France: widespread alcohol addiction. Due to the poor water quality of the time, alcohol often replaced drinking water. Milwei’s Giru addressed this issue by employing numerous water purifiers to provide clean drinking water exclusively for its cuisine and beverages.

This widespread water contamination contributed to a situation where people were literally ‘drinking alcohol like water.’ While wine or beer were traditionally used for this purpose, rum gradually took precedence.

-Cheaper than any other alcohol, but more potent than any other alcohol.

Rum’s key advantages were undeniable. It became the go-to solution for the lower classes across Europe—in cities, mines, rural areas, and fishing villages. After a grueling day, when exhaustion made sleep elusive, a few glasses of rum offered solace. Similarly, when anxieties, often stemming from taxes, kept them awake, rum provided a temporary escape.

Even if it meant facing hardship the next day, they could at least find comfort in the present. The same held true for work; when their limbs felt heavy and weary, a few glasses of rum invigorated them. However, this soon spiraled into a situation where ‘alcohol consumed alcoholics’ and ‘they couldn’t live without alcohol.’

In the city’s back alleys, rum-soaked individuals staggered aimlessly or collapsed in the streets. The alarming aspect was that this addiction affected men and women, young and old, alike. As previously mentioned, drinking alcohol in place of water was a common practice due to the contaminated water supply.

* * *

Eventually, as rum-induced alcohol addiction escalated into a major social crisis, the church intervened.

-People! Do not drink alcohol! Do not drink rum! Think about tomorrow! A glass of rum is dragging you and your family’s tomorrow to the bottom!

Pastors roamed the streets preaching ‘abstinence,’ but their pleas met with a lukewarm response.

“Bah! Whether I die drinking foul water or die drinking rum, death is the same either way, so rum is better!”

“Why worry about tomorrow when life is already at rock bottom? It’s going to be at the bottom anyway!”

Despite their impassioned appeals, the pastors’ efforts yielded little success, prompting them to resort to ‘agitation.’

“Rum is a sin created by Satan!”

“Doesn’t the very name contain Satan?”

“Rum is what Satan created to drag your souls to hell!”

Not only the lower classes but even the upper classes were taken aback by the pastors’ inflammatory rhetoric.

“Even when targeting the ignorant, one shouldn’t resort to such ridiculous tactics…”

“There should be a limit to making unreasonable demands.”

Then, signs like these began appearing in front of stores selling alcohol.

-Rum that even Satan falls down drunk from!

Soon, even the kings became concerned about the alcohol addiction problem. Initially, the orders issued by the European monarchs upon receiving reports were similar:

“Bring me that rum.”

The kings, after tasting the rum brought before them, immediately spat it out and turned to their servants.

“Ugh! Isn’t this the rum I know? They drink something so tasteless? Have the people’s palates been ruined?”

The servants’ responses were almost identical.

“It’s because it’s cheap.”

“Is that so…”

Amidst this charade, the European monarchs, after much deliberation, arrived at a solution. Their first action was to restrict rum imports, typically by 50%, and in extreme cases, by 80%.

Interestingly, a significant portion of the remaining import volume—around 20%—was allocated to high-end rum for the upper class. This policy sparked outrage among the lower classes.

“Are you the only ones who get to enjoy rum!”

“Give us back the rum! Give it back!”

As widespread demonstrations erupted in cities, rural areas, and fishing villages, the kings and officials revised their policies. Later, European historians would recognize these demonstrations as ‘the beginning of the European civil rights movement.’

Ultimately, the kings and officials rescinded the rum import ban and instead imposed hefty taxes on rum, while simultaneously exempting low-priced fermented alcohols like beer from taxation.

This decision also faced opposition, but it was less intense than the backlash against the import ban. Over time, the low-priced rum market targeting the lower classes stabilized at approximately 50% of its peak.

“Is it impossible to reduce it further?”

“If we raise taxes further, demonstrations will erupt again.”

“That’s a shame… Tsk!”

The kings, unable to conceal their disappointment, instructed their officials:

“Draft a letter of protest to the Empire; where did they create such strange alcohol!”

* * *

Hyeon, after reviewing the flood of protest letters, turned to the officials present.

“I believe the people’s addiction to alcohol is the fault of the monarch, not the alcohol itself?”

Han Myung-hoi stepped forward and responded to Hyeon’s question.

“That is self-evident. People turn to alcohol more during times of hardship than during times of prosperity. In other words, the reason people are addicted to alcohol is because their lives are difficult, not because alcohol is inherently problematic. And the fact that the people’s lives are difficult is the responsibility of those who govern the country.”

Following Han Myung-hoi’s statement, Im Soon-wook added:

“That’s correct. Blaming alcohol is merely an attempt to evade responsibility. Alcohol is simply food; it is not alcohol that causes harm, but rather the individual’s mindset.”

Hyeon nodded in agreement with Im Soon-wook’s words.

“I am reminded of what the Supreme Emperor [referring to a past ruler] said in the past: ‘What is the sin of alcohol? The problem lies with the person who commits the sin.’ That is why the Imperial Law punishes those who are drunk more severely.”

“That’s right. It was a truly reasonable disposition.”

While creating the Extraordinary Law with Sejong [another historical figure], and subsequently revising the Criminal Law, Hyang included a provision related to alcohol:

-In all crimes, if the criminal committed the crime while intoxicated, the maximum penalty applicable to the crime shall be imposed unconditionally.

“I will make it impossible to utter nonsense like ‘mental and physical weakness due to drinking’!”

After reminiscing about anecdotes related to Hyang for a while, Hyeon and the ministers returned to the main topic.

“The rum sold in Europe and the rum sold in the Empire are identical, so isn’t it a potential problem within our Empire as well?”

Han Myung-hoi stepped forward and answered Hyeon’s question.

“It will not be a significant problem in our Empire.”

“Why?”

“It’s cheap, but not exceptionally cheap. And the biggest issue is its unpleasant taste.”

“Are you saying that despite its low price, it doesn’t sell well because of its poor taste?”

“That’s right.”

As Han Myung-hoi explained, rum was not as popular in the Empire as it was in Europe.

* * *

The people of the Empire who tasted rum for the first time, particularly those from Bonji and Bukji [regions within the Empire], spat it out immediately and cursed.

“Ew! Damn it! Owner! Is this alcohol! Is this alcohol!”

“Hey, damn it! I’d rather drink distilled spirits! I can’t stomach this even if I’m broke!”

The reason for rum’s poor reception was the abundance of alternative alcoholic beverages in Bonji and Bukji. Regardless of the specific region, nearly every town of a certain size boasted at least one brewery, each producing its own distinctive Takju [a type of Korean rice wine], Cheongju [a refined rice wine], and Soju [a distilled spirit] for the market.

And it wasn’t just breweries.

In the Banga (班家) [traditional aristocratic families] of Bonji and Bukji, there were unique alcohols passed down through generations, used for ancestral rites, banquets, and as gifts. The Banga that possessed renowned Miju (美酒) [fine liquors] often amassed considerable wealth from their production.

In the Imperial liquor market, where even the established powerhouse, multicolored liquor, faced competition, rum’s position was inevitably weak. Interestingly, a similar situation existed in Shinji [another region within the Empire]. The alcohol of Shinji, both north and south, consisted almost entirely of primitive fermented beverages. The Empire’s alcohols were a revelation to these natives.

The natives diligently frequented the monopoly offices to acquire the alcohols sold there. Over time, as Imperial citizens immigrated from Bonji and settled in Shinji, alcohols with Shinji characteristics began to emerge. Naturally, fermented alcohols, Cheongju, and Soju with local variations appeared and gained popularity.

Therefore, rum, with its mere cheapness and high alcohol content, was generally disliked throughout the Empire.