Drinking Barley Tea before a Test – Korea (Jea Mo)

Title: Drinking Barley Tea before a Test (Korea)

General Information

Informant

RY is a sophomore (’24) at Dartmouth College who is from Idaho. His family is Korean, but he was born and raised in the U.S. The informant identified himself as an avid tea brewer and fan.

Contextual Data

Cultural Context: The drinking and brewing of tea is a large part of Korean culture as well as many East Asian cultures. There is even a Korean term 다도 [dado] that translates into English as the “art of tea” or “tea ritual/ceremony.” Tea rituals may no longer be an essential part of Koreans’ daily lives in the contemporary era, but drinking tea has become a part of daily life. Barley tea, which is mentioned by the informant, is a typical kind of tea that most Koreans would enjoy drinking; it is easy to see Korean students carrying a bottle of barley tea around instead of plain water. In summer, there are more students who drink cold barley tea with ice, and in winter, hot barley tea in a thermo is more popular. Furthermore, many families seem to endorse the belief that drinking tea (a form of boiled water) is healthier than drinking plain tap water.
Social Context: This item was collected during an in-person interview. The informant mentioned that he is very fond of tea and enjoys drinking and brewing various types of tea. He said that the activity is very soothing and allows him to concentrate his focus on a particular activity that would normally require a lot of mental energy.

Item:

Associated File

Transcript:

“I’m a huge fan of tea – I like brewing it and drinking it. I try to make myself a cup of hot barley. It’s really relaxing – just the act of making it and drinking it.”

Informant’s Comments:

“Barley tea is what I usually go for, but I’m down for any other tea as well. It’s just that barley tea is my go-to tea.”

Collector’s Comments:

As someone who drank a lot of barley tea during middle and high schools, I agree with the fact that it can help one calm down enough to take a test with a clear mind.

Collector’s Name: Jea Mo

Tags/Keywords

Dartmouth Folklore Archive