Korean Hangover Cures Americans Should Know About

Growing up Korean, hangover products never seemed unusual to me. You see them everywhere in Korea — convenience stores, grocery stores, and sometimes right near the checkout counter.

But after living in the US, I realized that buying something specifically for a hangover isn\’t nearly as common here.

My husband drinks socially pretty often, so over the years we\’ve tried quite a few Korean hangover products. Some were good, some tasted so much like traditional herbal medicine that neither of us wanted to finish them. 😂

But there are a few that we actually keep buying: CONDITION, Easy Tomorrow (상쾌환), and ALDICOM.

These are products we\’ve personally tried and actually keep around at home, so if you\’re curious about Korean hangover products, here\’s what they\’re like.

Why Are Hangover Products So Popular in Korea?

Drinking is a pretty common part of dinners, gatherings, and work culture in Korea. Because of that, hangover products have basically become their own category.

Walk into a Korean convenience store and you\’ll usually find drinks, jelly sticks, small pill packets, and other products marketed for before or after drinking.

One ingredient you\’ll see pretty often is heotgae (헛개), or hovenia dulcis, a traditional ingredient commonly used in Korean teas and wellness products.

But honestly, when we\’re choosing one, we\’re usually not standing there analyzing every ingredient.

We\’re thinking: Does it taste okay? Is it easy to take? And can I throw it in my bag? 😂

CONDITIONhttps://amzn.to/4zcxfVQ

CONDITION is probably the Korean hangover brand we\’ve had around the longest.

It comes in several forms, including drinks and jelly products. The version we currently have at home is the small pill-type version, which comes in individual packets.

I actually like this format because it\’s tiny. You can put a packet in your purse or pocket and basically forget it\’s there until you need it.

My husband usually takes one around the time he\’s drinking. Other people have their own routines and may take these types of products at different times, so we simply follow the directions on the particular product we\’re using.

We\’ve tried different Korean hangover products over the years, but CONDITION is one of those brands that somehow keeps making its way back into our house.

There\’s usually a packet hiding somewhere in our kitchen.

Or in my husband\’s pocket. 😂

Easy Tomorrow (상쾌환)https://amzn.to/4xv0iCc

Another regular in our house is Easy Tomorrow, better known in Korea as 상쾌환.

If you\’ve ever walked through a Korean convenience store, there\’s a good chance you\’ve seen it.

We\’ve tried the jelly-stick type, which I personally think is one of the easiest formats if you\’re completely new to Korean hangover products.

Some traditional Korean products can have a pretty strong herbal taste. The jelly versions tend to be much easier to take, especially if you didn\’t grow up drinking Korean herbal drinks.

Between Easy Tomorrow and CONDITION, we don\’t really have a dramatic winner.

They\’re simply two brands we\’ve bought enough times that they\’ve become familiar staples in our house.

ALDICOMhttps://amzn.to/4c8ulY0

ALDICOM is another one we\’ve added to our rotation.

This one feels a little different from the other two, but what I like most is how easy it is to keep around. The packaging is small, so it\’s something you can easily put in a bag when you\’re going out.

At this point, CONDITION, Easy Tomorrow, and ALDICOM are basically the three names you\’ll most likely find somewhere in our house.

Apparently my husband\’s social life requires inventory management. 😂

What Is Heotgae (헛개)?

Once you start looking at Korean hangover products, you\’ll probably see the word heotgae quite a bit.

Heotgae, also called hovenia dulcis, is an ingredient that has traditionally been used in Korea and is now commonly found in Korean wellness drinks and teas.

You can even buy heotgae tea on its own.

That\’s a completely different experience from grabbing a little packet before going out. Heotgae tea is something you can simply make and sip like any other tea.

It also feels much more like something my parents\’ generation would recognize immediately. 😂

What About Ssanghwatang (쌍화탕)?

Then there\’s ssanghwatang.

This isn\’t really the same type of product as CONDITION, Easy Tomorrow, or ALDICOM. It\’s a traditional Korean herbal drink that people commonly associate with feeling tired or run-down.

And I should probably warn you about the taste.

It tastes like Korean herbal medicine.

Very Korean herbal medicine. 😂

If you grew up drinking things like this, it\’s familiar. If you\’ve never had Korean herbal drinks before, your first sip might be… an experience.

So personally, I wouldn\’t make this your introduction to Korean drinks.

The Korean Hangover Products We Actually Keep at Home

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Some of the Korean hangover products we actually keep at home.

This is probably my favorite part of writing this post because these aren\’t random products I found online just to make a list.

They\’re actually ours.

We\’ve bought different brands and formats over the years, but these are the ones that ended up sticking around.

And that\’s usually how I decide what I recommend here: Would I actually buy it again?

Where Can You Find Korean Hangover Products in the US?

They\’re much easier to find in the US now than they used to be.

If you live near an H Mart or another Korean grocery store, I\’d check there first. I actually think that\’s the most fun way to shop for them because you can look around and see just how many different versions Korea has come up with.

Amazon can also be convenient, especially if you don\’t live near a Korean grocery store.

There are Korean grocery delivery websites as well, and sometimes they\’ll carry products that are harder to find locally.

Just keep in mind that the exact products and versions available in the US can change.

So, Which One Would I Try First?

If you\’ve never tried a Korean hangover product before, I\’d start with one of the three we actually use:

CONDITION, Easy Tomorrow, or ALDICOM.

I wouldn\’t call any of them a miracle cure, and they\’re definitely not a substitute for drinking responsibly, eating properly, staying hydrated, and giving your body time.

They\’re simply products that have become part of Korean drinking culture — and, apparently, part of our household too.

After trying plenty of random ones over the years, these are the names that keep coming back.

Mostly thanks to my husband. 😂


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This post reflects our personal experience and is provided for general informational purposes only. It is not medical advice. Please follow the directions on individual products, drink responsibly, and consult a healthcare professional if you have health concerns.