Hwayo

Japanese shochu is typically distilled from sweet potato (imo), barley (mugi), rice (kome), buckwheat (soba) or sugarcane. Koji, a type of mold, is used in the fermentation process. For Korean soju, a fermentation starter called nuruk is used. Korean Soju is generally made from molasses, tapioca, or sweet potatoes but traditionally was made from rice. Both are distilled to ~25-37% ABV. Neither is typically aged, but can be.