Verdict: weak evidence for symptoms, no evidence of liver protection. A handful of small trials suggest hutgae (Hovenia dulcis), Korean pear juice and similar ingredients may ease some hangover symptoms. But a 2021 systematic review of every placebo-controlled trial of hangover remedies rated all of the evidence as very low quality. More importantly for your liver, there is no good evidence that any hangover drink reduces the damage alcohol does. Feeling better the next morning is not the same as drinking safely.
Last reviewed: November 2026
The claim
In Korea, hangover care is an industry. Convenience stores stock rows of small bottles and jelly sticks taken before or after drinking, many built around hutgae (헛개, the fruit or fruit stalk of the oriental raisin tree, Hovenia dulcis). Others contain Korean pear, red ginseng, turmeric (curcumin), milk thistle or glutathione. The marketing usually suggests two things: that the drink helps your body break down alcohol faster, and that it protects your liver. Korean grocers in Australia sell many of the same products.
What the best review found
In 2021, researchers at King’s College London published a systematic review in the journal Addiction. They gathered every randomised, placebo-controlled trial of a hangover remedy they could find: 21 trials with a total of 386 participants. The remedies included clove extract, red ginseng, Korean pear juice, Hovenia dulcis extract, curcumin, probiotics, artichoke extract and several medicines.
Some trials reported statistically significant improvements in symptoms, and Hovenia, red ginseng and Korean pear juice were among the remedies that did better than placebo. But the reviewers rated all of the evidence as very low quality. The reasons are worth knowing, because they apply to most hangover marketing:
- The trials were very small, often with only a couple of dozen people.
- No two studies tested the same remedy, and no result had been independently repeated.
- Many studies did not report their methods properly, raising concerns about bias.
- Hangover symptoms were measured in different, subjective ways.
- Eight of the studies included only men.
The lead author’s conclusion was that the surest way to avoid hangover symptoms is to drink in moderation or not at all.
What about newer hutgae studies?
Since that review, several small Korean trials have tested Hovenia drinks, often combined with kudzu root, glutathione or curcumin. Some report lower blood alcohol or acetaldehyde at certain time points. These studies are a step up from animal research, but they share the same limits: small numbers (often 25–30 people), short follow-up, and in several cases authors or funding linked to the companies that make the products. Much of the claim that Hovenia ‘protects the liver’ still rests on studies in mice and rats.
The part that matters for your liver
Even if a drink eases your headache, it does not change the basic biology of alcohol:
- Your liver works at a fixed speed. Australia’s NHMRC notes that an average healthy adult needs at least an hour, and often longer, to process one standard drink. Time is the only reliable way to clear alcohol.
- Liver injury comes from the total amount you drink. Over months and years, it is your weekly alcohol intake that drives fatty liver, inflammation and scarring. No study shows that a hangover drink before soju offsets that.
- False security is a real risk. If a drink makes you feel protected, it is easy to have one more glass. A bottle of soju is already about 4.5 Australian standard drinks (see How Many Standard Drinks Are in a Bottle of Soju?).
- Many hangover drinks are sweetened. Check the label for sugar, especially if you have fatty liver or diabetes.
- Herbal products are not risk-free. Herbal and dietary supplements are a recognised cause of liver injury in general. If you have liver disease or take regular medicines, ask your doctor or pharmacist before using them.
What actually helps on a night out
- Decide how much you will drink before you start, and count bottles rather than glasses.
- Eat a proper meal before and while drinking.
- Have a glass of water with every alcoholic drink.
- Stop earlier in the evening so your body has more time before you sleep.
- Leave several alcohol-free days between drinking sessions.
- The next day, rehydrate, eat simply and rest. Be careful with pain relievers after heavy drinking: do not exceed the dose on the label, and ask a pharmacist which one suits you.
If you enjoy a pear or a cup of hutgae tea, there is no reason to stop. Just treat it as a drink, not as liver insurance.
The bottom line
Hutgae, Korean pear juice and other hangover remedies have, at best, weak evidence for easing symptoms and no good evidence for protecting your liver or speeding up how fast it clears alcohol. The only proven ways to avoid a hangover and protect your liver are to drink less, drink slowly with food and water, and give your body alcohol-free days.
This article is general information, not medical advice. We do not sell or receive payment for any hangover product or supplement. See our Medical Disclaimer and Editorial Policy.
Sources
- Roberts E, Smith R, Hotopf M, Drummond C. The efficacy and tolerability of pharmacologically active interventions for alcohol-induced hangover symptomatology: a systematic review of the evidence from randomised placebo-controlled trials. Addiction. 2022.
- Clinical evaluation of Hovenia dulcis extract combinations for effective hangover relief in humans. Foods. 2024;13(24):4021.
- National Health and Medical Research Council. Practical information: how to apply the Australian alcohol guidelines.