Question: is soju and shochu the same?
Answer: “The etymology of their names are the same: the 'so' in soju and 'sho' in shochu both mean 'burn' or 'burned'; the 'ju' in soju and the 'chu' in shochu both mean alcohol. ... Both soju and shochu are made from a base of fermented ingredients, often grain, such as rice or barley.