Bad Idea Beverages

It's important to stay hydrated this time of year, so I always bring my thermos with me, filled with some iced herbal or green tea, or just water. I try to avoid buying anything in vending machines if I can, but it's so fun to check what they have if I'm waiting around for a train or something. I'm an Engrish Hunter, and Engrish is not too hard to find in a vending machine. Sometimes the drinks have super funny Engrish names. Sometimes they're what I'd call “bad idea beverages.”

Here's one I spotted the other day called Tough-Man Refresh. I didn't see the Tough-Woman Refresh, but could have used one. At least a Tough-Mam Refresh? It has ginseng in it! Sounds great during the summer when I've got the natsubate. (What's natsubate? Check this out.) I kind of wish ginseng was as ubiquitous here as it is in South Korea.

Next is the jelly in a can. This was a first for me. I'm thinking it's a new product? (It's not jelly like what you'd put on toast, it's like kanten jelly, the cold dessert. Something like Jell-o in the US, but not as crazy sweet.) I could only think, eeeewwww.

My husband said grape jelly (on the left) didn't sound bad in a can, but the 'Teleets Crush Jelly Vanilla Flavor Coffee Jelly' sounded gross. I could only imagine the cream part would come out first and the coffee jelly part would be left at the end. Plus the part that says, 'creamy sauce?' No, not on my drink. Normally I really like coffee jelly, but no. Not out of a can while waiting on a train platform.

Has anyone tried these? Would you try them or is drinking a semi-solid repulsive? I like the tapioca and nato de coco chewy drinks, but the drinkable jelly just isn't appealing.