Objective: Instead of focusing on the classification of drinking type based on sex and gender, this study aimed to identify the nature of drinking motives among high-risk drinkers, to develop preventive strategies. Methods: This research involved a cross-sectional study of adults aged between 19 and 59 years who stated that their drinking frequency over the past year had been more than once a month. They were selected in 2018 from a panel of subjects enrolled by existing domestic survey companies. The sample size and methods used for analysis were determined by considering demographically proportioned stratified sampling and monthly alcohol drinking rate. A total of 3,000 subjects responded to questionnaires. Results: Men in their 30s and 50s and women in their 30s were identified as excessive drinking groups. A norm existed among men in their 50s that caused them to have difficulty resisting social pressure to drink. Among men in their 30s, there existed a strong tendency to drink for the purpose of socializing in a small, intimate in-group and a culture influenced by alcohol use as a show of masculinity. Unlike men, women in their 30s did not drink much for social or entertainment purposes but tended to do so mainly for personal reasons. Conclusion: This study will contribute to determining the nature of drinking motives, based on the behavior of different generations of high-risk drinkers.