If you work at a Korean company, or visit one on business, sooner or later someone will announce a hoesik (회식): the company dinner. It is part team-building, part celebration, part unspoken test of whether you fit in. The good news is that hoesik culture has relaxed a lot in recent years. The basics below will get you through your first one comfortably.
Quick answer: Hoesik is a team dinner, usually Korean barbecue with soju and beer, paid for by the company or the boss. Let the most senior person sit and start first, help set spoons and pour drinks if you are junior, follow Korean drinking etiquette, and you can leave after the first round (1차) with a polite goodbye.
What Happens at a Hoesik
- Round one (1차, il-cha): dinner, most often samgyeopsal or beef barbecue, sometimes a seafood or Chinese restaurant. This is the main event and the one you should attend.
- Round two (2차, i-cha): a bar or a pub for chicken and beer.
- Round three (3차, sam-cha): noraebang (karaoke) or another bar. Fewer people stay, and leaving before this is completely normal.
The company usually pays with a corporate card (법인카드, beobin kadeu), or the most senior person pays. Do not offer to split the bill at a hoesik.
Seating and Small Jobs
- Let the boss sit first. The most senior person usually takes the seat farthest from the door; wait to be shown where to sit.
- Junior staff often handle the setup: laying out spoons and chopsticks on napkins, pouring water, and keeping an eye on empty glasses.
- Someone grills. At barbecue restaurants a junior or the most confident griller takes the tongs. Offering to help is appreciated; see our Korean BBQ guide for how it works.
Drinking at a Hoesik
Expect somaek (soju mixed with beer) and a toast or two from the boss, often ending in a group “위하여!” (wihayeo). Pour for seniors with two hands, turn your head slightly when you drink, and do not refill a glass that is not empty. If you do not drink, say so early and keep a soft drink or water in your glass; in most offices today that is accepted without fuss. All the details are in our drinking etiquette guide.
How Hoesik Has Changed
- Korea’s 52-hour maximum workweek, introduced from 2018, pushed many companies to keep after-work events shorter.
- Younger employees openly prefer fewer, earlier dinners, and some teams now hold lunch hoesik or activities like bowling or a movie instead.
- Pressuring colleagues to drink is widely seen as outdated, and many companies discourage it.
Every company is different, though. Watch what your teammates do at the first one.
Leaving Politely
Leaving after round one is fine. Thank the most senior person before you go and use the set phrase below. If you are leaving because you are driving, say so; nobody will push.
Say it like a local
먼저 들어가 보겠습니다.
Meonjeo deureoga bogetseumnida.
“I will head home first. (the polite way to leave)”
잘 먹었습니다.
Jal meogeotseumnida.
“Thank you for the meal. (to whoever paid)”
저는 술을 잘 못 마셔요.
Jeoneun sureul jal mot masyeoyo.
“I am not a good drinker.”
FAQ
What is hoesik?
Hoesik (회식) is a Korean company or team dinner, usually Korean barbecue with drinks, paid for by the company or the most senior person.
Do I have to go to hoesik?
It is technically optional at most companies, but attending at least the first round matters for team relationships, especially when you are new.
Can I leave hoesik early?
Yes. Leaving after the first round is normal. Say 먼저 들어가 보겠습니다 (meonjeo deureoga bogetseumnida) and thank your manager.
Do I have to drink at hoesik?
No. Say early that you do not drink or that you are driving, and keep a soft drink in your glass.
