Korean Company Dinner (Hoesik) Etiquette: Drinking Rules & Saying No

Last reviewed: October 27, 2026

Quick answer

A hoesik (회식) is a company dinner. It is part of team life, but these days it is much more relaxed than its reputation.
Three basics cover most of it: pour and receive with two hands, turn your head slightly when drinking with a senior, and don’t refill your own glass.
If you don’t drink (religion, health, medicine), say so once, early. Toasting with a soft drink is completely fine.
The modern mood is “drink as much as you like”. Most people won’t think twice if you stick to cider.

In this guide

Round	Where	The mood
1st (1차)	Korean BBQ or a Korean restaurant	Dinner and toasts. Most of the team joins
2nd (2차)	Beer pub (호프집)	Only those who want to. Leaving is fine
3rd (3차)	Karaoke (노래방) and so on	Optional

The company card or the most senior person usually pays. New staff almost never pay.
Lunch hoesik and activity hoesik (movies, bowling) are common now too.

The seat of honor is the one farthest from the door, usually for the most senior person. The newest staff sit near the door.
Juniors often set out spoons, chopsticks and water cups. Doing it without being asked makes a good impression.
At Korean BBQ, juniors usually grill the meat, but many teams won’t expect a foreign newcomer to. Offering once (“제가 구울게요”, “I’ll grill”) is plenty.

Pouring: hold the bottle in your right hand and touch your right arm or chest lightly with your left hand.
Receiving: hold your glass with both hands.
Don’t refill your own glass. Fill your neighbor’s when it is empty, and someone will fill yours.
Turning your head: when drinking with a senior, turn your head or body slightly to the side. It is a sign of respect. If the boss says “편하게 마셔” (drink comfortably), you can relax.
Toasts: when a senior calls “건배!” or “위하여!”, raise your glass. When glasses touch, keep yours a little lower than your boss’s.

Say it briefly and at the start. It feels much more natural than refusing halfway through.

Korean	Meaning
저는 종교 때문에 술을 안 마셔요.	I don’t drink for religious reasons.
약을 먹고 있어서 오늘은 못 마셔요.	I’m on medication, so I can’t drink today.
저는 술을 못 마셔요. 사이다로 할게요.	I can’t drink. I’ll have cider.

Leaving a little in your glass usually means nobody tops it up.
Many companies already have Muslim or Hindu workers and are used to this. If you don’t eat pork or beef, mention it early and the menu often changes.

The old “one more glass!” culture has faded. Especially at teams with many younger staff, dinner often ends after the first round.
If someone keeps offering, smile, say “저는 이걸로 충분해요” (this is enough for me), and lightly cover your glass with your hand. Koreans do this all the time.
Asking a friendly coworker beforehand (“I don’t drink, is that okay at hoesik?”) helps too. They will often smooth things over for you.

A quick “어제 잘 먹었습니다” (thanks for last night’s dinner) to your boss is enough. A KakaoTalk message works.
Being late the day after hoesik stands out. Leaving early from the 2nd round is fine, but come to work on time.

Most managers don’t expect foreign staff to know every drinking rule. Getting just the basics right earns you “you really know Korean culture”.
Hoesik is also a relaxed chance to bring up things that are hard to say at the desk, such as work worries or vacation plans. For more, see our Korean work culture guide.

It isn’t mandatory. Joining the first round for the first few times helps you get to know the team.

These days hardly anyone cares. Staying, chatting and enjoying the evening is what people remember.

Usually around 16%. “Somaek” (soju mixed with beer) goes down easily and hits faster than you expect.