The “Mandatory” Party ππ»
In America, you grab a quick happy hour drink with a coworker at 5:00 PM and go home πΊπΈπ .
In Korea, team dinners are known as νμ (Hweshik) π°π·.
It is not a casual invite. It is a deeply standardized, unwritten extension of the workday! It is a massive, multi-location marathon of eating, drinking, and intense social hierarchy that frequently lasts until 3:00 AM! π¨π
In Korea, team dinners are known as νμ (Hweshik) π°π·.
It is not a casual invite. It is a deeply standardized, unwritten extension of the workday! It is a massive, multi-location marathon of eating, drinking, and intense social hierarchy that frequently lasts until 3:00 AM! π¨π
The Sizzling Hierarchy π₯
The night always begins with 1μ°¨ (Il-cha / The First Round) π₯©.
This is usually heavy food, like Korean BBQ (Samgyeopsal or Galbi).
It is not relaxing for the youngest employee (The Maknae)! π° They have the terrifying responsibility of perfectly grilling the meat, endlessly refilling the seniors’ Soju glasses with two hands, and ensuring nobody’s plate is empty! βοΈπ₯’
This is usually heavy food, like Korean BBQ (Samgyeopsal or Galbi).
It is not relaxing for the youngest employee (The Maknae)! π° They have the terrifying responsibility of perfectly grilling the meat, endlessly refilling the seniors’ Soju glasses with two hands, and ensuring nobody’s plate is empty! βοΈπ₯’
The Golden Ratio π₯
You rarely drink just beer or just Soju at a Hweshik. You drink μλ§₯ (Somaek)! πΊπΆ
It is a lethal mixture of Soju and Beer (Maekju).
Senior employees take immense pride in their mixing skills π¨βπ¬. They will line up 10 glasses, balance shots on chopsticks, and hit the table to create a satisfying domino-waterfall effect of exploding “Bomb Drinks” (Poktan-ju) that the entire table must instantly Chug (“One-Shot!”)! π£π»
It is a lethal mixture of Soju and Beer (Maekju).
Senior employees take immense pride in their mixing skills π¨βπ¬. They will line up 10 glasses, balance shots on chopsticks, and hit the table to create a satisfying domino-waterfall effect of exploding “Bomb Drinks” (Poktan-ju) that the entire table must instantly Chug (“One-Shot!”)! π£π»
Loosening the Tie πβ‘οΈπ€
You survived the BBQ. You cannot go home! π
ββοΈ
The entire massive group stumbles down the street to 2μ°¨ (I-cha / The Second Round). This is almost exclusively the λ Έλλ°© (Noraebang / Karaoke Room) π€!
This is where the strict corporate hierarchy miraculously vanishes. The terrifying Director will suddenly put a tambourine on his head and sing emotional ballads, completely breaking the ice! ππΆ
The entire massive group stumbles down the street to 2μ°¨ (I-cha / The Second Round). This is almost exclusively the λ Έλλ°© (Noraebang / Karaoke Room) π€!
This is where the strict corporate hierarchy miraculously vanishes. The terrifying Director will suddenly put a tambourine on his head and sing emotional ballads, completely breaking the ice! ππΆ
The Phantom Escape π»
By 11:30 PM, the younger generation wants to sleep π΄.
They must employ intense λμΉ (Nunchi / Situational Awareness)! π
If you announce you are leaving, you will be guilt-tripped into staying! Instead, juniors wait for the seniors to get entirely distracted by a song, and then literally evaporate into thin air, sneaking out the back door like highly trained corporate ninjas! π₯·π¨
They must employ intense λμΉ (Nunchi / Situational Awareness)! π
If you announce you are leaving, you will be guilt-tripped into staying! Instead, juniors wait for the seniors to get entirely distracted by a song, and then literally evaporate into thin air, sneaking out the back door like highly trained corporate ninjas! π₯·π¨
The Last Suvivors π§ββοΈ
For the hardcore veterans, Karaoake is never the end! π
There is a 3μ°¨ (3rd Round) for spicy chicken feet or fried chicken! π
There is even a 4μ°¨ (4th Round) at 3:00 AM for spicy, boiling Hangover Soup (Haejang-guk) to supposedly cure the alcohol before work the next morning! π² By this point, only the absolute strongest (or most depressed) salary-men remain! π©
There is a 3μ°¨ (3rd Round) for spicy chicken feet or fried chicken! π
There is even a 4μ°¨ (4th Round) at 3:00 AM for spicy, boiling Hangover Soup (Haejang-guk) to supposedly cure the alcohol before work the next morning! π² By this point, only the absolute strongest (or most depressed) salary-men remain! π©
The Morning After Remedy π
How do Koreans survive working the next day? Science! π§ͺ
Before stumbling to the taxi, the final ritual is hitting the 24-hour convenience store. Every Korean knows the absolute cure: a tiny, expensive glass bottle of herbal hangover medicine (like Condition or Dawn 808), followed immediately by a carton of sweet Chocolate Milk to soothe the stomach! π«π₯
Before stumbling to the taxi, the final ritual is hitting the 24-hour convenience store. Every Korean knows the absolute cure: a tiny, expensive glass bottle of herbal hangover medicine (like Condition or Dawn 808), followed immediately by a carton of sweet Chocolate Milk to soothe the stomach! π«π₯
The Joy of Solo Drinking (Hon-sool) ποΈπΆ
Hweshik is incredibly social, chaotic, and loud. π₯
This is exactly why the modern Korean trend of νΌμ (Honsool / Solo Drinking) has exploded! π
After a grueling week of mandatory team dinners, there is absolutely nothing more luxurious than sitting on your couch in total silence, pouring a heavy, sweet, completely un-rushed bowl of JS Brewery Makgeolli πΆ, and drinking purely for your own pleasure! πΎποΈ
This is exactly why the modern Korean trend of νΌμ (Honsool / Solo Drinking) has exploded! π
After a grueling week of mandatory team dinners, there is absolutely nothing more luxurious than sitting on your couch in total silence, pouring a heavy, sweet, completely un-rushed bowl of JS Brewery Makgeolli πΆ, and drinking purely for your own pleasure! πΎποΈ
The Pain That Binds Us π€
Could you survive a mandatory 4-round dining marathon eating BBQ, singing karaoke, and drinking spicy soup until 3 AM? π²π€ How many ‘Rounds’ do you think you could last? Let us know! π
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