How has hoesik culture changed for Korean employees after the 52-hour workweek and anti-bullying law?

Many employees say they now have more freedom to refuse after-work dinners. The survey found that dinner gatherings often end earlier, involve fewer extra drinking rounds, and create less pressure to attend or drink.

What did the Saramin survey find about employees' attitudes toward refusing work dinners?

Saramin said 64.5 percent of 1,824 surveyed employees felt they could turn down invitations without negative consequences. More than 97 percent viewed the changes positively, mainly because they gained personal time after work and could avoid hangovers or fatigue.

What risks do employees still see when they skip hoesik gatherings in Korea?

Even with the cultural shift, 24.7 percent said they could face tacit disadvantages. They worried about being isolated from coworkers, missing important company information, or hurting promotion and personnel prospects.

Employees no longer required to attend work dinners: survey

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Summary

Employees in Korea are increasingly able to refuse work dinner invitations, according to a Saramin survey of 1,824 workers. The change is linked to the 52-hour workweek system and bans on workplace bullying. More than 97 percent of respondents viewed the shift positively, though 24.7 percent still feared tacit disadvantages for skipping hoesik.

Key Facts

Saramin surveyed 1,824 employees and found that 64.5 percent said they could refuse work dinner invitations without negative consequences.
About 40 percent said hoesik culture had changed after the shortened workweek system and the anti-bullying law were implemented.
Among respondents who could choose multiple answers, 42.4 percent said the gatherings ended earlier, while 26.2 percent said they no longer went for additional rounds of drinking.
More than 97 percent said the changes were positive, and 51.8 percent cited more personal time after work as the main benefit.
24.7 percent said skipping such gatherings could bring tacit disadvantages, including isolation, missed company information, or weaker promotion chances.

By Kim Rahn

Published Oct 22, 2019 4:07 pm KST
Updated Oct 23, 2019 10:41 am KST

Korea's workplace culture is changing, with 64.5 percent of employees stating that they are free to refuse invitations to attend work dinners, according to a survey, Tuesday. / gettimagesbank

By Kim Rahn

Evening staff dinners and drinking sessions known as “hoesik,” once an essential part of working life in Korea, are starting to change, in line with the adoption of the 52-hour workweek system and bans on workplace bullying implemented earlier this year.

While the drinking sessions used to be considered a requirement, 64.5 percent of 1,824 employees surveyed by recruiting platform Saramin said, Tuesday, they are able to turn down such "invitations" without facing negative consequences.

About 40 percent of the respondents also said hoesik culture has changed since the implementation of the shortened workweek system and the anti-bullying law that states forcing employees to participate in such gatherings is a kind of bullying. When multiple replies were allowed, 42.4 percent said the get-togethers finish earlier than before, 26.2 percent said they do not go for further rounds of drinking, 22.5 percent said they are under less pressure to participate in the gathering, and 18.3 percent said they are under less pressure to drink alcohol.

More than 97 percent viewed such changes positively, because they have more personal time after work (51.8 percent), can work the next day without a hangover or fatigue (40.8 percent), and can enjoy a more comfortable atmosphere during the meal without being forced to drink.

However, 24.7 percent of the surveyed employees said they could face tacit disadvantages when skipping such gatherings, such as feeling isolated from their colleagues, being regarded by their coworkers as someone who is not well-suited to the organization, not hearing about important issues about the company, or a negative influence on their chances of promotion or other personnel affairs.

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