What Does 회식 (Hoesik) Mean in Korean?
Written and reviewed by Jun and Jin, native Korean speakers
Published · Updated · How we write & review
After this page, you can get through a Korean company 회식 (hoesik) — the rounds, the table etiquette and how attitudes are changing.
10-second answer
What does Hoesik mean?
회식 (hoesik) is a Korean company dinner — a team or department outing, usually involving food and alcohol, meant to build camaraderie outside the office. Traditionally it could stretch across multiple venues in one night (1차, 2차, 3차 — ilcha, icha, samcha: "first round, second round..."), though today many end after the first round, plenty of people don't drink at all, and some teams simply have lunch together instead.
Quick check — did that land?
1. What does 회식 refer to?
Quick Examples
오늘 회식 있어요.
oneul hoesik isseoyo.
We have a company dinner today.
2차 갈까요?
icha galkkayo?
Shall we go to the second round?
차 (cha) counts "rounds" — moving to a new venue rather than staying put all night.
A note on spelling. The official romanization of 회식 is hoesik, but you'll also see it written hoeshik, hweshik or hwesik. They're all the same word.
See also: Korean drinking etiquette
The Multi-Round Structure (1차, 2차, 3차)
| Round | Typical activity |
|---|---|
| 1차 (first round) | The main meal — often Korean BBQ (삼겹살) with soju |
| 2차 (second round) | Moving to a bar or different food spot, often lighter and more relaxed |
| 3차 (third round) | Optional — noraebang (karaoke), another bar, or calling it a night |
Not every hoesik goes all three rounds — but the concept of physically moving between venues across a single night out is a distinctly common Korean pattern, tied to the same social, shared-experience instinct behind samgyeopsal and chimaek. These days, though, many hoesik stop at 1차: dinner together, then everyone goes home.
Etiquette at a Hoesik
All the drinking and dining etiquette covered elsewhere on this site is in full effect, often MORE strictly than usual: two-handed pouring for seniors, waiting for the most senior person to start eating or make a toast. Hierarchy is especially visible at a hoesik because the whole team/department is present at once.
Changing Attitudes
Hoesik has changed a lot. It used to be common to go through 1차, 2차 and 3차, and nobody went home until the most senior person said it was time. Now many hoesik end after the first round, many people don't drink, and some teams meet for lunch instead (점심 회식, jeomsim hoesik) so everyone keeps their evening free. Leaving early is fine too — if you have plans, you head off first.
Common Mistakes
Mistake #1 — Assuming it means heavy drinking
Many hoesik now end after dinner, and plenty of people don't drink at all. Saying you don't drink is completely normal.
Mistake #2 — Thinking you can't leave early
Once, nobody left until the most senior person said to go home. Now people leave when they need to — just say goodbye to your team before you go: 먼저 들어가 보겠습니다 (meonjeo deureoga bogetseumnida, "I'll head off first").
Mini Quiz
2. What does 2차 mean in the context of a night out?
3. How have attitudes toward hoesik been shifting?
Related Knowledge
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From shared company dinners to Korea's other huge food phenomenon — the solo eating broadcast that took over the internet.
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