Today, anju is more than just bar food – it’s an essential part of Korean drinking culture. Jokbal (braised pig’s trotters) is usually enjoyed with soju and on rainy days, Koreans crave jeon and makgeolli. So common it is to have fried chicken and beer together, there is even a portmanteau for it – chimaek, made up of “chikin” (chicken) and “maekju” (beer).
At Majanggol, a butcher restaurant in Majang Meat Market, in between sips of soju and mouthfuls of perfectly-grilled chunks of hanwoo, we witnessed employees politely time their escape when their bosses got up to leave.
Zhang Anqi, who has been living in Seoul for more than two years, observed: “I have hoesik at least once every two weeks as I work in a fairly traditional Korean company. It’s definitely less frequent compared to pre-pandemic times and hoesik are usually not organised on Fridays to promote work-life balance.”
Hoesik is a unique aspect of Korean drinking culture – drawn-out after-work boozy dinners to foster team bonding and camaraderie.
