Korean Dictionary
How to say "Company dinner" in Korean
“Company dinner” in Korean is 회식 (pronounced "Hoesik").
회식
Hoesik
Usage & Context
A mandatory-optional work dinner or team outing. Korean work culture revolves significantly around 회식 — eating, drinking, and bonding as a team. Attendance pressure is high despite nominally being voluntary. Post-dinner activities often include norebang (karaoke). Participation shows team commitment.
Example Sentence
오늘 회식이 있어서 늦게 퇴근할 것 같아요.
There's a company dinner today so I'll probably leave work late.
How to use 회식 naturally
Quick answer
The Korean word for “Company dinner” is 회식, romanized as Hoesik.
Usage tip
Learn this word together with a complete Korean sentence. Meaning often depends on particles, politeness level, and word order.
Common mistake
Do not rely only on the English meaning. Read the Korean example sentence and notice the particles, word order, and politeness level around 회식.
Pronunciation Guide
The '회' (hoe) sound is like 'hweh' or 'hway' (similar to 'way' but with an 'h' sound at the beginning). '식' (sik) is pronounced like 'sick'. The stress is slightly on the first syllable, 'hoe'.
More Example Sentences
Informing colleagues about an upcoming work event.
이번 주 금요일에 부서 회식이 잡혀 있어요.
Our department has a company dinner scheduled for this Friday.
Explaining a common post-dinner activity during hoesik.
회식 때 노래방 가는 건 거의 필수 코스예요.
Going to a norebang (karaoke) during a hoesik is almost a mandatory course.
Discussing generational differences in work culture.
젊은 세대는 회식 문화를 좀 부담스러워하는 경향이 있어요.
The younger generation tends to find hoesik culture a bit burdensome.
Cultural Context
Hoesik (회식) refers to a company dinner or team outing, a significant part of Korean corporate culture. While often presented as 'voluntary,' attendance is usually expected and seen as a sign of team commitment and loyalty. These gatherings typically involve eating, drinking (often heavily), and bonding, frequently followed by secondary activities like norebang (karaoke). Hoesik is meant to foster camaraderie and strengthen team relationships, though younger generations are increasingly questioning its mandatory nature and late-night demands, leading to evolving perceptions of this tradition.
Editorial note
We review entries like 회식 for pronunciation, example sentence fit, and learner mistakes so the page answers more than a direct dictionary lookup.
Reviewed by Min-jung Park, Korean Language Teacher. Updated May 31, 2026. See our editorial standards.
Common Phrases
회식 가다
to go to a company dinner
회식하다
to have a company dinner
회식 참석
attendance at a company dinner
Related Expressions
야근
yageun
overtime work
회식 문화
hoesik munhwa
company dinner culture
팀워크
timwokeu
teamwork
술자리
suljari
drinking gathering/occasion
More Culture Words
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