In Korean work culture, what's the name for the after-work gathering where a team eats and drinks together? The pressure is easing, but it's still seen as a bonding occasion.

Hoesik is the traditional Korean workplace gathering, usually involving a shared meal and often drinks, intended to build team cohesion and open up communication outside the formality of the office. It historically carried strong expectations of mandatory attendance and could run quite late into the night, but that pressure has eased considerably as work-life balance values have spread, leading to shorter events, more lunchtime hoesik, and generally more optional participation.

Overtime refers to extra working hours themselves rather than a social meal, and a business trip is unrelated travel for work purposes — neither describes the specific team-bonding meal-and-drinks tradition that hoesik refers to.

As norms shift, it's now increasingly accepted for someone who doesn't drink to say so politely in advance, and many workplaces have adapted by offering non-alcoholic options or shifting toward activities like team meals without drinking pressure at all.