Return of Gatherings After Social Distancing Lift... Still Dislike 'Coercive Gatherings'

"Company Dinners as an 'Extension of Work'... Preferring to Spend Time with Family over Colleagues"
OB Beer and Local Governments Launch Campaigns to Change Company Dinner Culture

[Asia Economy Culture Intern Reporter Young] As social distancing measures due to COVID-19 have been lifted, gatherings and drinking parties are increasing. According to the food service industry portal 'The Oesik' operated by the Korea Agro-Fisheries & Food Trade Corporation, credit card sales for 'general entertainment bars' in July this year amounted to 210.5 billion KRW. This is about three times higher compared to July last year, which was 76.2 billion KRW. Credit card sales for 'dance entertainment bars,' where people can drink and dance, also surged from 17.4 billion KRW to 64.1 billion KRW during the same period.

Credit card usage has also increased. In particular, corporate card usage by companies rose by more than 50% compared to the same period last year, suggesting that workplace dinners and client meetings are returning to pre-COVID-19 levels. According to the Credit Finance Association in July, total card approvals in May reached 99.3 trillion KRW, a 20.7% increase from 82.3 trillion KRW in the same month last year during the pandemic. Among these, corporate card usage jumped 51%, from 14.5 trillion KRW to 21.8 trillion KRW.

Ob Beer Hanmac advertising with the phrase "We oppose forced company dinners." Photo by OB Beer

However, some voices express discomfort with forced dinners, describing them as an 'extension of work.' Due to the prolonged COVID-19 situation, some office workers have adapted to remote work and want to enjoy their evenings as personal time, feeling uneasy about compulsory dinners. A, who has been working for three years, said, "Since everyone has different working hours, having dinners at night made the next day’s work very difficult." B, who works at a marketing company, said, "I want to spend evenings with my family rather than company people, but as a newcomer, I still feel pressured."

In response, companies are attempting to 'change the dinner culture.' On the 17th, OB Beer’s Hanmac announced it will officially launch a second-half campaign with the catchphrase 'We oppose forced dinners.' Hanmac’s 'Soft Dinner' campaign advertisement begins with a large outdoor billboard among busy office workers stating, 'Hanmac opposes forced dinners.' Actor Lee Byung-hun’s narration says, 'Because our evenings should be soft times that everyone can enjoy.'

The "2nd Best Alcohol-Free Company Dinner Contest" conducted by Jinju City Public Health Center and Jinju Integrated Addiction Management Support Center (left) and the "Changing Company Dinner Culture" campaign conducted by Yangju City, Gyeonggi Province (right) Photo by Jinju City, Yangju City

Local governments are also working to create a new 'dinner culture.' The Jinju City Public Health Center and Jinju Addiction Management Integrated Support Center are promoting a 'no-alcohol dinner' culture and hosting the '2nd Best No-Alcohol Dinner Contest.' The contest targets local institutions, businesses, universities, and clubs, aiming to break away from the conventional culture of having to drink alcohol at dinners.

Yangju City in Gyeonggi Province is also conducting a 'Change Dinner Culture' campaign to improve organizational culture. Proposed by the Yangju Junior Board, composed of MZ generation employees, the campaign aims to prevent workplace bullying and resolve conflicts arising from cultural and value differences between generations, fostering a culture of mutual respect within organizations.