March 31, 2026
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If you go out drinking in Korea for the first time, there are a few moments where something might be percieved as slightly off.
Not in a bad way, just different enough that you notice it.
A lot of it comes down to habits that people follow without really explaining them. If you don’t know what’s going on, it can feel a bit blunt or strange at first.
But most of it has a reason behind it. In this blog, we're going to cover some situations you might encounter when drinking with Koreans.
You’ll notice pretty quickly that people don’t usually pour their own drinks.
If your glass is empty, someone else will reach over and fill it. And you’re expected to do the same for them.
In fact, it's strange to Koreans if you try to pour your own drink; they may insist on pouring for you.
At first it can feel like someone is interrupting or overstepping, especially if you weren’t planning to drink more.
But it’s really just a small way of paying attention to the people at the table. You’re looking out for each other, not just yourself.
If you don't want to drink, it's better to allow the drink to be poured and not touch it.
Along with that, people tend to notice when your glass is empty.
If it stays that way for too long, someone will usually say something or just refill it.
It can feel like pressure, but it’s less about forcing you to drink and more about keeping things moving. Drinking is treated as something shared, not individual.
If you don’t want more, you can always just leave your glass with something in it.
At some point, someone will probably tell you to have one more drink.
Sometimes more than once.
It can come across as pushy if you’re not used to it, but most of the time it’s not meant that way. It’s closer to a gesture of inclusion than actual pressure.
That said, people are generally understanding if you push back a bit. It’s more about offering than forcing.
However, the peer pressure to drink is very strong in Korea, and staying sober often becomes a challenge if you go out to socialize or date.
If you sit down to drink, there will almost always be food on the table.
Something like Anju (안주 - food intended to be consumed with alcohol) is expected, even if it’s just a simple dish.
Sometimes it's nuts, or a hot dish, or even dried squid.
If you enter a pub labeled "pocha," you'll be required to order food with alcohol, and vice versa.
If you’re used to just ordering drinks on their own, this can feel unnecessary at first.
But it changes the pace completely. People eat, talk, drink, and stay longer. It keeps things from feeling rushed.
When it comes time to pay, it’s not always evenly split.
Sometimes one person covers a round, and someone else gets the next one somewhere else (Round Robin style).
If you try to divide everything down to the exact amount, it can feel a bit too transactional in that moment.
Basically, splitting the bill is not normal in Korea, unless you're out with mixed group of foreigners and Koreans.
The round robin style usually balances out over the course of the night, but it can mean that you end up spending more than you budgeted for a night out.
With that being said, I used to go out drinking with groups of 10-20 friends at a time, and we'd usually split the bill. It's a niussance for the bars and pubs, but honestly not that big of a deal.
In a lot of places, you go out, have a few drinks, and call it a night.
In Korea, it’s common to move around.
You might start with food (and drinks), then go somewhere else for drinks (and food), then maybe one more place after that.
Koreans call it Round 1, 2, 3, etc. Usually, it won't go past round 5 unless you're with a really thirsty crowd.
If you’re expecting a clear endpoint, it can feel like things are dragging on. But for most people, that progression is the night.
With that being said, its common to end a night of drinking with a hang-over soup like haejangguk (again, with alcohol, lol).
Depending on the group, leaving before everyone else can feel a little awkward.
Especially in work settings.
It’s not always explicitly said, but there can be a sense that you stay together until a certain point.
With friends, it’s usually more relaxed. But the feeling still shows up sometimes.
What can you expect, though, when Korea's socializing, networking, business, and dating culture is built around drinking together.
There’s no single, consistent “cheers” moment like you might expect.
Sometimes people say something, sometimes they don’t.
Instead, there are smaller gestures, like how you hold your glass or how you drink in certain situations, that carry more meaning.
It’s subtle, and easy to miss if you’re not looking for it.
This is the standard one.
It’s the closest equivalent to “cheers” and works in almost any situation. Work dinners, casual nights out, mixed groups.
If you don’t know what to say, this is always safe.
This is the casual version, which you'll hear a lot more often with friends.
You’ll hear it more with friends, especially in relaxed settings. It’s short, easy, and usually said right when glasses clink.
Think of it as the informal default.
This one is a bit more expressive.
It means something like “for [this moment / this occasion].” People use it when they want to add a bit more meaning to the toast.
You’ll hear it at team dinners, celebrations, or when someone wants to set the tone.
More formal, and not as common in everyday casual settings.
It’s closer to wishing success or prosperity. You might hear it in business settings or more traditional gatherings.
This isn’t really a “cheers,” but it shows up at the same moment.
It means “drink it all in one go.” Sometimes it’s said jokingly, sometimes not.
You’ll hear it a lot in louder, more energetic groups.
If you do one-shot the drink, people will cheer.
If you refuse, it's kind of a buzz-kill, unless the drink is insanely overpoured.
Not exactly a cheers, but worth knowing.
This is more like “shall we have a drink?” specifically referring to a soju + beer mix.
It often leads into a toast right after.
None of these things are meant to come across as rude.
They just come from a slightly different way of looking at drinking. It’s less individual and more shared.
Once you understand that, most of these moments stop feeling uncomfortable and start to make a lot more sense.
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