Click here for more articles by Kormedi.com. The culture of pressuring people to drink alcohol at company gatherings and social events is gradually disappearing. Yet in some workplaces and social groups, the practice still persists. Younger Koreans are drinking less than previous generations, and the traditional pattern of moving from soju at a first-round dinner to draft beer at a second round is also becoming less common. For some young workers, especially those grappling with a difficult job market, forced drinking at company dinners can be serious enough to make them consider leaving even after joining a small company. Korea's drinking culture is increasingly becoming a source of generational conflict. Older Koreans still drink heavily According to the 2025 Community Health Survey released by the Korea Disease Control and Prevention Agency on Sunday, monthly binge-drinking rates among men increased among those in their 60s and 70s over the past six years. Among women, the rate increased across all age groups in their 30s and older. OECD data also showed that Korea's monthly binge-drin