Surveys indicates a significant shift in Korea's drinking culture in the post-COVID era A shot of people clinking glasses (123rf) South Koreans have been known to enjoy the occasional drink in both their personal and professional lives, but a new survey shows that nearly a quarter of people in Seoul did not binge drink last year.Respondents were asked how often they drink a "substantial" amount of alcohol, defined as at least seven shots of soju or five cans of beer for men and five shots of soju or three cans of beer for women.The survey was conducted by the Seoul metropolitan government. The aforementioned criteria is used by the government to determine "high-risk drinking," which refers to consuming that amount of alcohol at least twice a week.Some 23.7 percent said they had not engaged in binge drinking in the past year. The response was lower than the 21.6 percent recorded in 2024.For the latest survey, a total of 3,024 adults were surveyed between Sep. 15 and Oct. 31.Nationwide, the percentage of high-risk drinking was 16.6 percent in 2024, according to the government's official tally. The figure was higher in 2020 and 2021 during the COVID-19 pandemic, but lower than 19.2 percent in 2017 and 2018 and 18.4 percent in 2019.The high-risk drinking rate in Seoul was 14.4 percent in 2024, an increase compared to the under-13 percent figures recorded during the pre-pandemic years. The rate went down from 17 percent in 2018 and 2019 and was 17.2 percent in 2017. Packs of beer are on display at a store in Seoul on June 2. (Yonhap) Binge drinking 'hoesik' culture possibly changedKorean work dinners called "hoesik" used to entail a significant amount of drinking, widely considered a lubricant to improve relations between colleagues. But there are indicators that the practice may have changed, particularly after the social distancing rules implemented during the global pandemic in the early 2020s.In March 2023, a full year after the pandemic-era social distancing policy was lifted, a Seoul survey found that 64.4 percent of respondents said they had fewer hoesiks since COVID-19. Some 36.2 percent said that they wanted a similar rate of work dinners and nighttime activities as the COVID-19 years, with 24.1 percent saying they wished the rate would increase.Meanwhile, a Seoul Metro report earlier this month showed a 23.7 percent decrease in subway usage after midnight between 2019 and 2025. The drop was more significant in areas traditionally known for heavy drinking, such as Gangnam Station, which had a 46 percent drop. Officials attributed the figure to a decrease in binge drinking compared to the pre-pandemic era.Government data shows that the drinking rate in general is around 60 percent — 60.5 percent for Seoul and 58.3 percent nationwide — compared to 62.1 percent and 59.9 percent, respectively, in 2019. But the aforementioned numbers indicate a more significant decrease in heavy drinking.According to the Ministry of Data and Statistics, the expenditure for alcoholic beverages per household for the first quarter decreased by 9 percent, compared to the same period in 2025. This marks the 10th consecutive quarter where the alcohol spending decreased compared to the previous quarter, indicating that Koreans are drinking less than before.