[Weekly Diary②] What Shook My Resolution More Than Samgyeopsal or Dakbokkeumtang... Drinking with My Boss

Week 3 of Abstinence
The Temptation of Spicy Dakbokkeumtang and Greasy Samgyeopsal
A Boss Who Keeps Offering Drinks... Resolving to Abstain Shaken
A 'Society That Does Not Encourage Drinking' Is Needed

Grilled pork belly (Photo by Asia Economy DB)

[Asia Economy Reporter Gong Byung-sun] It has been over two weeks since I started abstaining from alcohol. Those two weeks were not smooth. There were countless temptations, challenges, struggles, and moments of enlightenment. Every time I saw the bubbles rising in a glass of beer, I thought a single sip might blow away the heat.

One of the main difficulties in abstaining from alcohol was food. The spicy braised chicken stew I recently ate made me want to reach for a soju glass. The spicy red broth, the well-cooked chicken, and the vegetables soaked in seasoning all invited drinking. The side dish that accompanied the braised chicken stew, tteokbokki, seemed like it would go well with beer.

I poured cola into a soju glass instead of soju. Next to it, soju bottles and beer bottles were piling up.

Samgyeopsal (grilled pork belly) also tormented me. After downing a shot of soju, eating samgyeopsal right after would bring unparalleled happiness. The savory fat, the chewy texture, and the spicy doenjang jjigae (soybean paste stew) served alongside made abstaining difficult. To soothe my aching stomach, I poured cola into the soju glass instead of soju. That day, the cola tasted bitter.

The media I often watched also made things harder. Recently, most online video services (OTT) provide personalized content through algorithms. YouTube is no exception. It seemed as if it knew about my abstinence and was teasing me by recommending ‘drinking mukbang’ videos every day.

Videos of people drinking did not satisfy my cravings but rather increased my frustration. My favorite atmosphere is having a drink at a pojangmacha (street food tent). Every time I saw the pojangmacha videos recommended daily, I didn’t feel satisfied but wanted to run there immediately. I learned the lesson that during abstinence, one should absolutely avoid content related to alcohol. In fact, the Ministry of Health and Welfare and others advise creating an environment free from alcohol exposure to support abstinence and moderation.

More Difficult Than Braised Chicken Stew, Samgyeopsal, or YouTube Was... The Company Boss Who Pressured Me to Drink

After the wedding, there was a drinking party with my superior. The superior's temptation continued until the end of the drinking session.

But the hardest challenge was the pressure from my boss to drink. Even when I told them I was abstaining, I faced awkward moments due to my boss’s insistence on drinking.

At the end of last month, company members gathered for a senior colleague’s wedding. After celebrating the wedding together, a buffet was arranged, and naturally, drinking began. The boss and other colleagues around me offered me drinks, but I firmly refused.

However, they tried to break my resolve by saying things like, “Drinking while abstaining can be content,” or “Your determination to abstain didn’t seem that serious.” Succumbing to repeated temptations, I accepted a shot of soju but ultimately did not drink it. Of course, I was curious about the taste and kept staring at the soju glass.

In reality, many office workers struggle with drinking occasions such as company dinners with their bosses. According to a survey by the job portal Incruit and part-time job app Albaco, as of 2019, 7 out of 10 workers in their 20s and 30s reported feeling stressed due to company dinners. The reasons for avoiding these dinners varied, including “getting home late,” “uncomfortable atmosphere,” “lack of fun,” and “compulsory nature.” Furthermore, the preferred types of company gatherings were “dinner without alcohol” and “exploring popular restaurants during lunch hours,” places unrelated to drinking.

Ultimately, I realized that abstaining from alcohol is difficult to do alone. Unless one quits their job and lives alone in the mountains, someone will keep offering drinks. For that reason, if someone is abstaining or cannot drink, an atmosphere where offering alcohol is naturally avoided must be created. What if a culture where people casually say, “Let’s not drink,” is formed? A society that does not pressure people to drink seems more intriguing and appealing than one that does.

This content was produced with the assistance of AI translation services.