A foreign colleague I know was flustered during his first week at the company. When 12 o'clock came, everyone rushed out together, and apparently nobody asked, "Do you want to come along?" This is usually what gets said. "What should we eat for lunch?" "How about kimchi stew? Let's all go together." I'm fine with anything. ## It looks like a question, but it isn't The first line sounds like it's asking about the menu, but it's really closer to a greeting meaning "We're eating together, right?" The second line, "Let's all go together," isn't an invitation but a confirmation. Going together is the default, so no one bothers to ask. The "anything" in the third line is something the youngest often says. It doesn't mean they have no preferences; it's a consideration that says, "Don't be inconvenienced because of me." ## Why Do They Always Eat Together? The lunch break isn't long, and the restaurants near the office all get crowded at once at 12. If you move together, it's also easier to get a table. There's an even bigger reason. In Korea, eating a meal together is a way to get closer. "Let's grab a meal sometime" is practically a greeting. When you talk over a meal about things you can't bring up in the meeting room, you grow closer. So when someone eats alone, people wonder, "Is something wrong?" You develop a sense for noticing that. Often it's not because they dislike you, but because they're worried about you. ## On days when you want to eat alone Don't just disappear; leave a short reason. "I want to rest today, so I'll eat alone. Let's go together tomorrow!" That's enough. The time you spend walking with a coffee after the meal is also an extension of the conversation. People often take turns buying coffee, so read the mood.