Contrary to last year’s workshop held amid pouring rain, we enjoyed our second workshop on a bright sunny day. Though the weather was a tad warm, we enjoyed a delightful time reminiscent of a sitcom, perfectly aligned with the theme of this workshop: "Unstoppably Non-stop."
Below, I'll introduce you to the scene of Booster's second workshop.
1st Boosters Workshop
Concept. Unstopppably Non-stop
This year's workshop was inspired by beloved classic sitcoms, the theme fused elements of "High Kick" and "Non-stop" into what we called "Unstoppably Non-Stop." Drawing from the lively camaraderie of Booster's members, who share a space like one big family, the concept epitomized the notion of pursuing goals without hesitation. Teams were named accordingly: "Three Men Three Women Team," "Gentle Wind Obstetrics and Gynecology Team," "Non-stop Team," "They Can't Stop Them Easily Team," "Three Friends Team," "Hello Francesca Team," "High Kick Without Hesitation Team," and "Potato Star Team," all of which are famous Korean sitcoms.
Each year, Boosters hand out members with special items to commemorate the special occasion. This year, custom-made t-shirts and fans were provided, along with body wipes and handkerchiefs to ensure members leave the workshop feeling fresh.
For everyone’s safety, we gathered at the office before boarding two large buses headed to Gapyeong, where our workshop is to take place. This year, the employee number grew from 50 to approximately 80, making it a challenge to find empty seats. With lively music, an hour quickly passed as we arrived at our destination.
Lunch and Free Time
Right after the arrival, we gathered around and enjoyed bulgogi hot pot paired with light beer. We took our time, enjoying the meal and getting ready for the workshop ahead. Additionally, to allow everyone to explore the workshop venue and grab some coffee, we provided a 30-minute break and self-made coupons for purchasing the desired beverages. With the weather heating up, many opted to head straight to the auditorium.
Mini (but not so easy) Games
After the meal, we prepared a simple mini-game to boost the workshop's energy. Instructions for participating in the mini-game were provided via Slack one week before the workshop. (Who knows, some might want to practice in advance, right?)
The mini-games consisted of four fun activities: Standing up a water bottle, catching five stones at once, picking up falling tissues with chopsticks, and balancing a spring on your head. They may seem simple, but once you give them a try, they're surprisingly challenging and entertaining. To progress from one game to the next, they had to succeed in each game sequentially. Failure at the third game meant starting again from the first game. Nevertheless, many participants stood in line multiple times, driven by their determination to succeed.
As the games kicked off, there was a flood of participants failing right from the first game, leading to long lines from the start. We extended the time for each game or made slight adjustments to the rules to moderate the difficulty. However, despite our efforts, progress was slow. Eventually, we boldly decided to remove the first game altogether and started from the second game onwards.
The second game proved to be just as challenging. Participants had to toss and catch five stones in their palm simultaneously. Stones flew in all directions. After several attempts, those who succeeded were able to advance to the next game. The third game, involving catching falling tissues, seemed less challenging compared to the others. This time, many participants swiftly moved on to the final stage.
For the final game, participants wore headbands with springs attached, had to balance the spring within a 15-second time limit. Many struggled due to the shorter-than-expected time, resulting in numerous failures. Those who unfortunately fell short at the final hurdle had to decide whether to give up or attempt the challenge from the beginning again.
Amidst the exhaustion from continuous setbacks, we finally had our first winner! It was Sehee from the Retail Team! Following Sehee's victory, winners emerged one after another, swiftly bringing what seemed like an endless cycle of failures to a close. Winners were awarded gift vouchers for their achievement.
Boosting Day
We hold our workshops to coincide with Booster's Town Hall meetings, known as "Boosting Day," which occur monthly. It's a monthly townhall meeting where we share key updates about the company's direction and introduce new team members. This time, our CEO Yoonho spoke about the changes and plans over the past year since the last workshop. Over the course of the year, there have been significant shifts in the company's direction, with corresponding increases in revenue and personnel.
Additionally, we had a special "Dreaming of the Same Thing" game featuring Eugene who recently joined the SCM Team and Chiho, the team leader. They had to choose between the two choices given after the count of three, and surprisingly, they shouted out four of the same answers out of five, leaving the members astonished. The last question was a showdown between Chihoo, the team leader, and Yongho, the CFO. Chiho chose Yongho, while Eugene chose Chiho. (Who would you choose?)
Recreational Activities
We took a brief break and then gathered at the sports field for the highlight of this workshop: the sports festival. As the weather was quite hot, we first sat under the tents for some recreational time. Despite it being labeled as "recreation," everyone's energy levels were so high that it felt like the sports festival had already begun.
We awarded gift vouchers and team points to the team with the loudest cheer or the team with the best cohesion. It was also an opportunity to witness unexpected sides of colleagues that we don't usually see in the office. In particular, Kang Lim’s dance and Woonghwi’s enthusiastic cheers left a lasting impression, which were even louder than the combined cheers of the competing teams.
Next, two representatives from each team came forward to participate in a group game. They had to shout out numbers in sequence while looking at their neighbor and raise their hand on multiples of three. Since it was a new game for everyone, some ended up shouting numbers into thin air, while others confused it with the 369 game, leading to a chaotic and confusing start. (Thanks to that, the audience had a good laugh, though.) As contestants were gradually eliminated one by one, eventually, only Eugene from the Potato Star team, Jihoon from the Gentle Wind Obstetrics and Gynecology team, and Eunkyung from the Non-stop team remained.
In the final showdown among the last three contestants, the ultimate winner was determined through rock-paper-scissors and a quiz. After Eunkyung was eliminated in rock-paper-scissors, the quiz battle between Eugene and Jihoon started. The MC threw out questions, and contestants had to respond with the correct answers. However, the catch was that the response had to be the incorrect option. For example, if the MC asked, "Alice in the Strange Land? Alice in the Mysterious Land?" the wrong answer would be "Alice in the Strange Land." Eventually, Eugene, who displayed remarkable focus, emerged victorious. Thanks to her, the Potato Star team secured a significant number of points.
Following some brief interval recreational activities like music guessing and drama scene reenactments, we decided to proceed with the main event: the sports festival. Despite conducting these activities under the tents, we hadn't spent much time sitting down. So, when we announced the start of the sports festival, everyone's reaction was, "Hasn’t it started yet?"
The Highlight of the 2024 Workshop, Sports Festival!
Finally, it was time for the sports festival! The festival consisted of three events: Surfing Relay, 2x3 Race, and Group Jump Rope. For the Surfing Relay, we divided participants into two large teams. With each team comprising approximately 40 members lined up, it was a massive team effort where synchronization was crucial; just one stumble could potentially delay the entire team.
After the Surfing Relay, we proceeded with the 2x3 Race. Just like the Surfing Relay, even if you ran fast, if you didn't sync well with your partner, you could easily trip and fall. Fortunately, everyone managed to synchronize well, and we were able to complete the game without any injuries.
The last event was the Group Jump Rope, which has become an official event of Boosters’ workshops. Not only does it require strength to turn the long rope, but it's also challenging for all six participants to jump and land together. This event had the longest practice time allocated, as it required significant coordination. While some teams struggled during the actual event despite practicing well, others unexpectedly excelled during the main event compared to their practice performance.
The Non-stop team claimed the first prize by successfully completing 20 jumps in the Group Jump Rope event. Adding to their victory, they also accumulated the most points from the recreational activities, securing the ultimate win.
Unlimited Barbecue and Beer for Dinner
Unlimited barbecue and beer were prepared for the hungry participants after the sports festival. Each table was adorned with various meats, vegetables, pineapples, kimchi, and more. Despite the daytime heat, as the sun began to set, it was the perfect weather to sit outdoors and enjoy the evening breeze while indulging in a delicious dinner.
After the delicious meal, we took photos together, roasted marshmallows for dessert, and even cooked instant noodles to enjoy. Finally, it was time for the the Lucky Draw, an event eagerly anticipated by everyone.
This time, the Lucky Draw prizes were action cameras and Apple Watches. CHRO Yonghwan stepped forward to draw names randomly from a box containing the names of all the attendees.
The second prize went to the SCM team, known for their consistent luck in the Lucky Draw. With their sizable team, the odds were certainly in their favor, weren't they? The winner, Jeonyeon from the SCM team, was announced by Dasul from the OD team. She was awarded the Apple Watch amidst cheers and applause.
Lastly, the first prize, the action camera, went to Juwhan from the Retail team. Upon seeing the winner's name, there was a moment of surprise evident on the faces of Yunho and Yonghwan. Being close colleagues, they jokingly suggested a redraw, but eventually, amidst congratulations, the prize was handed over. Winning both the sports competition for the team and the Lucky Draw personally, Juwhan must have been the happiest person of the day!
The workshop schedule finally came to an end. Despite starting early in the morning and lasting until 8 in the evening, the fact that the next day was a company-wide day off meant that everyone could enjoy without pressure. Some returned to the office and went for a light second round of drinks, while others headed straight home to enjoy a long three-day vacation.
The workshop was brimming with energy and enthusiasm, thanks to the increased number of participants. Can’t wait how dynamic and energetic the next workshop would get!