Korean BBQ near Modong Ranch in Sangju: pork combo at Soine Sikdang

Why we stopped at Soine Sikdang before Modong Ranch

Soine Sikdang (소이네식당) is a Korean BBQ restaurant near Sangpan Reservoir in Modong-myeon, Sangju, Gyeongbuk, just a 10-minute drive from Modong Ranch. Have you all heard of Modong Ranch? It's becoming one of the hot spots for a Sangju trip these days.

My family finally made it here. We figured we'd better fill up before heading to the ranch, so we stopped at Soine Sikdang near Sangpan Reservoir, a well-known spot for anyone visiting Modong Ranch. Bottom line: if we'd gone straight to the ranch without knowing about this place, we would've truly regretted it — that's the unanimous verdict from my whole family haha.

How do the Modong Ranch partnership perks work?

Fitting for a restaurant near Modong Ranch, Soine Sikdang actually has a partnership with the ranch. If you eat here and hold onto your receipt, Modong Ranch will give you an animal feed coupon. And if you visit here after the ranch, they'll throw in an extra serving of pork belly for free. It's a win either way — before or after the ranch — so there's really no reason not to come.

Plus, they're running a discount right now — a serving of raw pork belly (130g) is just ₩9,900! With prices these days, that's such a deal~

1. The pork combo platter at Soine Sikdang

Our combo platter was a mix of three cuts: scored pork belly, Jirye black pork neck, and pork jowl.

Each cut had a different texture, so it was really fun grilling and eating them one after another. The scored pork belly in particular had this amazing chewy texture that even the kids loved.

Grilled together with garlic, then wrapped up in a big lettuce and perilla leaf bite with the bean sprout salad and garlic scapes — chopsticks didn't stop moving for either the adults or the kids.

2. Don't skip the bracken fern at the self-serve bar

Along with the bean sprout salad, garlic scape salad, and scallion salad, Soine Sikdang's self-serve bar also has bracken fern (gosari) — and wrapping it with the meat is genuinely a hidden delicacy.

But we only discovered it on our way out after finishing our meal, which was such a shame ㅠㅠ Do yourselves a favor and do a lap around the self-serve bar as soon as you sit down, grab that bracken fern, and eat it with your meat. Seriously, highly recommend.

3. Pork kimchi stew and bibim naengmyeon: one serving that feeds two

If just eating meat feels like it's not enough, definitely order the pork kimchi stew too. It's available in a single serving, and we ordered one, but it was so packed with meat that it felt like eating two servings' worth.

The spicy broth, loaded with sour kimchi, tofu, and scallions, was the perfect way to finish off with a bowl of rice mixed in. When I mentioned that my parents' house was nearby, the owner even gave us a drink on the house, so we toasted to that!

The bibim naengmyeon (spicy cold mixed noodles) also came with an icy broth on the side, so you can eat it mul-bibim-naengmyeon style, half-soup, half-mixed.

4. Soine Sikdang location, parking and hours

• 📍 Address: 386 Ungsan-ro, Modong-myeon, Sangju-si, Gyeongbuk, South Korea
• 🕛 Hours: Daily 11:00–21:00
• 🚗 Parking: Available in front of the restaurant

Soine Sikdang sits near Sangpan Reservoir, about a 10-minute drive from Modong Ranch.

It's a real local favorite — plenty of people stop by for lunch on their work break, and others come after an early morning at Modong Ranch. You can also take a walk around Sangpan Reservoir after your meal, and the cherry blossoms around here in spring are genuinely gorgeous.

5. Is Soine Sikdang worth a stop in Sangju?

Good prices, quality meat, and you even get to cash in on the Modong Ranch partnership perks — this is a must-add if you're planning a Sangju trip with kids. Oh, and don't ever skip that bracken fern at the self-serve bar! If you're traveling as a family with kids, I highly recommend stopping here before or after your ranch experience to fill up properly.