Shabu-kalguksu family dinner in Yongin: Dongchundang

Shabu-shabu in Sinbong-dong after the kids’ café

Last weekend, we had a great time with the kids at a nearby kids’ café. After all that running around, they started asking for dinner because they were hungry. We looked for somewhere close by where we could eat right away and the kids could eat comfortably, and that is how we found Dongchundang Shabu Shabu Kalguksu Sinbong Oesik Town Branch (동춘당 샤브샤브칼국수 신봉외식타운점).

I had seen lots of comments saying it was good for family dining, and once we visited, I quickly understood why it is so popular.

Dongchundang Shabu Shabu Kalguksu basics

• Location: 1F, 336 Sinbong 1-ro, Suji-gu, Yongin-si, Gyeonggi-do, South Korea
• Hours: 10:00–21:00; last order 20:30
• Monday: 10:00–15:00; last order 14:30
• Parking: Up to 80 cars in the lot in front; register parking when paying

Dessert corner and generous waiting areas

The first thing I noticed as soon as we entered was the dessert corner. It was set up for a simple treat after the meal, and the kids especially loved it.

Inside, there was a waiting area, and it was much larger than I expected. There were quite a few guests on a weekend evening, but it never felt cramped, and there was plenty of seating while we waited. It was impressive that they had made the waiting area so spacious, as though they regularly welcome lots of visitors.

There was another spacious waiting area farther inside the restaurant, too.

There were quite a few guests on the weekend evening, but it did not feel stuffy, and there were plenty of places to sit and wait. It seemed they had intentionally made the waiting area roomy because so many people visit, which stood out to me.

Another thing that caught my eye was the blood-pressure monitor. I had never seen one in a restaurant before, so it was memorable, and it seemed thoughtfully prepared with older diners in mind. There were indeed many families dining with their parents, as well as plenty with children. The whole restaurant felt designed for guests of every age to use comfortably, making it a great fit for family meals.

The shabu-kalguksu course and tofu sandwich

The signature dish is shabu-kalguksu, at ₩12,000 per person. Rather than arriving as just one bowl, it was a course: yeolmu barley rice (young radish greens with barley rice) first, then shabu-shabu, ssuk kalguksu (mugwort knife-cut noodles), and fried rice at the end. There were also various toppings we could add.

Three servings of shabu-kalguksu plus a tofu sandwich

We ordered three servings of shabu-kalguksu and added a tofu sandwich.

Starting lightly with yeolmu barley rice, then enjoying the shabu-shabu, ssuk kalguksu, and fried rice in order made us happy throughout the meal. Everything did not arrive all at once; it was served course by course, which was much easier when eating with the kids.

For a family visit, the course lets you enjoy the meal slowly, so I thought it offered decent value, too.

Once the broth began to boil, it was fun to add the meat and vegetables one by one. The broth was not overly strong, so it was easy to enjoy.

Several sauces were available, so everyone could make their own to suit their taste. The kids could keep theirs mild while the adults made theirs more to their liking, making it especially well suited to family dining.

After fully enjoying the shabu-shabu, we added the ssuk kalguksu. Finishing with fried rice made for a truly hearty meal.

Since it came as a course, the flow of the meal felt natural and we could enjoy it warm right through to the end.

A good place to bring children and parents together

Dongchundang Shabu Shabu Kalguksu Sinbong Oesik Town Branch was a restaurant we were very satisfied with for a family meal. With a large parking lot, comfortable waiting spaces, and amenities considerate of older guests, it also seemed like a good place to visit with parents.

It was easy to visit with the kids, and the meal was satisfying and filling from shabu-shabu to kalguksu and fried rice. If you are looking for shabu-shabu in Sinbong-dong or deciding on a place for a family meal, this is somewhere you can visit comfortably. I think we will remember it as a restaurant we would like to stop by again when we are nearby.