Magok shabu-shabu with kids, no break time: Yangcheon Shabu Son

Where to find Magok shabu-shabu with no break time

We originally had another restaurant in mind, but the kitchen had apparently closed earlier than expected, and we were turned away at the door. Ugh. The kids were already whining about being hungry, so I frantically started searching for nearby places with no break time.

Luckily, I called Yangcheon Shabu Son Kalguksu, Magok Main Branch, which is close to Gimpo Airport, and the owner kindly told us to take our time getting there. That call was such a relief.

The moment we arrived, the clean green sign greeted us — I was so glad to see it! This place runs with no break time, so you can eat even at awkward hours.

By the register, they had thoughtfully set out floss, hair ties, and mouthwash for customers. Nice touch from the owner, right?

Looking at the menu, the lineup was quite solid, and we chose the perilla broth with the kids' tastes in mind. There's also a spicy version and a clear version.

Ordering through the table kiosk was convenient — we went with the special set at ₩12,000 per person and added extra meat to make it a hearty meal. Also worth noting: 2 hours of free parking in the building, so coming by car isn't a hassle at all.

How is the perilla broth with black garlic noodles?

The long-awaited dish finally arrived, and it radiated health just from the look of it — even the kids went "wow~" with delight.

The base boyang hanbang broth, made with Korean beef bone stock and 8 kinds of medicinal herbs simmered with care, is what comes standard. Add perilla into it and it's really nutty and savory!

Look at the pot piled high with bean sprouts, mushrooms, and minari (water dropwort). Once the vegetables cook down, it's ready to eat.

The basic special set comes with just 50g of meat, so worried it might be too little, we added the ₩11,000 meat top-up. They gave us a generous 200g, and I thought it was such a good deal.

On one side of the restaurant, the medicinal ingredients that go into the broth — astragalus root, jujube, eleuthero — are on display, which adds to the trust factor. It made us say, "this really feels like eating a health tonic."

The real kicker here is the black garlic — the benefits of black garlic, good for the body, are explained in detail on the wall. Sounds tempting, doesn't it?

The tablet kindly guides you through how to eat it for the best flavor, so first-timers won't be caught off guard and can enjoy it at its best.

Each table has an hourglass timer for the noodles, and it was fun flipping it to pull out the black garlic noodles at just the chewiest moment.

The black garlic noodles look dark in color but don't have a strong garlic smell, so even the kids ate them without any fuss.

Is Yangcheon Shabu Son Kalguksu really easy with kids?

Maybe because this neighborhood sees a lot of families, baby chairs and kids' dishware are just standard here, which made dining with our children really comfortable.

The kimchi at this place is honestly a work of art — fresh geotjeori (lightly seasoned fresh cabbage kimchi) made daily with domestic cabbage. The fish sauce flavor isn't overpowering, so it's clean and crisp!

If you want more kimchi, there's a self-serve corner, and the area around it was kept very clean, which put my mind at ease about hygiene.

Checking the origin labeling board, most of the main ingredients are domestic, which builds more trust. Only the beef was from Australia.

Finishing with five-color rice in perilla oil

We finished the meal with five-color perilla oil rice — the finely chopped vegetables mixed in give it a healthy porridge-like feel, the perfect ending. A nutty aroma fills your mouth.

For anyone looking for a great restaurant near Seoul Botanic Park, or searching for shabu-shabu near Gimpo Airport, this place makes for a satisfying, hearty meal. We stumbled onto it out of nowhere, but thanks to the owner's kindness and the healthy flavors, it ended up being an even more satisfying meal, haha.

If you're near Magok and craving hot, healthy broth without worrying about break time, it's worth a stop.