Seohyeon Station hot pot split beef belly and tendon: Okdengjang

Today I'm bringing you a review of a visit to 'Okdengjang Seohyeon Branch' with my partner, when we were craving something well-made and savory in Korean food haha 🍲✨

Where is Okdengjang Seohyeon Branch and when is it open?

Okdengjang Seohyeon Branch is located at 5 Hwangsaeul-ro 335beon-gil, 1st floor, Unit 106, Bundang-gu, Seongnam-si, Gyeonggi-do, South Korea. On weekdays it's open 11:00–21:00 with a break from 15:00–17:00, last order at 22:00; Saturdays 11:00–22:30 (last order 22:00); Sundays 11:00–21:30 (last order 21:00).

What is the inside of Okdengjang like?

The moment we walked into Okdengjang Seohyeon Branch, the retro yet clean, spacious interior caught my eye. Each table has two induction burners installed, which was great for enjoying a hot pot or dish warm, and the tables were spaced generously, so we could eat comfortably.

The handwritten menu had such a warm, personal feel that it caught my attention haha

We visited in the evening, but it looked like there had been a wait for the lunch menu too, since the combo is so good!

Menu and ordering tip: two different portions in one pot

Lunch at Okdengjang Seohyeon Branch is ₩13,000 per person. It's such good value with such a great combination that I thought it would be perfect for weekday office workers too haha

The menu was so varied that we spent a while deciding what to eat, and the owner came over and kindly recommended dishes and explained how to enjoy them best!

Here's a tip: when you order for two, you can mix one portion each of two different menu items into a single pot of doenjang hot pot! We wanted both the beef pork belly and the beef tendon, so thanks to the owner we were able to order a combined [beef pork belly + beef tendon doenjang hot pot] and get the best of both!

Side dishes at Okdengjang, plus extra Mom's Gim

Before the main dish arrived, the basic side dishes came out first, with an added order of 'Mom's Gim' (seasoned dried laver). Gim, green onion kimchi, stir-fried kimchi — such a good combination haha

The gim was generously sized, thin, and had an especially nutty flavor. We wrapped some rice and stir-fried kimchi in the crispy gim, and honestly the basic side dishes alone were good enough to finish a whole bowl of rice 😋

Beef belly and beef tendon doenjang hot pot with added glass noodles

The main dish came out soon after! The savory doenjang-based broth was topped with big chunks of tofu and fragrant minari, generously loaded with good-looking beef pork belly and chewy beef tendon.

There's a way to enjoy it best: once it starts boiling, flip the sand timer, and once it's done, turn the heat down to low! haha

Writing this post about the bubbling doenjang hot pot is making me hungry all over again ㅠㅠ

Having the sand timer was great because it gave us a clear sense of exactly when to start eating :)

We tried the broth first. Even with beef tendon in it, there was no greasiness at all — the deep, savory broth flavor made both my partner and me widen our eyes 👀

On top of that, we added glass noodles, and scooping up the noodles soaked in the moist broth was the perfect combination! The broth can be refilled continuously, so there's no worry even if it reduces down >_<

Is the squid minari pancake worth adding?

The 'squid minari pancake' we ordered to enjoy alongside the hot pot was overwhelming just visually. Usually when you order a pancake, it's often more than half flour batter, but Okdengjang's minari pancake minimized the flour and felt packed entirely with fragrant minari and plump squid!

It was big and crispy, and dipping it lightly in the soy sauce that came with it made it disappear in an instant... magic 🤤 If you like jeon (savory pancakes), definitely add this one! Highly recommend ⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️

Final verdict on Okdengjang Seohyeon Branch

With friendly service, a comfortable space, and nothing lacking from the basic side dishes to the main hot pot and side pancake, this was truly a great restaurant!

Overall the menu composition and combinations were so satisfying that next time I definitely want to try the soft tofu hot pot or a warm boiled pork dish too. Since the space is spacious and the well-made Korean menu suits everyone's taste, I'd strongly recommend it for family gatherings or work dinners too 👍