Suwon shabu shabu with a kids cinema and self-serve bar: Sodamchon

Why go to Sodamchon, a Suwon shabu shabu spot for loading up on vegetables

I love vegetables, so I eat shabu shabu pretty often. Being able to pile in as many veggies as I want is exactly why I end up at Sodamchon about once a month haha. The branch I go to most is Sodamchon Suwon Jeongja Branch — fresh ingredients, a wide variety of food, and even dessert waiting at the end. Seriously satisfying!

Sodamchon Suwon Jeongja Branch hours and last order

Sodamchon Suwon Jeongja Branch Hours 11:00 - 21:00 Last order 20:20

Shabu shabu is the main event at Sodamchon, but the bonus is you can also eat a generous serving of spring rolls (월남쌈)!

You can choose one broth flavor or split the pot into two. We tried a mild broth and a spicy one side by side, which made it great to eat with kids — a genuinely good family dining spot!

Spacious seating and the kids cinema space at Sodamchon

Walking in, the interior is clean and has a polished, upscale feel overall.

The restaurant is spacious overall with plenty of seating — there are comfy sofa seats and the chairs are nicely cushioned haha. It would also work well for group gatherings.

I took a short video of the Sodamchon interior.

Shabu shabu is great for visiting with kids since you get meat, vegetables, noodles, and porridge all in one meal, and there's also a kids cinema space tucked in one corner — such a nice touch!

The kids zone has seating set up facing a screen on one wall haha. It seems like a great space for kids to rest in when they get bored just sitting around after eating.

What's on the self-serve bar: vegetables, noodles and rice cakes

At the self-serve bar you can help yourself to mushrooms, fried tofu, fish cake, noodles, rice cakes, and a variety of vegetables.

There was such a variety of ingredients that I filmed a video of it too.

There's also bread, tteokbokki (spicy rice cakes), soup, and sauces, good for nibbling on while the shabu shabu comes to a boil. You can even make yeolmu guksu (young radish kimchi noodles), which is great for waking up your appetite before the meal.

Half-and-half mala broth loaded with vegetables and meat

While I was off gathering vegetables, the broth, meat, sauces, and porridge ingredients were already set up at the table haha.

I went with half-and-half broth, choosing mala for one side.

The fresh shabu shabu meat came out too!

Choosing mala broth meant glass noodles and bunmoja (sweet potato starch noodles) came along with it! You can't have mala tang without bunmoja haha.

Once the broth started to gently boil, I loaded it up with vegetables and dropped in the meat too!!!

The visual is insane!!! Looks so delicious, right haha. Waiting eagerly for it to cook through.

While the vegetables cooked, I slurped on some yeolmu kimchi (young radish kimchi) haha. So good!

I could keep piling in bean sprouts, bok choy, napa cabbage, and other favorites and just kept eating — I loved it!

I also tried the mala broth on its own — it felt more like hot pot (훠궈) than a typical mala tang. Adding a bit more garlic and seasoning sauce brought out a more Korean-style flavor, which I liked.

Wolnamssam: rice paper rolls wrapped with meat

The spring rolls (월남쌈) come with plenty of fresh vegetables too — carrot, onion, red cabbage, perilla leaf, cucumber, pineapple, and more haha. Wrapping them with the shabu shabu meat and dipping in sauce is delicious.

There are several different sauces too, so you can taste a range of flavors.

Dessert at Sodamchon, from porridge to coffee and ice cream

Once you've properly finished the shabu shabu, it's porridge time! We set aside some vegetables and broth and added egg and rice.

Shake it up, let it cook, and eat it up — and you can still make room for Koreans' favorite dessert haha.

But the real dessert is still waiting!!!! Just how far does Sodamchon go...!!!

There's a coffee machine where you can brew your own americano, hot or iced! There's also peach black tea and pomegranate juice.

But the best part is this ice cream! Perfect for cleansing your palate~ Whenever we come with the kids, they rush through their meal just to get to the ice cream haha.

A great family dining spot where everyone can eat well! If you're looking for a good shabu shabu restaurant in Suwon, give Sodamchon Suwon Jeongja Branch a visit~😋