And we continue on our special coverage of our recent trip to South Korea! We were extremely honoured to be invited by the Jeju Tourism Organization to go on a trip to South Korea and explore not just the interesting spots to visit but also the interesting places to makan!
We’ve covered the bits in Busan and now we’re onto the island of Jeju 제주도! 
(BTW – head down to our Instagram profile page and watch all the IG Stories from the trip!) 
I was actually quite excited when I found out we were visiting Cheonhaecheon 천해천 for dinner. One of our readers had tagged us in an IG Story with his hotpot in full bubbling glory! Great way to get me craving 😛
Cheonhaecheon 천해천 reminds me a lot of places like Seoul Garden for example. There’s a whole buffet of stuff for you to cook up and enjoy but instead of a table BBQ, it’s hotpot!. They even a selection of side dishes, desserts (including ice-cream!) and free flow of drinks (WOW REALLY LIKE MACAM SEOUL GARDEN!).
Best part is that this place is certified Halal by the Jeju Islamic Cultural Centre!
There is a whole section where you’ll find a range of starters and appetizers to get you going. There’s pretty much everything from standards to Kimchi, pizzas and an assortment of fried goodies to not-so-common dishes like Topokki and Takoyaki.
I believe that the selection of dishes will probably rotate from time to time so it’s your luck lah what’s available when you visit 😛 But fret not – these are just appetizers. What you should be treating yourself to more of is their hotpot!
WOW there’s really a lot to choose from for your hotpot feast at Cheonhaecheon 천해천! Everything from your standard vegetables and mushrooms to tau pok and even several different types of fishcakes and fishballs!
But our advice is be sure to stock-up on the assortment of seafood they have. Abalone is always popular (as you will see throughout our travels in Jeju) and is a MUST HAVE here. Other options include crabs, prawns, squid and other shellfish. These are also going to help give your hotpot stock the extra flavour that’s gonna make it SHIOK!
And speaking of SHIOK – the best, most premium ingredient to be savoured!
The most popular ingredient for the hotpot at Cheonhaecheon 천해천 is undoubtedly the Shabu Shabu! There are trays upon trays of these thinly-sliced treasures waiting to be enjoyed 😀
You’re welcome to take as many trays as you like of course (this is a buffet after all!). But a gentle reminder – don’t be greedy lah 😛 Take a few first and then take more later if you need. If you take too many and then cannot finish also macam wasted right.
Once you’re settled down with all your ingredients, it’s time for the hotpot to start bubbling!
You have a choice of several different broths for your hotpot. I forgot to note what they were (SORRY DAH LAPAR!) but I believe we chose Kimchi (quite spicy!) and Chicken (a little herbal-ly).
Once that broth start bubbling, pile in all your ingredients and let its stew for awhile before attacking! And the best part about hotpot is that the longer you go, the more tasty the broth gets! All those flavours from the ingredients soak and release their goodness! 😀 But if the broth gets too intense for you, you can always ask for the staff to top-up the broth for you no problem!
I have to say that this was very very on the Comfort Food Meter (I just made that up) especially when the weather is chilly outside. A steaming hot serving of bubbling hotpot will fulfill your cravings and lift your spirits for sure.
If you happen to visit Cheonhaecheon 천해천 during lunch, you may even be treated to something extra special…
Like I said – Abalone is REALLY popular in Jeju and you’ll find some variation of it in most makan places. They got the really fresh and high quality stuff too.
This was really interesting because this would be (1) the first stonepot dish I’d be having in South Korea and (2) the first time I’d be enjoying Abalone in this way.
There’s Kimchi, some preserved gourd, assorted sauces (I saw a soy sesame one) and even sweet sultanas for a bit of flavour contrast. You mix all the great stuff in the hot stonepot along with the rice and Abalone. Think of this as an Abalone Bibimbap!
The end result is a nice mixture of steaming hot rice with quite a mild flavour plus the special treat of these small Abalone too. Quite an interesting dish and definitely something new for me. I tend to enjoy my Bibimbap with more flavour so I added a bit of Gochujang (which you can get on the side at the condiments table).
This is apparently only available for lunch so plan ahead if you intend to try this special dish!
Overall, I’d say that Cheonhaecheon 천해천 should be high on the list of makan places to visit when you’re in Jeju. It’s very accessible (about 10-15 drive from the airport), affordable (about $40 per adult) and has a great selection of food that most people would enjoy. Whether you’re in a small group or a big one, this place is a good choice! 😀
A Quick Word About Halal Food In South Korea
So in case you’re wondering, it’s (thankfully) getting easier to find Halal food in Korea these days. It may be particularly easier to find it in big cities like Seoul but cities like Busan and Jeju are doing their best as well.
You may see some of these labels when you visit restaurants that are suitable for Muslims to visit. They have 4 main categories that determine the ‘Halal-ness’ of an eatery. This is to be expected lah I guess especially where the Halal food scene is still developing.
The 4 categories are;
- Halal-certified (safest as the eatery is certified Halal by the Korea Muslim Federation)
- Self-certified (basically means eatery is Muslim-owned)
- Muslim-Friendly (serves Halal food but may serve alcoholic beverages) *most common*
- Pork Free (eatery does not have Pork but may serve non-Halal meat and/or alcoholic beverages)
It may seem complicated with 4 categories but as always, we can simplify it. Do your due diligence and do not be afraid to #AskTheQuestion especially since you’re travelling. Halal is an individual responsibility so get the info and make an informed decision. Look for these labels at the door. If there is any doubt at all, best to give it a miss 
You can get useful information by clicking HERE and HERE!
Thank you Jeju Tourism Organization for taking the initiative to spread more information about Halal / Muslim-travel in South Korea!
Cheonhaecheon 천해천
Halla University Road 25,
3813, Nohong-dong, Jeju-do, South Korea
Tel: +82-64-742-1101
www.seaskys.co.kr
Facebook: www.facebook.com/shabu1000
Instagram: www.instagram.com/shabu1000jeju
Operating Hours:
Lunch: 11.00am til 5.00pm || Dinner: 5.00pm til 10.00pm
This meal was part of a trip organized by the Jeju Tourism Organization. We visited all kinds of cool places and plenty of Halal makan places including this one! All information (including prices, availability of item on menu and Halal status of establishment) are accurate at the time of posting. All photos used in this site are property of The Halal Food Blog unless stated otherwise.
