In 2023, the King of Prussia Mall announced new store and restaurant openings, one of which was especially exciting for Korean cuisine enthusiasts: KPOT. One year later, the mall announced the opening of KPOT once again.
The 2024-2025 school year is coming to a close, but KPOT has not opened in the mall yet.
KPOT is an all-you-can-eat combination of Korean barbeque (K-BBQ) and hot pot. With over 100 restaurants open, KPOT markets itself as a unique dining experience.
“What sets KPOT Korean BBQ & Hot Pot apart?” the KPOT website rhetorically asks. “It’s more than just a meal; it’s an experience where YOU become the chef.”
Instead of walking from station to station, piling your plate with pre-cooked food buffet-style, you cook the food at your table, whether you’re grilling the marinated cuts of meats or stirring your noodles and veggies in a bubbling broth. Besides the pre-made chicken wings, spring rolls, and kimchi at the appetizer bar, you and your friends or family are the cooks.
Starting at $20.99 for lunch and $31.99 for dinner, you can choose between K-BBQ, hot pot, or both for an extra charge. K-BBQ offers over 30 meats, seafood, and vegetables, including Korean classics such as bulgogi and galbi short ribs, and there are “millions of possibilities” of combinations of dipping sauces, as proclaimed by its website.
For hot pot, your table chooses between one of eight soup bases, including Korean seafood tofu, Japanese miso, Thai tom yum, and gluten-free options. It offers over 60 meats, veggies, and noodles, including pho, ramen, and vermicelli noodles.
The idea of cooking your food and the number of options available might be scary to newcomers.
The idea of cooking your food and the number of options available might be scary to newcomers, but enjoying your first K-BBQ or hot pot is pretty straightforward. The meats are thinly sliced, so cooking times are short. Even if you are someone who prefers your steak well done, your first plate shouldn’t take more than a minute or two to be ready to eat. Additionally, KPOT’s website provides a handy how-to guide to make the process even easier.
Haverford students and faculty have expressed interest in KPOT.
“I’m super excited to go, since I now have to go all the way to Franklin Mills to get hot pot, which is 45 minutes away. I’m excited to drive ten minutes to eat at one of my favorite restaurants,” Third Former Dean Han, self-proclaimed KPOT master, said.
Math teacher Mr. Samuel Walters is also excited.
“Who knows [if it will open], since it’s been up in the air for two years, but I’d go if my kids wanted to go,” Mr. Walters said.
I, for one, am excited. I’ve been to similar restaurants, like Top Pot, which is a 30-minute drive located in North Wales, so KPOT being in King of Prussia ten minutes away would be significantly more convenient.
Both Mr. Walters and Han have recommendations for hotpot.
“I’ve had [hotpot] before with friends in Hong Kong, where it was pretty authentic. Some of the items there were pretty intimidating, but I have good recommendations,” Mr. Walters said.
Han also had strong opinions about K-BBQ and hot pot based on his experiences across the U.S. and in Korea.
“Well, I’ve had a lot of K-BBQ in LA and in Korea, which is the best. In Korea, the experience was great, 100% Korean—nothing was influenced by American culture. The grill was just pure charcoal and 1000X better than any in the USA,” Han said.
“My favorite thing to get is the Kobe [wagyu] beef, which is a dinner special,” Han said. “Then, it’s the thinly sliced prime rib beef. My third favorite option is shumai [a pork-and-shrimp-filled dumpling].”
“Korean culture is exploding, and people are starting to adventure into other cultures and are starting to see that Korean food is very flavorful.”
Dean Han ’28
Han and Mr. Walters have opinions about the sudden rise in interest in Korean cuisine.
“Korean culture is exploding, and people are starting to adventure into other cultures and are starting to see that Korean food is very flavorful,” Han said. “Also, K-pop bands like BTS have become very popular, which has been a big factor in why Korean culture and food are exploding onto the scene and getting popular.”
Mr. Walters believes it’s part of the generational cycle.
“I think it’s one of these new trends and potentially will fade with all these new things being introduced and gaining popularity with each generation,” Mr. Walters said.
It remains to be seen if KPOT will open this year, but KOP Mall seems to be pushing hard on opening new stores and restaurants that offer unique, one-of-a-kind experiences. KPOT, which offers a unique way to try your favorite Korean dishes, fits right in with KOP Mall’s vision.
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