Changhoon Kim wants you to take your time while eating at Sogumm, his new restaurant in Cremorne. He describes his bibimbap as “humble, slow, and layered,” his gomtang as “simple, quiet, and endlessly comforting”, and his fermentation process as “quiet, slow, and patient”.
It’s thoughtful food, often guided by the tradition, and doesn’t need to be flashy because it’s greater than the sum of its parts. The result on the table is something comforting and considered, not quite like anything Melbourne has seen before.
If I’m new to Korean cuisine, what should I be ordering at Sogumm, chef?
If it’s your first time exploring Korean cuisine, start with our galbijjim. At Sogumm, we use brisket instead of the traditional short rib – it’s slow-braised in soy sauce until it’s tender and full of depth, then finished with a bold black pepper glaze. It’s rich, warming, and gently spiced. We always recommend ordering a bowl of steamed white rice on the side. A spoonful of that glazed brisket over rice? It’s savoury, sticky, and quietly addictive.
And if I’m someone who eats Korean food regularly, what have you got for me?
Try our gomtang. Gomtang is a clear beef broth, and we serve it in the Naju style – just the broth, slow-simmered for hours, with slices of beef brisket and shank. The result is clean but deeply flavoured, with a gentle richness that never overwhelms. It’s simple, quiet, and endlessly comforting – the kind of dish you’ll keep coming back to, bowl after bowl.
Fermentation and Korean food go hand in hand. What role does it play at Sogumm?
Fermentation is deeply rooted in Korean cuisine. It’s at the heart of everything. It’s part of our history, intuition, and identity. When we make fermentation as doenjang and ganjang, using traditional methods passed down through generations. We follow the same steps every time – same ingredients, same timing – yet the results are never quite the same. And that’s the beauty of it. Like wine, fermentation is alive. It changes with the seasons, the air, the mood of the ingredients. Every batch teaches us something new. It’s a timeless practice – quiet, slow, and patient – that keeps us connected to something much older than ourselves.
At Sogumm, fermentation isn’t just a technique – it’s a quiet force that shapes the way we cook, season, and even think about time.
How about something to drink?
Try one of our house-made drinks – a yuzu soda that’s bright and citrusy, or a wild raspberry fizz with just the right tang. They’re crisp, cooling, and a nice pause between richer bites.
What if I like tasty food but don’t eat animals?
Try our gang-doenjang bibimbap: it’s a hearty, fully plant-based bowl built on a savoury fermented soybean base. We slow-cook mushrooms with doenjang to create a rich, umami-packed sauce, then top it with five seasonal vegetables, each seasoned individually to highlight its own flavour.
Our plant-based menu is inspired by Korean temple cuisine, so we don’t use osinchai – pungent alliums like garlic, onion or scallions – keeping the flavours clean, balanced, and grounded. It’s earthy, vibrant, and deeply satisfying – proof that you don’t need meat (or even garlic) to enjoy true depth of flavour.
Is there one dish that captures the Sogumm vibe?
Our gang-doenjang bibimbap says a lot about who we are. It’s humble, slow, and layered. The doenjang base is deep and savoury, the vegetables are all seasoned separately, and it’s meant to be mixed at the table – the way families do. It’s not a flashy dish, but it’s full of care and intention. Quiet food, with a strong soul. That’s Sogumm.
Let’s go big. Let’s go crazy. What have you got for me?
Come with friends and order a table full of food – that’s how we go big at Sogumm. Korean meals aren’t about one show-stopping dish, but about a generous spread shared by everyone. A bit of this, a spoon of that, passing plates and stories across the table. It’s loud, warm, and full of flavour – just the way we like it.
And to close?
We finish with sikhye – a traditional Korean rice drink that’s lightly sweet, chilled, and quietly comforting. It’s not a dessert in the usual sense, but it brings a soft end to the meal. Gentle, simple, and just enough.
Sogumm, 466 Church St, Cremorne, Victoria, 11am–3pm Sat– Sun, @sogumm_melbourne,