Cabbage salad and miso soup refills at Hets Jeonpo, Busan tonkatsu

I'd been searching hard for a proper tonkatsu in Jeonpo-dong, Busan, and this is my review of Hets Jeonpo Branch. Jeonpo has so many good restaurants that I'm always torn about where to go, but hearing they use YBD premium pork at this Japanese-style katsu specialist got me excited to visit. I'd actually wanted to come here ever since seeing a short video introducing their original Gwangalli branch, so my expectations were even higher.

Location and hours of Hets, a Jeonpo tonkatsu restaurant

• Location: 225 Jeonpo-daero, 2F Unit 201, Busanjin-gu, Busan, South Korea (297m / 3-minute walk from Jeonpo Station Exit 7)
• Hours: Daily 11:10 AM - 8:30 PM (break time 3:30 PM - 5:00 PM / last order 3:00 PM, 8:00 PM)
• Parking: Use the public parking lot near Jeonpo Station, get ₩1,000 support with parking ticket/receipt
• Other: Takeout available, group dining available, baby chairs and waiting area provided

It's very easy to find — just walk straight a little from Exit 7 of Jeonpo Station. Since it's a popular Jeonpo-dong tonkatsu spot, I'd recommend checking the remote waiting status on the Catch Table app before you go. There's also a clean waiting area inside the restaurant.

There's a notice about special discounts posted

This shows the thoughtfulness of Hets, this Jeonpo tonkatsu restaurant. There's a notice offering benefits for people who serve the country and society (police, military, firefighters, national merit recipients), high school senior exam-takers, and pregnant women! If you qualify, bring your ID or proof documents, and you can get a free meat curry, karaage, or drink as a service.

Bar seats facing the open kitchen — great for solo dining too

This Jeonpo-dong tonkatsu restaurant is decorated mainly with modern, sleek gray-toned bar seats. Once you sit down, the open kitchen in the center comes into full view, and it's kept so clean that it put my mind at ease about hygiene. It's totally comfortable for solo dining, and the tidy atmosphere also makes it perfect for a date or a meal with coworkers. The seats were spaced generously too, so I could eat comfortably.

I found the tonkatsu of a lifetime — juices bursting from the first bite! If you want the moistness of YBD premium pork, you have to visit Hets Jeonpo Branch, this Jeonpo tonkatsu restaurant.

The 'HETZ' brand story and YBD pork

The story behind 'HETZ,' this Jeonpo tonkatsu restaurant's brand. The name comes from a German word meaning 'fun, delightful,' expressing the wish that visitors enjoy their food happily and deliciously.

At Hets you can taste YBD (Yorkshire + Berkshire + Duroc three-way cross) premium pork, which combines the clean taste of Yorkshire, the chewy texture of Berkshire, and the nutty flavor of Duroc. They also serve Jeju black pork.

At Hets, this Jeonpo tonkatsu restaurant, we ordered YBD Hire Katsu (₩15,000), YBD Loin Katsu (₩13,000), and Meat Curry (₩3,000).

YBD Hire Katsu and Loin Katsu, split half and half

The moment our katsu set arrived, the pinkish color and savory fried aroma brought a smile to my face. It was plated really neatly, and the rice came in a cute round shape, which was fun.

YBD Hire Katsu (tenderloin), even though it's a low-fat cut, wasn't dry at all — the moment you bite in, juicy meat juices burst in your mouth. It was so tender you could practically chew it with your gums, and the fluffy meat texture contrasted beautifully with the thin, crispy breading.

YBD Loin Katsu (loin) had well-distributed fat marbling that gave off a rich, savory flavor with every chew. The meat had great elasticity and chewiness, so anyone who prefers the pure bite of meat would love it. Splitting loin and tenderloin half and half worked out perfectly for us.

Pink salt, whole peppercorns, truffle oil — tips for enjoying tonkatsu

On the table were pink salt, whole peppercorns, wasabi, truffle oil, and corn salad dressing, so you can enjoy it however you like. We tried them all.

📌 I also tried the tips Hets, this Jeonpo tonkatsu restaurant, recommends for eating tonkatsu deliciously.

• Taste the first bite without sauce to feel the meat's natural flavor
• Dip lightly in pink salt for a clean taste
• Add a bit of wasabi on top of the katsu to cut the richness
• Grind whole peppercorns with the grinder for extra aroma
• Drop a few dots of truffle oil with the dropper for a luxurious scent ~~

Personally, the flavor when I dropped in a bit of truffle oil impressed me the most. Grinding fresh whole peppercorns released such a lovely pepper aroma that it paired really well with the meat.

Cabbage salad and miso soup refills, plus meat curry

The corn dressing on the cabbage salad was so savory and sweet that I ate way more salad than usual. Since the cabbage salad is refillable, we refilled it and loaded up on veggies to eat with the tonkatsu. The miso soup was so good we refilled it too.

Even though it's known as a Jeonpo tonkatsu restaurant, the ₩3,000 meat curry side we added was satisfying too. It came loaded with generously chopped pork that had a nice chewy bite, and it tasted just like the rich, deep curry I had during a trip to Japan. It was perfect mixed into rice or dipped with the katsu.

There's also a handy service tip. If you need silbi kimchi to cut the richness, or run low on rice, soup, or side dishes, just ask staff and they'll kindly refill it. Also don't forget — writing a Naver receipt review gets you a free boneless karaage (2pcs) or a soft drink.

After finishing the meal, they gave us a refreshing fruit jelly for dessert, so I left with a clean palate. Overall, this Jeonpo tonkatsu restaurant satisfied me on every front — taste, hygiene, atmosphere, thoughtfulness, kindness, and more.

If you want to try a proper Japanese-style tonkatsu in Jeonpo-dong, be sure to visit Hets Jeonpo Branch, a Jeonpo-dong tonkatsu restaurant excellent in both meat quality and overall experience!