Jeonpo tonkatsu with side curry and potato croquette: Katsu Gimseondo

A rainy-day late lunch at Katsu Gimseondo, a Jeonpo tonkatsu restaurant

Katsu Gimseondo is a Japanese tonkatsu restaurant on Seojeon-ro 47beon-gil in Busanjin-gu, quietly running for four years now since it opened in 2022 — a solid Seomyeon/Jeonpo tonkatsu spot. I'd just been to the dentist and luckily everything was fine, so I was mulling over what to eat. With the rain pouring down, I was craving jjajangmyeon, jjamppong, ramen... but crispy fried tonkatsu popped into my head too! So for a late lunch, I headed to Katsu Gimseondo for some tonkatsu (breaded pork cutlet).

What sets this place apart is that they age domestic premium pork in nuruk salt (fermented rice malt salt) for 200 hours. I looked it up and apparently it boosts umami, tenderizes the meat, cuts down gamey smell, and improves overall flavor — that got me curious!

Why these Katsu Gimseondo photos were shot on a phone

I didn't bring my camera, so I decided to make do with the Galaxy S26's camera. I was curious how the raw file's dynamic range and quality would hold up compared to JPG, so I shot in RAW with the S26. When I got home and checked the file size... whoa 😨 a phone photo over 100MB?! That's several times bigger than the RAW files from my mirrorless camera — I was shocked.

At Katsu Gimseondo, the walls are almost entirely floor-to-ceiling glass, so the interior was really bright. Even though it was a dim, rainy day, the place felt lit up.

Katsu Gimseondo seating: does it work for solo diners and groups?

Katsu Gimseondo has counter seats great for solo dining, plus several 2–4 person tables, so it works well for groups too. Some Jeonpo tonkatsu spots are counter-only, so having actual tables here is a nice touch.

Eating tonkatsu while watching the rain pour down is always a good time. Though a noodle soup dish like udon would've been an even better pairing.

Huh? Turns out Katsu Gimseondo has been running in Jeonpo-dong since 2022 — already four years. Surviving this long in the cutthroat Seomyeon dining scene says a lot about the food and quality.

Katsu Gimseondo menu and what one table ordered

Katsu Gimseondo's tonkatsu sets include loin, tenderloin, and premium loin (gabri-deungsim) as individual dishes, plus a half-and-half option and the Gimseondo set. The half-and-half combines loin and tenderloin, while the Gimseondo set comes with shrimp tempura and a soft-boiled fried egg. I really wanted to try the katsu sando too, but sadly they were out of ingredients, so I stuck to the katsu.

• Half-and-half tonkatsu set
• Side curry
• Shrimp tempura
• Potato croquette

There's coarse salt and a black pepper grinder on the table, so you can season to taste.

For drinks I ordered a ginger ale. Looked like they use Canada Dry.

Half-and-half katsu, 15,000 won: loin and tenderloin on one plate

The half-and-half katsu at Katsu Gimseondo is ₩15,000, split between tender tenderloin and firmer loin. If you want to try both, the half-and-half or the Gimseondo set is the way to go. On a white plate, the cutlets came crispy outside and juicy inside, looking great, alongside a generous pile of shredded cabbage, mustard, wasabi, a bowl of rice, pork miso soup (tonjiru), and tonkatsu sauce.

At Katsu Gimseondo, they say they age top-grade domestic pork in nuruk salt for 200 hours. The enzymes in the nuruk break down the meat fibers, making it more tender, while the salt subtly seeps in, adding depth and umami — no wonder it tastes so good.

The gently pink, tender and juicy tenderloin cutlet — always a win 👌

And the loin cutlet with a bit of chewy fat attached was fried beautifully too. They apparently make their own breadcrumbs in-house, which might explain the extra-crispy surface.

Side curry for 3,000 won: how thick is it?

The side curry at Katsu Gimseondo is ₩3,000. Japanese curry has become an essential side at tonkatsu restaurants these days, and the thickness, flavor, and saltiness really vary from place to place. Some places make it thick and way too salty, which can be a bit much, but Katsu Gimseondo's curry was loaded with onions — just how I like it — and had a nicely thin consistency that was easy to eat. Finely chopped mushrooms alongside the onions made it even tastier.

Free refills on rice, soup, salad and side dishes, plus the tonjiru

And the rice! It's posted that rice, soup, salad, and side dishes are all refillable at Katsu Gimseondo. The crunchy, mountain-high cabbage salad drizzled with oriental dressing just keeps disappearing.

Then comes the tonjiru, simmered with pork and a mix of vegetables. Getting actual tonjiru instead of just udon broth or miso soup felt like an extra thoughtful touch that I appreciated.

I dug into the tenderloin right away before the juicy, tender texture faded. Ahh... the cross-section looked so soft, holding in the juices beautifully — such a nice presentation. Tenderloin really is a love affair. So, so tender 😭

Juicy and incredibly tender. Maybe it's the nuruk salt aging, but the umami and flavor are even richer — delicious even plain, without any sauce.

Does 200-hour nuruk-salt aging show in the loin?

Next up, the loin katsu. Honestly, tenderloin is naturally tender even without the nuruk-salt aging, so the difference might not be as noticeable there. But with loin, you can really tell the aging makes a difference — you can practically see the grain of the meat. Instead of the usual firm loin texture, there's a tenderness and chewiness to it that sets the quality apart.

Dipped in mustard — yum! Loin is usually a bit firmer, but Katsu Gimseondo's version is noticeably softer.

Sides at Katsu Gimseondo: shrimp tempura and potato croquette

We also ordered shrimp tempura and potato croquette as sides. The shrimp tempura, fried up crisp, was delicious as expected! The potato croquette had a nostalgic flavor to it — about 10–15 years ago, potato croquettes were a must-have at izakayas, haha.

It's been a while since I had such a soft, fluffy potato croquette — it melted right in my mouth. Katsu Gimseondo is a Jeonpo tonkatsu spot that's earned its place surviving in Seomyeon.