# Tonkatsu in Mapo, Seoul with a juicy pink center: Kitto - By Yungyeol (https://superchart.com/en/@seoul-meal-postcards/) - Written Sep 11, 2026 - Local places › Restaurants › Mapo, Seoul - Sponsored: This visit was sponsored by the business. - English edition: https://superchart.com/en/@seoul-meal-postcards/sangam-kitto-pink-tonkatsu-curry/ - Also in: [한국어](https://superchart.com/ko/@seoul-meal-postcards/sangam-kitto-pink-tonkatsu-curry/index.md) ## In short Kitto is a Japanese tonkatsu restaurant near Digital Media City Station in Mapo, Seoul. After work, we had sirloin tonkatsu, tenderloin tonkatsu, curry, and lemon sours; both cutlets were tender, and we even refilled the truffle tonkatsu sauce. Verdict: add the curry for an especially satisfying meal. ## Good to know - **Location**: About a 3-minute walk from Exit 9 of Digital Media City Station - **Hours**: Mon–Fri 11:10–21:00; Sat 12:00–21:00 - **Break time**: 15:00–17:00 - **Last order**: 20:00 - **Closed**: Every Sunday - **Sirloin tonkatsu**: ₩18,000 - **Tenderloin tonkatsu**: ₩16,000 - **Curry**: ₩4,000 - **Lemon sour**: ₩6,000 - **Refills**: Rice, soup, and side dishes available - **Ordering**: Toss QR ordering - **Cooking time**: About 10–15 minutes after ordering, using low-temperature cooking *as written by the visitor on Sep 11, 2026* We’ve both been so busy with work lately that my work bestie and I barely had time for our little chats. Then today we made plans: “Let’s get dinner after work!” Looking for a good place in Sangam-dong that we could walk to after clocking out, we went to Kitto. To give you the conclusion first... this has reset my personal tonkatsu ranking. ![Tonkatsu meal at Kitto in Sangam](https://img.superchart.com/images/sangam-kitto-pink-tonkatsu-curry/sangam-kitto-pink-tonkatsu-curry-01-1t9ce-966.webp) ## Kitto in Sangam: location and hours Kitto ![Exterior of Kitto](https://img.superchart.com/images/sangam-kitto-pink-tonkatsu-curry/sangam-kitto-pink-tonkatsu-curry-02-t9xqz-966.webp) - Address: 23 Maebongsan-ro 2-gil, floors 1–2, Mapo-gu, Seoul, South Korea - Location: About a 3-minute walk from Exit 9 of Digital Media City Station - Hours: Mon–Fri 11:10–21:00 / Sat 12:00–21:00 - Break time: 15:00–17:00 / Last order: 20:00 - Closed: Every Sunday Hours may change, so please check Naver Map before visiting :) I wondered what Kitto meant, and then... ![Explanation of the meaning behind Kitto’s name](https://img.superchart.com/images/sangam-kitto-pink-tonkatsu-curry/sangam-kitto-pink-tonkatsu-curry-03-8fyhl-966.webp) KITTO (きっと): surely / KATSU (勝つ): win. Japanese knowledge +1, hahaha. ## A Seongsu-like atmosphere in Sangam ![Atmosphere inside Kitto](https://img.superchart.com/images/sangam-kitto-pink-tonkatsu-curry/sangam-kitto-pink-tonkatsu-curry-04-1ykyz-966.webp) Suddenly it felt like I was in Seongsu while still in Sangam. The atmosphere was so nice. Might even work for a first date..? ![Window-side bar seating at Kitto](https://img.superchart.com/images/sangam-kitto-pink-tonkatsu-curry/sangam-kitto-pink-tonkatsu-curry-05-s9c8b-966.webp) There are bar seats by the window, too. The large windows give you a clear view outside, so it looked great for dining solo as well. ## Ordering by Toss QR and smoked Maldon salt ![Toss QR ordering at Kitto](https://img.superchart.com/images/sangam-kitto-pink-tonkatsu-curry/sangam-kitto-pink-tonkatsu-curry-06-1mayd-966.webp) Every table has a QR menu! It was convenient because we didn’t have to call a staff member over. ![QR menu at a Kitto table](https://img.superchart.com/images/sangam-kitto-pink-tonkatsu-curry/sangam-kitto-pink-tonkatsu-curry-07-1xxj7-966.webp) ![Smoked Maldon salt on the table](https://img.superchart.com/images/sangam-kitto-pink-tonkatsu-curry/sangam-kitto-pink-tonkatsu-curry-08-7xrqo-966.webp) There was smoked Maldon salt on the table. Apparently, this premium salt is cold-smoked over oak charcoal in Maldon, England, giving it a gentle smoky aroma and crisp, pyramid-shaped crystals, haha. ## Ordering sirloin tonkatsu, tenderloin tonkatsu, and curry ![Kitto tonkatsu menu](https://img.superchart.com/images/sangam-kitto-pink-tonkatsu-curry/sangam-kitto-pink-tonkatsu-curry-09-23w19-966.webp) The menu is just one page. As you’d expect from a great tonkatsu spot in Sangam-dong, there are exactly four kinds of katsu. We ordered sirloin tonkatsu for ₩18,000, tenderloin tonkatsu for ₩16,000, curry for ₩4,000, and two lemon sours at ₩6,000 each! The instructions for eating were written on the left. First bite: katsu as it is. Second: with salt. Then kosho and tonkatsu sauce. It also said in advance that, because it is cooked at a low temperature, it takes about 10–15 minutes after ordering. ### First, cheers with lemon sours~ ![Two lemon sours](https://img.superchart.com/images/sangam-kitto-pink-tonkatsu-curry/sangam-kitto-pink-tonkatsu-curry-10-or2wy-966.webp) While waiting for the food, we got our two lemon sours first. Full of ice, with a slice of lemon in each! It had been so long since we’d properly sat down and caught up, so we started with a cheers 🍋 ## Pale golden sirloin tonkatsu ![A plate of sirloin tonkatsu](https://img.superchart.com/images/sangam-kitto-pink-tonkatsu-curry/sangam-kitto-pink-tonkatsu-curry-11-1e16s-966.webp) First, the sirloin tonkatsu. Wow... when the plate came out, the color alone was different! The breading was a very pale gold rather than dark brown. (The oil must be clean!!) And the cross-section. The center was still beautifully pink. ![Sirloin tonkatsu with a pink center](https://img.superchart.com/images/sangam-kitto-pink-tonkatsu-curry/sangam-kitto-pink-tonkatsu-curry-12-ue5s1-1200.webp) The color is no joke, right?! ## Six pieces of tenderloin tonkatsu ![Six pieces of tenderloin tonkatsu](https://img.superchart.com/images/sangam-kitto-pink-tonkatsu-curry/sangam-kitto-pink-tonkatsu-curry-13-12oiv-966.webp) And then the tenderloin tonkatsu. Six pieces with round cross-sections!! The color was an even more delicate pink overall. ![Pink tenderloin tonkatsu cross-section](https://img.superchart.com/images/sangam-kitto-pink-tonkatsu-curry/sangam-kitto-pink-tonkatsu-curry-14-x0uzv-966.webp) ### Is it okay if it’s pink? 🐷 In photos, the inside is such a pretty pink that you might think, “Uh...? Isn’t this undercooked?” I was curious at first too, so I looked it up! The red or pink color in meat is said to be influenced less by blood not being drained and more by a pigment protein in the muscle called myoglobin. So even when pork is heated sufficiently, its interior can remain pink depending on the cooking method and condition of the meat. In other words, a pink cross-section does not automatically mean undercooked meat! 👀 So apparently, when you see this juicy pink cross-section at tonkatsu places these days, there’s no need to immediately assume, “It’s raw!” based on color alone :) And above all... that pink center made it look moist rather than dry, so I was excited before even taking a bite, haha. ## A soft, tender first bite ![Tonkatsu eaten as the first plain bite](https://img.superchart.com/images/sangam-kitto-pink-tonkatsu-curry/sangam-kitto-pink-tonkatsu-curry-15-h5jlg-966.webp) Okay, they said to eat the first bite plain, so I took a bite without dipping it in anything. Wow. So, so tender!!!! Soft and tender.. the sirloin was tender and the tenderloin was tender too!! Usually, when you order both sirloin and tenderloin, one can be a bit dry, but both were tender here! ![Tonkatsu cross-section showing the grain](https://img.superchart.com/images/sangam-kitto-pink-tonkatsu-curry/sangam-kitto-pink-tonkatsu-curry-16-5gn3f-966.webp) You can see all the grain in the cross-section! ## Truffle tonkatsu sauce we refilled I loved that there were so many things to pair it with! Three little bowls came out: truffle tonkatsu sauce, kosho, and pale green wasabi. Plus that smoked salt from earlier! This truffle tonkatsu sauce was seriously delicious, so we even got a refill, hahaha. Don’t pour the sauce over everything; add a little on top of each piece instead. ![Tonkatsu with wasabi](https://img.superchart.com/images/sangam-kitto-pink-tonkatsu-curry/sangam-kitto-pink-tonkatsu-curry-17-vepko-966.webp) It was really good with wasabi on top, too! ## You have to order the curry!! ![Curry topped with crispy breading bits](https://img.superchart.com/images/sangam-kitto-pink-tonkatsu-curry/sangam-kitto-pink-tonkatsu-curry-18-f4wxg-966.webp) I really want to emphasize this. The curry is ₩4,000. You absolutely have to order it! It comes topped with a generous pile of crispy breading bits. ![Curry served with tonkatsu](https://img.superchart.com/images/sangam-kitto-pink-tonkatsu-curry/sangam-kitto-pink-tonkatsu-curry-19-f5wng-966.webp) ![Curry served with rice](https://img.superchart.com/images/sangam-kitto-pink-tonkatsu-curry/sangam-kitto-pink-tonkatsu-curry-20-13xq4-966.webp) It was delicious mixed into rice, and delicious spooned over the tonkatsu too, haha. At ₩4,000, there is no reason not to order it! ## Rice, soup, side-dish refills, and cabbage If you ask the staff, they will refill the rice, soup, and side dishes. You can also request ochazuke (rice with green tea) during your meal. ![Cabbage topped with dressing and whole sesame seeds](https://img.superchart.com/images/sangam-kitto-pink-tonkatsu-curry/sangam-kitto-pink-tonkatsu-curry-21-7elfx-966.webp) The cabbage comes piled high and very finely shredded. It is drizzled with dressing and whole sesame seeds, so I could keep eating this alone. ## Homemade lemon sherbet after the meal ![Homemade lemon sherbet after the meal](https://img.superchart.com/images/sangam-kitto-pink-tonkatsu-curry/sangam-kitto-pink-tonkatsu-curry-22-1ruu8-966.webp) ![Refreshing lemon-flavored sherbet](https://img.superchart.com/images/sangam-kitto-pink-tonkatsu-curry/sangam-kitto-pink-tonkatsu-curry-23-1rzmg-966.webp) After we finished, sherbet came out. (So thoughtfully brought over!) A refreshing lemon finish! It really cleanses your palate, haha. ## Kitto, where I want to return after work ![Finishing a tonkatsu meal at Kitto](https://img.superchart.com/images/sangam-kitto-pink-tonkatsu-curry/sangam-kitto-pink-tonkatsu-curry-24-1ot4n-966.webp) Kitto, where I went with my work bestie after clocking out. Truly... it is my all-time tonkatsu.. Soft and tender! Neither of the two we had was a miss. It was fun eating each piece differently—salt → wasabi → sauce—and we even refilled that sauce. Seriously, order the curry! It’s ₩4,000, and I think I’d be really sad if it were missing. It paired well with the lemon sour too, but next time I definitely want to come back for Asahi draft beer 🍺 We scraped up every last bit of curry and left very, very full. ## Where it is - Kitto (킷토) - 23 Maebongsan-ro 2-gil, Mapo-gu, Seoul, South Korea - 서울특별시 마포구 매봉산로2길 23 1,2층 - 37.5782071, 126.8952444 - Google Maps: https://www.google.com/maps/search/%ED%82%B7%ED%86%A0/@37.5782071,126.8952444,17z --- Superchart · https://superchart.com/en/@seoul-meal-postcards/sangam-kitto-pink-tonkatsu-curry/ · https://superchart.com/llms.txt