Gwangjin Japanese restaurant for creamy cheese katsu: Kosi

Kosi Konkuk University Branch visit information and seating

Kosi Konkuk University Branch is on the first floor at 197 Achasan-ro, Gwangjin-gu, Seoul. Hours are 11:10–21:00, with a break from 15:00–17:00 and last orders at 20:30.

They say one hour of free parking is available in front of the restaurant, so keep that in mind if you are driving over!

It is always busy here, so I came right before closing, but there were still quite a few people. You can check the menu and prices before going in, too.

This spacious dining room gets completely packed at peak times, I tell you.

There are about four window seats set up nicely for solo diners, so I recommend this spot if you are looking for somewhere to eat alone around Konkuk University. If you are planning to visit with four or more people and are worried there might not be seats, I recommend booking ahead.

As befits a place famous for its udon noodles, there was also an area where you could watch them kneading the dough. That must mean they are confident in those noodles, right?

Half pork loin and cheese katsu set

I had always come here for bukkake udon, but this time I wanted tonkatsu too, so I ordered the popular half-and-half katsu with both pork loin and cheese katsu. If you also want a little udon, simply add ₩3,500 and order it as a set meal.

There were plenty of sides besides the mains, so you can pick whatever suits your taste. I will review these too.

While waiting and looking around, I noticed this cabinet near the entrance. It kept filling up with delivery orders, so this is clearly a place with lots of delivery business too.

At the table, there was shichimi (Japanese seven-spice blend), pepper, sesame seeds, water, and more, so just help yourself if you need anything.

Ta-da—just looking at this half-and-half katsu set makes you feel full.

Can you see the cheese already flowing out before I have even taken a bite?

Chewy udon and clean-tasting pork loin katsu

I wanted something brothy first, so I tried the udon. As expected from a place known for house-made udon, the noodles were wonderfully chewy, almost like rice cakes, and the savory broth kept drawing me back for more.

I thought the pork loin might get dry once it cooled, so I tried it first. It was tender and satisfyingly substantial inside—so delicious that I regretted all those times I had come here and only eaten udon. The tonkatsu itself was lightly flavored and tasty, so it was good even with just salt or wasabi and no other sauce.

For sauce lovers, I found it best dipped in tonkatsu sauce with freshly ground sesame, or with the tonkatsu sauce-and-wasabi combination.

Cheese cutlet as soft as cream

This cheese tonkatsu had such a thin, tender texture. The cheese was so soft that it streamed out just from holding it up; rather than stretchy and salty, it felt soft and creamy.

Filling inari sushi and sides

I recommend the inari sushi (seasoned fried tofu rice pockets) if you want an even heartier meal. They were generously sized and packed tightly with rice, and the rice was seasoned, so they were delicious even on their own.

These were the two sides I had always been curious about.

First, the fried chicken comes in various options, including two or four pieces, so you can choose the amount you want. Usually fried chicken served as a side is only spoon-sized, right? But Kosi's pieces looked huge even next to a paper cup—I would say they were about three times the size of the fried chicken at an ordinary restaurant.

These are mozzarella croquettes: mozzarella coated in batter and fried to an almost roof-of-your-mouth-scraping crispness. They give you honey for dipping, and I found the combination refreshingly unusual.

Dipping them in honey made sweetness burst throughout my mouth, like having dessert after finishing a meal, which was a fun change. If you love sweet flavors, I absolutely recommend them.