Solo lunch at opening time: Jeju black pork katsu, Hets Jeonpo, Busan

Walking through the alleys of Jeonpo, there's a place where the faint, savory smell of oil makes you stop in your tracks.

That's Hets Jeonpo Branch (헷츠 전포점), a tonkatsu restaurant near Jeonpo Station that spread by word of mouth among katsu lovers and is now a must-visit hotspot.

Hets Jeonpo Branch location and hours

• 📍 225 Jeonpo-daero, 2nd floor, Unit 201, Busanjin-gu, Busan, South Korea
• 🅿️ Nearby paid parking lots (₩1,000 support with parking ticket shown)
• ⏳️ Daily 11:10 – 20:30
• Break time 15:30 – 17:00
• Last order 15:00, 20:00

I already loved katsu enough to have this place saved on Naver Maps, and since I had a day off work, I craved a hearty, delicious meal and went without a second thought. ε=ε=┏( >_<)┛

An exterior that catches your eye

Instead of a cluttered sign, there's the sleek 'HETZ' lettering, and through the large glass window you can see an interior that's clean, stylish and hip — more like a design showroom than the typical wood-toned tonkatsu shop!

I arrived right at the 11:10 opening time... I was so hungry and so excited...

A bar table great for solo dining, and the open kitchen

The first thing that catches your eye is the modern interior, neatly done in white, cool silver and calm gray tones. (:3 っ)っ

The long bar table running alongside the kitchen has that minimalist stainless-and-silver feel that makes it look super clean and hygienic!!!

On the back wall there are neat hooks for hanging bags and coats.

Past the open kitchen you can see the whole cooking area — spotless, not a speck of grease, all tidy. The sound of meat being carefully trimmed and fried reached me the moment I sat down, and I was already drooling.

The menu, right there as soon as you sit down~!

Hets Jeonpo Branch menu and prices

• Jeju black pork sang loin katsu (limited quantity) ₩17,000 — katsu with a strip of gabrisal attached, deep meaty and grilled aroma ✨
• Jeju black pork loin katsu ₩14,000 — chewy texture, umami and grilled flavor in harmony 🔥
• Jeju black pork assorted katsu (loin + 1 tenderloin piece) ₩18,000 🍽️
• YBD (Yorkshire+Berkshire+Duroc) sang loin katsu (limited quantity) ₩16,000 — gabrisal attached, soft flavor and full meaty aroma 🤎
• YBD tenderloin katsu (hire) ₩15,000 — low fat, moist and tender texture 🤍
• YBD loin katsu (deungsim) ₩13,000 — pleasant richness from the right amount of fat 😋
• YBD assorted katsu ₩17,000
• Sando (Doje bread x Hets) loin sando ₩12,000 / tenderloin sando ₩7,000 🥪
• Sides: sasami katsu (1 piece chicken tenderloin) ₩3,000, extra tenderloin piece ₩4,500, meat curry ₩3,000 🍛, boneless karaage 2pcs ₩2,000 / 4pcs ₩4,000 🍗
• Drinks & alcohol: Kirin draft beer (430ml) ₩7,000 🍻, Kirin mini draft (130ml) ₩2,500, Sangaria oolong tea ₩3,000, soda (Coca-Cola/Pepsi Zero/Sprite/Fanta Pineapple) ₩2,000

Today's order for me... no need to even think about it — the special cut with just the right amount of gabrisal, the extra fat on the loin, attached

Jeju black pork sang loin katsu + Kirin draft beer

Reason: it's limited... this is exactly why people line up before opening haha

Condiments on the table and cute little doodles

On the shelf above the table there's tea water, utensils, pink salt and a whole-peppercorn grinder, wasabi, and truffle oil, so it's fun mixing and matching to your taste.

While waiting, I noticed the little stickers... so kawaii,,. They even take song requests, and there was a Hets branded pen sitting up there too.

Cute doodles and mementos left by visitors... so cute,, and here comes my draft beer.

Since it's so cold, they wrap the handle with tissue for you — what a thoughtful touch.

Ahh, this hits the spot... I already want more.

Spicy jangguk soup and meat curry

Glossy rice, warm and savory jangguk (soybean-based soup), and though not pictured, they also set out tonkatsu sauce and diced radish kimchi.

But this jangguk is seriously no joke. Why does it taste so spicy? Hahaha, it's genuinely delicious... it cut through the greasiness perfectly between bites of tonkatsu.

This is with the added meat curry — you have to try it,,. It's loaded with meat.

Jeju black pork sang loin katsu, first bite impressions

There it is, oh my go ㅇ ㅑ ㄱ.. The pale, thick meat and the springy fat layer of the gabrisal are pure art. ✨0(:3 ﾆ )～ Fresh out of the fryer, the juices glisten on the surface (major praise)

I drizzled on the dressing sitting in front of me. What is this?? It was corn dressing!!!!!!!!!!!

It was genuinely so good... I actually looked it up online to buy some for myself. Haha.

I ate it exactly as shown on the menu board — and by the way, if you ask, they'll give you silbi kimchi, so definitely ask for that!

I tried a bite plain, without any toppings. Behind the crispy, thin, crackling coating came the deep, rich flavor of black pork and tender meat, plus the savoriness of the fat, filling my mouth. No gamey smell at all, and the more you chew, the more the flavor bursts, pop..pop.. ✨

I also tried it with sharp fresh wasabi, a light dab of pink salt, and pepper too!!! It cuts through the fattiness cleanly and boosts the umami.

And then this!!!! Truffle oil ( ੭ ˙🐽˙ )੭

Drizzled lightly on the cut surface of the katsu, one bite and a luxurious truffle aroma spreads gently, completely transforming the character of the katsu. Totally, totally recommend this combo.

The routine of Kirin draft beer and a bite of katsu

Gulping down the ice-cold, freshly poured Kirin draft topped with creamy foam, the smooth swallow refreshingly washes out the greasy mouth, and then another crispy-outside-tender-inside bite of katsu — this routine melted away the fatigue of the day, pure healing. (I didn't work today lol)

Silbi kimchi and cabbage salad refills

With the curry mixed in between bites, the meat is so plentiful and delicious. ₍˄•͈⚇•͈˄₎ I ran out of the silbi kimchi and fresh cabbage salad I'd been eating in between bites, so I asked for a refill!! Everything except the katsu is refillable here.

Huh? And out came a mountain of salad haha.

...who could possibly eat all of this... I thought, drizzled on the dressing carefully anyway, and yep — cleaned my plate. Haha. Ate it all. Completely empty bowl.

Review event and warm-hearted promotions

Write a Naver review and they give you boneless karaage (2pcs) or a soda! And they run other promotions too.

Police officers, national merit recipients, military personnel, firefighters, exam-takers and pregnant women get to choose one of meat curry / boneless karaage / a drink — a restaurant this warm-hearted deserves your support.

If you're looking for a warm, stylish space to enjoy Japanese-style premium katsu with a cool beer in a relaxed mood, definitely try Hets, the tonkatsu spot in Jeonpo-dong,,,,