Giwadon, Mangwon: The Crispiest Tonkatsu I’ve Ever Had (Order the Tenderloin)
📍 Seoul / Mangwon · Mangwon Stn. (Line 6)
This visit was sponsored by Giwadon. As always, all opinions are my own.
I have always been a fan of old-school Korean-Western pork cutlet, not thick Japanese katsu. Then I visited Mangwon-dong and completely changed my mind. Giwadon is the best katsu I have ever eaten — I went in with no expectations and walked out amazed.
| Name | Giwadon (기와돈) |
| Address | 1F, 19 World Cup-ro 14-gil, Mapo-gu, Seoul 서울 마포구 월드컵로14길 19 1층 |
| Getting there | Walkable from Mangwon Station (Line 6), tucked in the Mangnidan-gil alleys |
| Hours | Mon–Sat 11:00–20:30 (last order 20:00) · Break 15:00–17:00 |
| Closed | Sundays |
| Price | Katsu ₩14,000–18,000 · curry or soba sets ₩13,000 |
| @giwadon_official | |
| Disclosure | Sponsored visit |
Finding it
Giwadon sits deep in the Mangnidan-gil alleys near Mangwon Station. Look for the roof-tile logo on the sign. The entrance is lined with potted plants — there is even a tangerine tree — and it puts you in a good mood before you even step inside. It is a perfect stop on a Mangwon date or neighborhood walk.
Why “Giwadon”?
Giwa means traditional Korean roof tile. The first page of the menu explains that the katsu is served on handmade ceramic dishes and seasoned with three traditional Korean sauces — doenjang (soybean paste), ganjang (soy sauce) and gochujang (chili paste). They call it fusion tonkatsu.
A calm, tidy room
Inside it is quiet and neat: wooden tables, white porcelain art on the walls, hanok lattice windows and little roof-tile decorations everywhere. There is bar seating, so eating alone is easy too.
Menu and prices
The menu is short, which made me trust it more.
- Pork loin katsu (150 g) ₩14,000 · large (200 g) ₩16,000
- Tenderloin katsu (150 g) ₩15,000 — best seller · large (200 g) ₩17,000
- Mixed (tenderloin + premium loin, 250 g) ₩18,000 — limited quantity
- Gochujang curry with katsu ₩13,000
- Soy-sauce buckwheat soba with katsu ₩13,000
They recommend tenderloin for first-timers. We ordered one large loin and one large tenderloin — the 200 g size is very filling, so I suggest going large. For two people, order one of each.
A full set, not just a cutlet
The katsu arrives as a complete Korean-style meal: rice, soup and side dishes including kkakdugi (radish kimchi), pickled radish and a cabbage salad with a dressing so good I finished it all. A small gochujang curry comes too, which cuts through the richness of the fried pork.
Salt and wasabi sit on every table. Try a piece with just a little salt — the pork flavor really comes through.
Tenderloin (₩17,000): eat it while it’s hot
The cross-section is white with a fine, even grain. Crispy outside, and so tender inside you could almost eat it without teeth. Tenderloin loses its magic as it cools, so eat it first.
Loin (₩16,000): save it for last
The loin has a little fat running through it, so it is nutty and gets better the more you chew. Eat the tenderloin first and enjoy the loin slowly to the end.
The batter is the real star
They say even a sneaker would taste good deep-fried — this batter is what that saying is about. Incredibly crispy, yet not greasy at all. The coating is thin and clings to the meat, so it never hides the flavor of the pork. That batter alone is worth the trip.
Small extras
If you write a Naver review, they give you an extra gochujang curry — different from regular curry and great mixed with rice and a piece of katsu. On the way out we got a business card stamped with a gold roof-tile logo, and they even hand out mouthwash.
Zoapik’s verdict
– Large tenderloin (200 g, ₩17,000) — crispy outside, incredibly tender inside – Large loin (200 g, ₩16,000) — nutty and flavorful the more you chew – Thin, crispy, non-greasy batter – Full set with rice, soup, kkakdugi, cabbage salad and curry – Salt and wasabi on the table to change up the flavor – Bar seating makes solo dining easy; the room is quiet and tidy – Heads-up: closed Sundays, break time 15:00–17:00 – Tip: eat the tenderloin first while hot, the loin last
I never liked katsu, and now I keep saying I want to go back. If you are in Mangwon, stop by.
