The People Behind Goldtuna
Tuna Master
Goldtuna owner · brief pastoral background · former CEO of Mirae HRD Institute · YouTuber 〈Tuna Master〉
- Brief pastoral background
- 20 years as CEO of Mirae HRD Institute — corporate education & HRD
- Founded Goldtuna in 2015, a late-blooming leap by a man who loved food
- Runs the YouTube channel 〈Tuna Master〉
His years of developing people became the roots of Goldtuna's service playbook and staff culture.
Somaek Sommelier
8-year Goldtuna manager · the face behind 210M YouTube views
- Joined Goldtuna in August 2018
- 210M cumulative YouTube views · 200M Instagram views
- The face of Goldtuna, known abroad for K-cocktails
- 8 years as a Goldtuna manager
History
A daily challenge, evolving for each and every guest
12 Years Proven by 90% Regulars
A place where those who come once, come again.
- 51,220 cumulative guest records — first-party data the owner has entered by hand for 12 years (reservation format sample: 26.06.25.HongGilDong4 — date · name · party size / excludes accompanying guests)
- Naver rating 4.77 (Bangi) · 4.94 (Sinsa)
- 90% repeat-guest share, sustained
- 3 SNS pieces with 200M+ cumulative views
- The 15-course King's Feast, now a fixture
Goldtuna, Loved Through Content
₩2.9B+ annual revenue, 6 straight years as a Songpa-gu model establishment.
- Runs the YouTube channel 〈Tuna Master〉
- Runs the official Instagram account
- Runs the official blog
- 6 straight years as a Songpa-gu model establishment
- Reached ₩2.9B+ annual revenue (per 2025 tax filing)
From a Diner to a Tuna Specialist
We developed Korea's first dedicated tray and opened a second location.
- Shifted from a mixed diner to a tuna specialist
- Developed the Goldtuna signature tray — a Korean first
- Welcomed master tuna chef Kim Seong-ju (23 years' experience)
- Somaek Sommelier joined (August 2018)
- Opened the Goldtuna Sinsa location (July 2021)
- Monthly benchmarking dining tours for all staff
By System, Not by Gut
We began building a restaurant that runs on principles.
- Built the official Goldtuna website
- Launched the official Goldtuna blog
- Adopted the 3S principles — Simplify, Standardize, Specialize
- Established a guest-service playbook
- Completed professional foodservice training
Starting Right Where a Shop Faced Demolition
A spot two owners had walked away from. ₩40M in sales that first December.
- A tuna shop two owners had abandoned in turn, facing demolition and restoration
- We took the spot as-is — the late-blooming leap of "Tuna Master, a man who loved food"
- Daily flyer promotion on the streets
- Jogging around Seokchon Lake with balloons
- Reached ₩40M in sales that first December
Years Spent Growing People
Before opening a restaurant, he was someone who helped people and organizations grow.
- Brief pastoral background
- 20 years as CEO of Mirae HRD Institute — corporate education & HRD
- Those years of developing people became the roots of Goldtuna's service playbook and staff culture.
More of the Goldtuna Story
From a shop facing demolition to a restaurant of 90% regulars.
Today, as always, Goldtuna cooks with care, fills each plate with gratitude, and serves with a spirit of hospitality.