Gold Tuna’s Growth Story: A Journey Told by Mr. Tuna

[I took over a space where two businesses had already vanished.

For a man who simply loved tuna, it was a choice everyone cautioned against.

Yet, that very corner became the threshold of a miracle.

This is the story of the man known as the Tuna Uncle—a journey of sincere devotion.]

1. The Beginning of the Tuna Uncle

Most know me simply as the Tuna Uncle.

I spent twenty years in corporate education and a brief period in the ministry.

Eventually, I paused.

I realized I longed for the act of welcoming guests more than the act of teaching.

That pause was the true beginning of my life.

2. Taking Over a Space on the Brink

I have always loved tuna.

I took over a restaurant called Su Tuna, which had already closed its doors twice.

Many tried to dissuade me, but I felt a strange warmth in that space.

It felt as though the room itself was calling to me.

That place grew to become the Goldtuna you see today.

3. A Miracle Built by Footsteps

In the early days, there were times when not a single guest walked through the door.

For two years, I stood in front of the Songpa District Office for two hours every day, handing out flyers.

I ran along the Seokchon Lake tracks with Goldtuna balloons trailing behind me.

My greatest fear was that my sincerity would go unnoticed.

I changed everything I could.

Our signature cypress wood trays were born from that era of reinvention.

The guests I first met through those hand-delivered flyers

still visit us today.

That was our first miracle.

​

4. A Miracle Built by People

When we first opened, I held onto one dream:

‘To become a restaurant where three generations could dine together.’

I believed that a table shared by a family is not easily shaken.

Though our space was small, it was always filled with the warmth of our guests.

Today, over 4,500 reviews stand as a testament to that shared history.

One viral video of our staff has reached 200 million views,

and another has exceeded 150 million.

The Tuna Uncle YouTube channel

is now supported by 3,000 members.

These people built this space with us.

Every moment has been a miracle.

​

5. Infusing Tuna with the Heart

I sell tuna.

However, within every slice, I place quiet dedication, gratitude,

and the art of sincere service.

My hope is that Goldtuna is more than just a restaurant;

I want it to be a table that offers comfort at the end of a long day.

Not a place one merely eats and leaves,

but a space where the heart can linger for a while.