The Kind of Restaurant We Strive to Be

Hello,

I am Choi Yeon of Goldtuna.

This March, we cross the threshold of our tenth year and begin our eleventh.

Looking back at the years gone by, a single thought comes to mind: "It all feels like a dream."

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I was someone who knew absolutely nothing about the restaurant business.

I was simply a reckless dreamer who fell in love with a beautiful interior and signed the contract on the spot.

I am still not sure where that confidence came from.

When the cold numbs your fingers, a glue stick is a secret tip.

In haste, I gathered a staff and set up the shop to open our doors.

Perhaps it was the natural outcome of such a lack of preparation, but not a single curious soul even peeked inside.

Excluding friends and family, our organic sales were exactly zero.

It was a desperate situation; I realized that if things didn't change, I would have to sell my home within a year.

There were no guests. I offered tuna rice bowls for 4,000 won, pleading for just one visit.

Driven by the need to survive, I took to the streets to hand out flyers.

I wore my chef’s whites and a tall hotel hat, standing outside for three hours every day for two years. I suppose I became a specialist in that field.

Even now, when I pass Jamsil Station Exit 8 or the crosswalk in front of the Songpa-gu Office, those memories feel bittersweet.

I can reveal it now: in the winter, when your hands are frozen stiff, applying a glue stick to your fingertips helps you grip the paper.

My lead chef in the early days. It was a time of waiting for our small efforts to finally bloom.

Another memory that stands out:

I used to jog around the Seokchon Lake track with balloons labeled "Goldtuna" tied to me.

At first, I felt quite embarrassed, but it was a way to exercise and advertise at the same time.

Some called me "persistent," but the impact was undeniable.

If any fellow business owners need advice on this, feel free to reach out.

I would be happy to share my "sincere" know-how with you.

Despite the struggles, I used my background in HRD to organize staff outings. "I'm glad you are here."

Because every guest who found us was a hard-won victory, I invested myself entirely in them.

Simply providing a meal was not enough to honor my own efforts.

My goal was not just customer satisfaction, but a level of hospitality that left them breathless.

Naturally, they would return, often bringing their families with them.

As a result, through the years of economic shifts and global health crises,

we have maintained a growth of 8% to 13% every year for a decade.

A quiet moment captured at our Sinsa branch before the food is served.

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Goldtuna pursues the following values:

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1. A space where a festival happens every day.

Much like a village feast, I want this to be a bright space filled with flavor, style, and joy. Through well-crafted service and a warm atmosphere, we aim to offer happiness.

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2. Artful food served with abundance.

I hope our dishes are so beautiful and full of devoted care that you feel hesitant to eat them without taking a photograph first. Yet, I also want them to be so delicious that you find yourself indulging in the abundance of the meal.

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3. Experiences that exceed expectations.

We strive to live up to the high praise and ratings from our guests. For those who travel from afar or have long looked forward to visiting us, disappointment is not an option. We will carefully tend to this space where so many memories are gathered.

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4. The emotion of a fine-dining full course.

I believe food must be both beautiful and flavorful. I want to convey a sense of richness through a course that feels as sensible and refined as an omakase. It is a challenging goal, but one that our entire team is dedicated to achieving.

Tuna becomes a work of art when it meets Goldtuna.

What is quiet dedication?

I believe it is giving your best to the smallest things.

It is attending to the things so minor they might be ignored, the things that are unseen and often unacknowledged.

Those small things are what truly move the heart.

Just as one is moved by a tiny wildflower found while walking a mountain path.

That is the strength that allows me to continue this journey.

The passage of ten years has brought a sense of grace. At our Bangi branch.

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