Seoul tonkatsu and udon chain Ojeje has opened its first restaurant outside Korea at Raffles City Shopping Centre.
The restaurant is at #B1-12, 252 North Bridge Road, and opens daily from 11am to 10pm, with last orders at 9pm. Owner-chef Kim Ji-hoon founded Ojeje in 2020 and now runs six restaurants and two production facilities in Korea.
Two pork cuts, both wet-aged
The menu is short and comes in three parts: tonkatsu, udon and donburi. Tonkatsu leads, in two cuts. The pork loin is air-flown and wet-aged, and Ojeje trims it to balance lean meat with its natural fat. The tenderloin katsu uses the same air-flown, wet-aged pork in the leaner tenderloin cut.
Ojeje fries both only until the crust turns light and golden. Its motto for the katsu: “No gimmicks. No heavy hands. Just the right cut, crumb and crust.”
House-made udon
The noodles are made fresh for a firm, chewy bite, and sous chef Jang Hae Sang leads udon production. The Premium Matcha Zaru Udon pairs house-made matcha noodles, served chilled, with tsuyu dipping sauce.
Who is in the kitchen
Kim started cooking at 17, inspired by his parents’ restaurant, and graduated in hotel culinary arts from Cheju Halla University. He spent about 15 years in cooking, service and restaurant operations before he set up Ojeje.
Three Korean chefs run the Singapore kitchen. Head chef Kim Jun Hwi, a Japanese-cuisine specialist with experience running multi-unit kitchens, oversees tonkatsu and udon development, cooking standards, staff training and consistency across Ojeje’s kitchens. Jang runs restaurant operations as well as the noodles. R&D chef Ha Sungwoon, the culinary director, has more than 15 years in restaurant operations and menu development.
Jeju on the table
The name comes from Jeju, the South Korean island, and the brand traces its roots to “a longing for Jeju”. In Singapore, the food arrives in bowls made in collaboration with Jeju artisans, and each piece is shaped by hand.
How to go
Raffles City is above City Hall MRT. The outlet takes eCapitaVouchers, diners earn 5 STAR$ for every S$1 spent, and the phone number is +65 8979 0923.
