Donkatsu—Korean deep-fried pork cutlet—is a surprisingly recent invention, having only debuted about 100 years ago. From the west, it was brought to Japan and adapted, and then was modified after arriving in Korea. At first glance, the Western pork cutlet, Japanese katsuretsu, and Korean donkatsu seem to hold little difference. However, upon closer observation, a few distinctions can be seen. For one, the former is simply fried, while the others are deep-fried. Additionally, Western cutlets typically used thinner meats and were made by frying meat whilst attached to the bone, even as their arrival to Japan prompted change into the use of thicker cuts of meat. Even with these distinguishing features, the startling similarities they share bring about the question of how they came to be.
Before the Meiji Restoration in Japan, the consumption of meat was forbidden, as many regarded eating meat as unclean and uncivilized. In addition to the Buddhist imperative, “one must not kill,” Japan was chiefly an agricultural civilization; farm animals were usually only killed on significant days. The Japanese palette consisted mainly of fish, grains, and vegetables. However, the Restoration brought various Western cuisines and ingredients to Japan, offering a new, enticing perspective on food. Moreover, adopting a Western food palette—from a modernized and strong country—was considered a sign of strength. With the ban lifted, beef and other forms of meat began to appear more often. With the positive reception that French cuisine received after first appearing at Emperor Meiji's birthday party in November 1871, it became associated with sophistication; it was subsequently selected as the cuisine for official dinners. As Western food gained traction, fusions such as curry rice and pork cutlet emerged in the late 19th and early 20th centuries. Additionally, fried foods and dishes that are commonly associated with Japan today—like sukiyaki—became prevalent. Butcher shops sprung up in cities, as did restaurants serving gyu-nabe (beef stew). These were particularly popular in the Kanto region, including Tokyo and Yokohama. Meanwhile, in the Kansai region, including Osaka and Kobe, sukiyaki gained traction.
With the integration of meat into the Japanese diet, people’s health improved. The encouragement of Western cuisine was also due to an attempt to modernize and strengthen Japan so that it could compete with Western powers. However, due to the fact that Western culture was highly associated with foreigners, Western cuisine was mostly served to foreigners or high-ranking officials during the Meiji era. Still, it was evident that meat was becoming a part of Japanese cuisine yet again. Though meat had originally been only served to the higher classes of Japanese society, with the implementation of conscription in 1873, beef would be provided as field rations to soldiers, along with fukujinzuke (soy sauce-pickled vegetables) and biscuits. As meat became more readily available to lower classes, the demand grew.
It was only about 30 years later, in the early 20th century, that pork cutlet gained popularity in Japan. Throughout the years, the Japanese katsuretsu would develop into various forms, many of which are popular today. Additionally, though flour was commonly used to coat the meat before frying the Western cutlet, Japanese katsuretsu typically used coarser breadcrumbs and lean meat. Being deep-fried like tempura, rather than simply fried, also allowed thicker cuts to be used, and would be served with shredded cabbage, rice, and miso soup. Kanagaki Robun—a Japanese journalist—would explain the method of making “whole cutlets” in a book titled Western Cuisine (Sei-yō ryōritsuu) in 1872. As the years passed, katsuretsu would continue to evolve—in 1899, pork katsuretsu made its first appearance; in 1918, gas curry was first sold in Asakusa, Tokyo; in 1921, Keijiro Nakanishi invented katsudon; and in 1929, pork cutlet began to be commonly sold.
Keijiro Nakanishi, a student at Waseda High School, had placed rice in a bowl and put sliced pork cutlet on top. Then, he poured a sauce similar to gravy made by boiling down a mixture of sauce and flour and decorated it with green peas. Encouraging the store owner to sell it as a “katsudon,” it quickly became a trend. During the Japanese occupation of Korea, katsuretsu came to Korea. With some alterations made, donkatsu became the integral part of Korean cuisine that it is today.
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