Food is a love language. And in the City of Angels, food isn’t consumed for the sole purpose of satisfying a hunger. It’s not seen as a bodily requirement to keep functioning. Instead, it’s seen as an experience of culture and storytelling. It is a byproduct of history, and the story of Koreatown is one that runs deep into the heart of Los Angeles. Like with any story, let’s start in the beginning.
Seoul in the city
Despite the distance of 9,575km separating Los Angeles from Seoul, South Korea, Koreatown is the home away from home for many Korean-Americans. Los Angeles holds the largest population of Koreans outside of Korea with a population of approximately 326,000. It is no wonder on how the city became designated as such in 1982, but how did the Korean-American community grow so rapidly?
Following the 1965 Immigration and Nationality Act, immigration restrictions were no longer as strict towards immigrants from Asia. As a result, from the 1960s through 1980s, Korean immigrants began flooding into central LA. Korean-Americans particularly congregating around Mid-Wilshire Blvd, due to the lower property prices. Starting with churches, grocery stores, small family businesses, and restaurants, Koreans began to lay down their cultural anchors within LA. Residents of Koreatown often built their economic stability through small businesses, displaying their entrepreneurial skills. Today, we’ll be highlighting a few of them.
My top 3 seoul-comforting eats
- Koreatown galleria – King tonkatsu (돈까스집)
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My personal childhood favorite. Growing up in Seoul, there is a famous restaurant called “킹 돈까스” in Namsan Town (남산 타운). After moving to America, I struggled to find a place that hit the spot quite like there. However, the Tonkatsu House found in the food court of Koreatown Galleria, is as close as it gets. The deep-fried pork cutlet is huge in portions for incredibly reasonable prices. The tangy tonkatsu sauce, different from barbecue sauce, accompanies the flavor without overpowering the cutlet. The nostalgia alone, let alone the portions, are worth the drive.
- Borit Gogae (보릿 고개)
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Boris Gogae is the place to go with a big group of friends if you’re looking for something that pays homage to traditional Korean dishes (while also being especially healthy and hearty). The banchan, served as a collection of smaller side dishes, has a clear quality and love dedicated toward them. In each bite, you can taste the dedication towards curating and cultivating a beautiful feast. Ranging from fermented vegetables to soups and meats, the flavor profile is friendly to vegans as well, providing an invitation to all.
https://www.yelp.com/biz/borit-gogae-los-angeles-2
- Dasom by chef Kang
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DASOM By Chef Kang is the perfect dinner, comfort place. Especially during the winter time, they are most known for their warm dishes such as their Oxtail, Seoulleong Tang (설렁탕) and Galbi-Jjim (갈비찜). I personally, enjoyed the Seoulleong Tang the most with the hearty bone broth that gave both comfort and warmth. The banchan served, a highlight being the quail eggs, also paired well with all the dishes. Just to add another incentive to go, the banchan is also unlimited!
Although, today we celebrate the successful and lively aspects of Koreatown. It should always be recognized that the formation of this city also came with its own particular challenges.
The 1992 LA Uprising, or also known as the Rodney King riots, was a moment in LA history marked by tension, violence, and political outrage. Unfortunately, Koreatown was a victim of the riots with over 2,000 Korean-owned businesses negatively impacted. Racial tensions had always been present, however, due to the widespread riots LAPD were not able to assist the neighborhood in the most pivotal times of distress. Without the help of LAPD or any institutional help, the devastation experienced at this time forced Korean store-owners to fend for themselves.
Despite the times of struggle, the story of Koreatown is one of resilience and empowerment. Following the riots, instead of further division, the residents of the neighborhood turned towards positive change. It led to a larger impact of increased advocacy for more reflective representation and calls for action on the political landscape in order to give the neighborhood an opportunity to bounce back. And that they did with Koreatown continuing to stand today, thriving both economically and culturally. Today, we celebrate not just through stories, but over food that both fueled and comforted us during the more difficult times.