For my final project, I made the decision to research Koreatown. Despite its name, it is nowhere near the size of a town. Instead, it is a tiny sliver of Manhattan that runs between 5th and 6th avenue on 32nd street. It isn’t large at all, but there’s a lot to be discovered within this small block. Packed inside are numerous restaurants that serve cultural Korean dishes, a food court that serves both bulgolgi and frozen yogurt from an American chain, a bookstore that advertises the latest merchandise from Korea’s pop industry, and even a few French-themed restaurants that exclusively sell desserts, complete with employees wearing berets.
Koreatown was never formally planned – it just happened. We can trace its origins back to the opening of Koryo books. I briefly interviewed a current employee of the bookstore, a young man with circular rimmed and glasses half of his straight, shoulder length hair pulled back into a ponytail. He told me that the bookstore had been open for about 30 years, which coincides with the time that Korean restaurants started popping up in the area in the 1980s. After the opening of the bookstore and a handful of restaurants, other Korean immigrants were quick to settle and start up their own establishments until their business engulfed the block and the area became known as Koreatown.
The area has a history of being inhabited mainly by Korean immigrants, and owes its growth to the increase of immigration from South Korea. According to the Asian American Federation of New York Census Information Center, Manhattan’s Asian population saw large growth from 1990 to 2000. From 1990 to 2000, the Asian population in this borough increased by 42 percent from 110,362 to 156,710. Manhattan’s five largest Asian ethnic groups in 2000 were, in order from greatest to least – Chinese, Indians, Japanese, Koreans, and Filipinos. In the year 1990, the Korean population consisted of 6,183 people. By 2000, it had nearly doubled at 11, 851.
Located right next to Herald Square, Koreatown is easy to reach by subway trains and city buses. The B, D, F, Q, N, R, V and W trains all make stops to Herald Square or to locations nearby. Increased accessibility is offered by the availability of a PATH train station and buses that run along 32nd street, 34th street, the Avenue of the Americas and Seventh Avenue. For those looking call Ktown their home, the cultural location is short on space. This has caused various businesses within tiny Koreatown to stack up upon each other, which means most of the available housing is located nearby in the surrounding streets. While the prices of the apartments are not as high as Chelsea or Gramercy Park, the two areas that sandwich Koreatown, the city is still an expensive place to live. So although prices have slipped in recent years, the housing is still not cheap and there are not very many opportunities to buy, creating a competitive market. To get an idea of how much it would cost to live near Koreatown, some examples of apartments include a three-bedroom two-bath penthouse co-op with a terrace, at 372 Fifth Avenue, which dropped from $1.775 million to $1.645 million. A one-bedroom at Herald Towers could rent for about $2,700 a month.
Koreatown has a variety of businesses and institutions, but schools are not included in that list. Public School No. 33 is located nearby, and a few years ago the students there displayed a higher proficiency at reading and math than the citywide average – 67% and 96% respectively, while the average was 61% and 80%. Eighth graders in Junior High School 104 showed 65% proficiency in reading and 73% in math, versus 43% and 60% citywide. There is a high school nearby called the High School for Fashion Industries. In 2007, the students had SAT averages of 419 in reading and 416 in math and verbal, which is slightly lower than the citywide average of 438, 460 and 433 citywide.
If you take a casual stroll through Koreatown, you will likely be pleased to discover the variety of businesses that are readily available – there are spas, jewelry stores, and numerous restaurants. One important tip to always keep in mind while making your way through this packed block is this – Always look up. Stacked upon restaurants and spas are karaoke bars and discount clothing shops. Stacked upon those are lounges, electronic stores and much more. When the sky gets dark, the buildings light up and the clubs open their doors to attract a different crowd. Not everything is so openly advertised or easy to spot – sometimes to find a club or a lounge, you need to have gotten a tip from somebody else who is more intimately acquainted with the area. It may be small, but Ktown has many hidden gems just waiting to be uncovered and explored.
The appearance of Koreatown is that of a narrow block with moderately tall buildings, and on every floor a different business operates. It all comes together to emulate the city of Seoul, South Korea, a densely populated metropolis where many of the immigrants have their roots. The image of Seoul is further reflected in the music that can be heard in the restaurants and the fashion of those who walk the streets. The locals, are well dressed, impeccably groomed and displaying the latest Korean fashion and it is not uncommon to hear upbeat, Korean pop music being played from the speakers inside the food establishments.
As you walk down the block searching for a particular restaurant, you will likely come by a few delivery trucks with the bright-eyed faces of popular Korean celebrities plastered on their side, the blank white spaces beside them filled with colorful Hangul. Looking around Koryo bookstore, you’re greeted by shelves and shelves of books titled in Korean lettering, and a section of the store is devoted to the latest Kpop stars. You can buy their latest albums, photobooks, and other merchandise. All in all, while Koreatown is small, it does a commendable job in fitting a mini-Seoul inside one Manhattan block. It appears that those who live in or around Koreatown have done their best to create a home away from home.
There are many differences between American culture and Korean culture. Like in most Asian cultures, there is a great emphasis on family and respect. Elders are greeted with a traditional bow and are served first during meals. Additionally, non-family members are also treated with a large amount of care and respect. While emphasis is placed on family, Koreans also value relationships with neighbors and encourage participation in community events. Interestingly, when Korean infants become 100 days old or when a person reaches 60 years old, it is a cause for a family celebration.
Traditionally, Korean marriages are arranged by the family elders, who are considered the wisest and therefore make the most important decisions. Together with the parents of the bride and groom and a matchmaker, the groom’s horoscope is analyzed, a marriage date is set, and then the wedding is organized. It is the responsibility of the groom’s family to send the bride a wedding dress along with additional gifts. Korea also observes many holidays that are not celebrated in the United States, including the Korean New Year, known as Seollal, the celebration of the first full moon, Daeboreum, the celebration of Spring, called Dano, and Chuseok, which is a harvest festival and also an event to honor one’s ancestors. During these holidays it is common to wear traditional garb known as Hanbok.
The creation story of Korea can be found in its mythology. It is believed that a god named Hwanung descended from the heavens and used his power to transform a bear into a woman. He married her and the woman gave birth to their son, named Tangun who became the founder of Korea and created the first capital of the Korean nation in 2333 BC. The Korean writing style, known as Hangul, was invented in 1446 during the rule of King Sejong. Originally, the alphabet consisted of 28 letters. Today, only 24 of those letters are used.
Koreatown has seen rapid development since its humble origins in the 1980s. Since it is still young and developing, the existence of this unique, cultural location of Manhattan doesn’t seem be threatened. The only potential issues it may face in the future is an influx of European immigrants taking interest in the tiny Manhattan block or increased competition as new businesses all fight for their own space in a small area with limited room.
At a glance, Koreatown may not seem like much. It isn’t large, most of the food looks as foreign as it sounds, and you can walk through it in less than five minutes. But if you pay just a little extra attention, there’s a lot waiting to be experienced. Whether you’re into food, karaoke, or shopping, it’s easy to find a reason to spend time there.
WORKS CITED:
1. “A Stroll Through Manhattan’s Koreatown.” Time To Wander. WordPress, n.d. Web. 05 May 2014. <http://www.timetowander.com/manhattan-koreatown/>.
2. Panse, Sonal. “Korean Culture.” Buzzle. Buzzle.com, 16 Apr. 2008. Web. 05 May 2014. <http://www.buzzle.com/articles/korean-culture.html>.
3. Pillai, Prabhakar. “Facts About South Korea.” Buzzle. Buzzle.com, n.d. Web. 05 May 2014. <http://www.buzzle.com/articles/facts-about-south-korea.html>.
4. Baldwin, Deborah. “Exotic Flavor, Beyond Just the Food.” The New York Times. The New York Times, 18 Oct. 2008. Web. 05 May 2014. <http://www.nytimes.com/2008/10/19/realestate/19livi.html?_r=1&adxnnl=1&pagewanted=all&adxnnlx=1399316805-PyMZcGh/GvkOv4+DNUeZHg&>.
5. “Upcoming Events.” Asian American Federation. Asian American Federation, 2013. Web. 05 May 2014. <http://www.aafny.org/index.asp>. <http://www.aafny.org/cic/briefs/manhattan.pdf>
