Korean Job Discussion Forums

thomas pars · Joined: 29 Jan 2009

I can't decide if it would be totally cool or a horrible mixture of the worst
elements of two worlds. i.e the vanity and absurdity of LA with the
racism and xenophobia of Korea. Would like to check it out either way though.

benji1422 · Joined: 02 Jun 2009 Location: Los Angeles & Seoul

It's pretty cool for Los Angeles which in the past has been portrayed as notorious suburban and bland. K-town is one of the more urban, affordable and raucous spots... that is until recently when all the hipsters found out about it (thanks to yelp.com) and all the restaurants and bars raised prices or changed to BBQ all-you-can-eat affairs.

The xenophobia is fairly non-existent now that so many white people go into Korean businesses, but five years ago everyone used to stare at you when you went into a shop or the supermarket and none of the menus were in English. Nightclubs and bars - it really depends but again, they are used to seeing non-Koreans and other Asians from the outskirts now days compared to back in 2000 when the first booking clubs opened and room salons started to spread and I got daggers stared at me. Parts of k-town, especially closer to the subway stops (yes, there are 2 subway stops which run from downtown to Hollywood and Universal City) look like Seoul with the same chain restaurants, (Mr. Pizza, Red Mango) and neon multi-level architecture and dense signage.

Tons of FOBs these days walking around amongst Hispanic immigrants and the new arrivals - the American Apperel crowd which is taking over the cheap apartments and overpriced condos. Drug (heroin) traffic from hispanic gangs is down considerably but depends on the block. Crime is high but mostly robberies and car thefts.

It kind of reminds me of the reverse of Itaewon

LosSeoul · Joined: 08 Jan 2010 Location: Los Angeles, CA

Ktown is pretty sick...i live in silver lake so its close, i go there a lot. It's cheap and has some good eats...korean and not.

reactionary · Joined: 22 Oct 2006 Location: korreia

I mostly saw Latinos and Filipinos walking around. Only the business signs were Korean, not the people on the streets. But that was only the one day I was there to visit the embassy.

buildbyflying · Posted: Wed Jan 20, 2010 2:13 am Post subject:

Ktown's alright. Nothing special. There's a great norebang and K restaurant near the corner of Normandie and Wilshire.

Bloopity Bloop · Joined: 26 Apr 2009 Location: Seoul yo

LA is a pretty lame "city"--I don't like to refer to it as a city because you can't easily walk around it, you NEED a car and it's super shady in a lot of areas (K-town included). You can get good Korean food in Garden Grove without having to deal with that craphole (LA).

Although I have to admit that I have been known to take random trips into K-town to hit up Myeong-Dong Kalguksu.

K-town: not so exciting.

LosSeoul · Joined: 08 Jan 2010 Location: Los Angeles, CA

reactionary · Joined: 22 Oct 2006 Location: korreia

yeah, i mean...can you walk in orange county?

Old Gil · Joined: 26 Sep 2009 Location: Got out! olleh!

Off topic: how are the bike lanes in LA? Plentiful? A plethora? I've always thought LA would be a bicyclist's paradise because of the weather.

Chicago is a cold dreary place most of the time but we have a decent amount of bike lanes for those who want to brave the weather.

Yaya · Joined: 25 Feb 2003 Location: Seoul

I lived in Ktown for two years and it SUCKS. You can find cheap housing and that's all it's good for but be careful of where you park your car. I had two car stereos jacked.

As far as I'm concerned, Ktown, not to mention LA, is a dump.

hagwonnewbie · Joined: 09 Feb 2007 Location: Asia

My friend lives in Silverlake near K-town. He's got a nice studio that he pays 600/ month for. It's not really safe to walk around there at night, but it's an interesting area for me. I like the goki tacos in LA and the hispanic culture.

K town looks like most other places in LA, but there are Korean signs on the buildings and more Asians. I'd rather live there than here, but I'd have to get a decent job and vehicle rolling before I could do that. That's just me.

LosSeoul · Joined: 08 Jan 2010 Location: Los Angeles, CA

Moldy Rutabaga · Joined: 01 Jul 2003 Location: Ansan, Korea

I've been there twice. It looked like a Korean commercial district with the usual neon signs and restaurants. Food and service was not very different from here. My wife liked buying groceries and things which were expensive or stale in Las Vegas. But yes, it wasn't in the best part of town and didn't look like an area I'd want to hang around in at night. Vegas also has a micro-K-town and it's also in a dodgy area, and that's saying something for Las Vegas.

But then, I don't have much love for L.A. and can't imagine feeling safe riding a bicycle there, but good to hear that it's done.

Yaya · Joined: 25 Feb 2003 Location: Seoul

loyfriend · Joined: 03 Aug 2009

Well, I live 30 minuttes from it. I live in Orange county. I would say the LA one sucks. It is a few streets long. and even that is a stretch as you will see blacks and mexicains mix in.

It is more like any city in cCalifornia. I will say this though, you go to Orange County, say Fullerton, Cypress, La Palma, it is a Korean Community. It used to be a while community but they put in Korean stores, banks, hagwons, and so on. Even in the public school my sister teaches at 29/30 students are Korean.

So that be a much better place imo to relocate if you are going to California with a Korean spouse.