LA vs NYC vs Atlanta Koreatown [WHAT YOU DON’T KNOW!]
What do Atlanta, Los Angeles, and New York have in common? They all have a Koreatown. In fact, they have the 3 largest Koreatowns (by population) in the United States.
In today’s video, I am going to compare these 3 great Koreatowns and you can decide which one you think is the best in the country.
For those of you who don’t know me, my name is Tim Trevathan. I’m a Realtor here in Atlanta, Georgia and work with families moving here from all over the country. My job is to help you navigate the real estate market and find a great home for your family.
I would love for you to send me a text or an email or give me a call if you are moving to the area or are even just considering moving to Atlanta and have questions about the market.
Now, I obviously live in the Atlanta area and I think the Koreatown here is great. In an upcoming video, I’ll share some of my favorite things about Atlanta’s Koreatown.
But for this video, we’ll talk about how Atlanta’s Koreatown compares to Los Angeles and New York. Let’s get started.
Similarity: Lots of Korean Businesses. First, let’s talk about some similarities. We’ll start with the obvious: lots of Korean business and restaurants. In all 3 Koreatowns, you’ll find enough Korean BBQ , coffee shops, and other restaurants that it would take you days to try them all.
There are also plenty of karaoke bars, each has an H-Mart, and there are also a plethora of other Korean owned businesses in each Koreatown.
Now let’s talk about some differences.
Difference: Feel and size. Atlanta’s Koreatown is in the suburbs. The Koreatown here is divided into three distinct areas, and you need a car to travel between them. As is the case in most suburbs, a car is also helpful to get to Koreatown from the residential neighborhoods in the area as most are not in walking distance. It feels very suburban.
In Atlanta, the residential population surrounding Koreatown is very diverse, but there are also some predominantly Asian subdivisions.
Los Angeles’ Koreatown is 3 square miles and runs along Wiltshire Boulevard near downtown Los Angeles and has a bit more urban vibe. Interestingly, there are tons of Korean businesses in Koreatown, but over 50% of the residents in Koreatown are not Korean, or even Asian. The majority of the residents are Hispanic with only about 1/3 being Asian.
Most of LA’s Korean population lives outside of Koreatown.
In New York, the heart of Koreatown is in Manhattan, covering about 2 blocks on 32nd Street near the Empire State Building. This are has a very dense, commercial, urban feel. It feels like much of the other commercial districts in Manhattan but with a distinctly Korean vibe.
New York’s Koreatown is the smallest of the three geographically, but it is definitely the tallest. In true NYC fashion, Koreatown here built up rather than out.
Don’t just look at the shops and restaurants on the street level when you are visiting Koreatown. Some of the area’s most hidden gems are located several floors up.
Like LA, most of New York City’s Korean population does not live in Koreatown but lives in various boroughs across the city.
Los Angeles: In LA’s Koreatown, one of the unique things you’ll notice is the fusion that has happened with Asian and Latino cultures, particularly in regard to food. You’ll find great restaurants with wonderful Korean-Latino fusion menus.
There are also some nice historic touches here, such as a marker sharing some of the history of Koreatown in Los Angeles and commemorating the first official Koreatown sign.
Koreatown in LA also has one of the largest concentration of 24-hour night-clubs, karaoke bars, and businesses in the entire country. It is the Koreatown that never sleeps.
The palm trees dotting LA’s Koreatown and the sunshine and beautiful weather the area is known for give this Koreatown a touch of California magic.
Unfortunately, homelessness while not rampant has had an impact on Koreatown in LA, and you may notice local pocket parts that have been locked to prevent people from sleeping in them, and you may notice tents or other belongings one some of the sidewalks.
There is a huge variety of Korean-owned and Korean-speaking businesses and services in LA’s Koreatown.
If you speak Korean, it would be very possible to visit and never speak a word of English. This is helpful for many elderly Korean residents who either don’t speak English or don’t speak it well as they are able to shop, dine out, bank, visit the dentist, and do all of the other parts of normal life without having to rely on a friend or relative to translate for them.
Of course, if you don’t speak Korean, you will find that even though you may not be able to read all of the business signage and won’t know what every business offers, you can still have a wonderful time browsing the mini-malls and shopping plazas, as well as enjoying your favorite Korean restaurants and karaoke bars.
New York: New York has one of the largest Korean populations in the country. The heart of Koreatown is comparatively small, only 2 city blocks in the heart of Manhattan.
As with the rest of Manhattan, Koreatown is dominated by buildings rising several stories above the street.
The energy and feel is distinctly New York, with a Korean twist. You have the same urban sidewalks, with intermittent scaffolding hovering over them and the same tall buildings full of windows that you’ll see elsewhere in Manhattan but all of a sudden the signs change from primarily English to a mix of English and Korean.
The delis and bodegas New York is famous for giving way to Korean BBQ, coffee shops, Korean banks, Korean shops, and karaoke bars.
Koreatown is primarily a commercial district and only about 20% of the Korean population in New York lives in Manhattan. Most Koreans live outside of Manhattan, with the majority of the Korean population living in Queens.
There is a large variety of businesses here, but because it is primarily commercial and not residential, it is more of a destination than a place to go about the business of daily life.
Also, because it is NYC, there is a mix of tourists and locals, especially in the well known restaurants and shops, like Koryo Books and The Kunjip Korean BBQ.
Atlanta: Atlanta’s Koreatown is in the heart of suburbia, and its hub is in Duluth, located in Gwinnett County.
The vibe here is much different than that of New York City. Atlanta’s Koreatown feels very suburban, with not a single high rise in sight.
Like LA, there is a vast array of businesses that provide the services necessary for daily living, and it is quite possible to speak only Korean and go to the doctor, do your grocery shopping, have your car repaired, and more.
The Atlanta suburbs aren’t particularly walkable, so you will need a car to drive from shopping plaza to shopping plaza and from your home to the commercial areas.
Unlike LA, homelessness is not a very visible problem in Atlanta’s Koreatown. Koreatown in Atlanta generally feels very safe, thanks to its suburban location.
Ultimately, these are the three Koreatowns that have sprung up around the three largest groups of Koreans and Korean-Americans in the United States. They are very similar in terms of the types of restaurants, shops, and other businesses that you will find, yet they each have their own unique feel and vibe thanks to their very different geographic locations in the United States as well as one being in the heart of Manhattan, one being just down the street from downtown Los Angeles, and one being in the suburbs of Atlanta.
If you are interested in finding out more about Atlanta’s Koreatown, check out my video list for some of my past videos and hit subscribe so you don’t miss out on future videos including one on why I think the Koreatown here, in Atlanta, Georgia, is the best Koreatown in America.
If you are interested in moving here and enjoying all Atlanta’s Koreatown has to offer, please feel free to reach out and send me a text or email, or give me a call!
Catch you on the next video!
