While Koreans move into LA’s Little Tokyo, Bangladeshis are moving into Koreatown… and their demands for recognition are rubbing some of the locals wrong, writes the LAT:
When Maminul Haque greets friends, he uses the Bangla “Kamon aachen!” When he is hungry, he drops by one of numerous Bangladeshi eateries for a plate of curry — more spicy than the Indian version, devotees agree.
Although he is standing in the heart of Koreatown, he and many other Bangladeshi Americans say the name does not reflect all its inhabitants. Now, the community is seeking recognition of its own “Little Bangladesh” within the area west of downtown popularly known as Koreatown.
The proposal has angered longtime residents who have worked hard to promote the district as a Korean cultural destination and economic hub. City officials, meanwhile, worry that neither side is taking into account the full diversity of an area that is also home to many Latinos and Thai Americans, among others.
[...]
When Margaret Ko moved to Los Angeles from Korea more than 30 years ago, Koreatown was not the mass of restaurants, stores and yogurt shops it is today. Over the years, the 65-year-old has proudly watched the community — and its stature — grow.“It means power,” she said as she hemmed a pair of pants inside the dry cleaners where she’s worked for a decade. “Koreatown is already established. . . . Why can’t they find another place?”
That’s it — I’m declaring my block in Itaewon “Little Miguk-Mongolia.”
(HT to reader)
{ 37 comments… read them below or add one }
“Chinatown” in Oakland, California is home to many Koreans and Vietnamese. Do the Chinese care? I don’t think so. China is multicultural anyways, even if Oakland Chinatown should more aptly be called, “Little Guangzhou”.
I noticed in Manhattan a couple weeks ago that the street sign (was it 34th Street?) said something in 한글 about “Korea Town”. How long have Koreans been a presence there? At least since the 90′s. Maybe official “–town” monikers should follow unofficial ones as determined by citations in newspapers and court testimonies. “I met the curry dude in Bangladesh Town before he sold me the junk bonds…”
I thought the Koreatowns themselves grew when Koreans bought up property in other ethnic neighborhoods.
Why can’t they find another place? Yeah, those damn ethnics. Listen to Ms. Ko, a real American *cough*, and get the hell off her lawn.
The prison in my hometown houses a lot of illegals awaiting deportation. Mostly Chinese from Fujian. The only real ‘foreign’ area in our city is within our jail >_<
“Can’t they find somewhere else?” Classic line and another example that we have evolved little beyond the monkeys. Although, admittedly, I do miss the tail.
Oh really?
http://www.creation-vs-evolution.us/visual-evolution/human-tails/human_tails_10.jpg
Still pops up every now and then.
I’m pretty sure I saw the word “hub” in there, as well.
“Over the years, the 65-year-old has proudly watched the community — and its stature — grow.”
What’s so proud about seeing ethnic gettos get bigger? That’s nothing to be proud of.
…why don’t we just label the whole state Little Mexico?
America is already established, why can’t you fuck off back to Korea?
aaronm,
Aren’t you Australian?
Typical Korean hypocrisy. The ‘We can do it, but you can’t’ bs.
Good thing all Koreans don’t think that way, but what fucking arrogance considering she’s an immigrant herself.
Good question though aaronm, but it’s not ok for you to say that, only Koreans can it seems.
The Korean victim card justifies this even when they are not in their own country.
http://www.asiafinest.com/forum/index.php?showtopic=111164
or how about this
http://www.rjkoehler.com/2006/12/15/foreigners-in-busan-busted-for-anti-korean-performance/
What’s next? Maybe ‘No Foreigner’ signs outside various establishments in Korea?
Hell, there are tons of ‘No Koreans’ sign all through the US right?
JohnT,
There isn’t anything specifically “Korean” about what’s going on in Los Angeles. Friction happening when one ethnicity moving into the turf of another is as American as spaghetti and corn beef & cabbage.
Back when Italians and the Irish were recent immigrants, if you ever had three Italians walk into South Boston… well, you know.
It took, what? Almost a century for things to settle down?
http://www.csmonitor.com/2004/1005/p02s01-uspo.html
#10, yes, and British by descent and passport (4 years residency, too). So what’s it to ya? Made the comment in solidarity because we’ve had the same experiences (largely) as the US vis-a-vis immigration, including uppity newcomers who think they can replicate their own piece of hell in our country.
As an Australian, I vastly prefer uppity newcomers to self-righteous British-passport-bearing twats.
The article is kinda amusing, ethnic enclaves aren’t really positive developments at any rate. But is there going to be some Korean-Bangladeshi fusion successes and disasters soon? Inquiring minds want to know.
As another Australian here, can I chime in and say I completely agree with WangKon (I love saying that name out loud).
There is nothing about this that is “typically Korean” so much as it is “typically human.”
Sometimes I read these comments here (and examine my own comments over the years) and wonder how often we tend to lose sight of the fact that people have been doing this since we moved out of Africa – maybe before.
Look at the film “Gangs of New York” for a nice example.
I would like to agree with the two above statements, and as an Adelaide girl, I would like to explicitly express my disgust with half-caste pommy-passport bearing cunts like Aaron that straddle two countries like they do their own mother.
I’m all for immigrants retaining citizenship in their birth nation, but passing such a dual entitlement on to the children of freeloading pommy neocolonials needs to discontinue.
# 15,
I’m considering changing my screen name to WangGeon936 to avoid “phonetic” confusion with certain, ahem, slang terms in the English language.
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Taejo_of_Goryeo
Damn McCune-Reischauer romanization system.
Perhaps aaron was referring to an emm/immigrant’s need to retain their pissant “community”. Why not stay where you were born if you have no intention of adjusting to the new “home”?
I can think of one ethnic group in particular that is currently on their knees praying that this guy wasn’t at their Kim Yu-na celebration party last weekend.
If it’s a counterfeit The Masters green jacket put out an APB for K.J. Choi.
Latest news appears that the gunman was likely Viet and most of his victims (12 last count) were likely immigrants.
Sad.
“say the name does not reflect all its inhabitants.”
Best change the name of “Virginia” pronto, I’m pretty damn sure the name of that state doesn’t reflect all its inhabitants.
“What’s next? Maybe ‘No Foreigner’ signs outside various establishments in Korea?”
What do you mean next, there already are although quite rare now? Even then there are places that will refuse you entry on sight.
“As an Australian, I vastly prefer uppity newcomers to self-righteous British-passport-bearing twats.”
Hilarious, nationalistic pot calling. You attack aaronm for his opinion, refer to Wookinpub at 18 if you didn’t get it, then pretty much echo the same sentiments slightly more pc fashion in your next sentence. “ethnic enclaves aren’t really positive developments at any rate.”
And Jane, in “disgust” at his terrible opinion on foreigners setting up and defending enclaves in another, promptly brands him a victim of miscagenation and racistly/nationalistically attacks him for not being “pure” Australian.
LOL from an another Australian.
Not very American, that.
dda,
Although I said what I said half in jest, still, you must have slept through all your American history classes.
With grammar like that and a photo of little johnnie as your avatar, I can only defer to the superior Australian opinion of Arghaeri.
After all, we can all aspire to being multicultural people like Arghaeri, even if we have to continue to allow a British uberclass in a nation that should have been a republic long ago.
“American history classes” Surely you jest? I didn’t have to sleep through a class that wasn’t taught… But please, enlighten me, because AFAIK, spaghetti is as Italian as Il Duce. So there must be something that flew right by me.
Fuck That, spaghetti is from china
# 28,
Fair enough, but what you ask for is a lenthy treatise.
I wrote this last year and it deals with American ethnic history, food, etc. Perhaps you can glean your answer from there.
http://wangkon936.xanga.com/616593784/complaints-on-korean-street-signs/
*lengthy* not “lenthy.”
So what I want to know is when are we going to see Korean-speaking, Mongolian-American little ‘uns?
Hummm… given that the NY state shooter is Viet, no body here wants to talk about it anymore…
# 32,
They exist! Significant Mongolian pop in ktown.
Well, I still don’t get it. Must be jet-lag. How does America accepting spaghetti as a day-to-day staple makes it “American”?!? It’s still Italian… It’s like saying spaghetti is Korean, too…?
dda,
It is my personal belief that something that originated in one nation is not the exclusive property of that nation, particularly if it doesn’t do enough to promote, enhance and/or develop that “thing.” I believe this goes for food, culture and other tangible and intangible assets.
Take for example sushi. Did it originate in Japan? No. It originated in South China. Do we know it to be Japanese? Yes. Why? Because the Japanese did the most promote and develop the food to the world. However, can sushi “belong” per se to another country? Absolutely. Why? Because another country can do more to promote and develop it. For example look at the interesting interpretations of sushi coming out of Los Angeles and New York. You have the Rainbow rolls, Caterpillar rolls, Volcano roll, etc. Do you find this kind of innovation in Japan proper? Not really because the Japanese stick generally to traditional kinds of sushi and don’t do a ton of experimentation. Creative distruction and reinterpretation is what keeps culture moving and society active. Ownership should go to a culture that can keep this process moving rather than standing still, don’t you think?
Five or six Skips on this thread? It’s like an Aussie-Town enclave in Marmotland. Very odd.
No, please never make Australia a republic. Can you even imagine how much more jingoistic and deluded about their greatness the Australians will become? They will remain far more civilised if they remain in their place under a monarch.
Damn, I just noticed the date on this thread.
A rare danger of the tabbed browser and hasty reply.
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