Take a Shot For Me

It's all coming to an end. I regret to inform you that this will be our last moments together. But let's not make it any more devastating than it already is. My twelfth and final blog post will be about the unparalleled night life in Koreatown, Los Angeles. As you guys may know by now, I studied abroad in Seoul, South Korea last year for an exchange program. And sure, there were the communication barriers and the differences in fashion, but the biggest cultural shock for me was the night life. The university I attended was located in the heart of a college village teeming with bars, restaurants, and coffee shops. And they were all open 24 hours! I quickly discovered that Seoul was definitely a city that never sleeps. Students would go out to grab a drink on a Monday night. Let me repeat: MONDAY NIGHT. That would be insane back in America, where college students primarily started going out from Thursday all the way to the weekend. The drinking culture was definitely no joke in Korea.

Now back to Koreatown, Los Angeles. Although not everything here is open 24 hours, there are still a considerable amount of bars, cafes, and restaurants that do open until late. For those of you over 21, I strongly suggest that you take a trip to a sool jip (literal translation: alcohol house), which is the korean word for what we all know as "Bar." The bars in Koreatown offer a very unique experience in that you get to sit down with your group of friends and order food while drinking! Soju and beer are the way to go when drinking at these bars. And although soju is weaker in alcohol content than vodka, it will definitely start to creep up on you as the night progresses. With loud music and great Korean food, I assure you that you and your friends will have an unforgettable night. Well, maybe ;-) 

Well, that's it for my blog posts. I hope you guys enjoyed them, and if I don't bump into any of you in Koreatown soon, I will have failed as a blogger. So come on down! ^_^

Your Seoul Survivor,

Albert Ko

Koreatown Night Market, Success!

KTOWN NIGHT MARKET INSTAGRAM

Wow, what a night! Koreatown finally received some well-deserved attention through their epic event, "Koreatown Night Market." Modeling other events such as the "626 Night Market" and the "Obon Festival," the K-Town Night Market was definitely an unforgettable event as thousands of people from all over California traveled into my neighborhood. This was the first year that Koreatown held such an event, and it was long overdue. There's actually another annual Korean festival called "Jangtuh," but I feel like that event is more catered towards the Korean community exclusively. This new Night Market was created to generate more awareness for Koreatown and to show just how diverse our culture really is to people of all races and ethnic backgrounds. Although I did notice that it was more targeted towards the younger crowd, which ranged from high school students to people in their mid-30's. There were over 100 food vendors which included, but was not limited to, Seoul Sausage, Takoyaki, Mister Potato, and many more! I also got to see one of my favorite artists, Dumbfoundead. If you don't know who he is, do check out his YouTube channel. He is a Korean-American rapper who specializes in witty freestyles and lyrics. And did I mention that this event was free?! The only downside that I would mention about this event was that the venue was a bit on the small side. Hopefully next year's KTOWN Night Market will be held at a bigger venue. It was difficult to maneuver my way through the crowd without bumping into someone else's shoulders or stepping on their shoes. I guess the great people who put this event together weren't expecting the huge amount of people. I'm happy to say that this event will be happening on an yearly basis, seeing how successful the first ever KTOWN Night Market was. So if you didn't have a chance to go this time around, there's always next year!

Your Seoul Survivor,
Albert Ko

No Yellow Cabs in This Black Market

It was a beautiful, sunny day in La La land. I had just arrived at Los Angeles International Airport (LAX), rolling around my 2 big luggage carriers and hands filled with gifts I brought back from my study abroad trip. I had spent the last six months in Seoul, making my way around town attempting to speak my broken Korean to the native people of Korea. Without even realizing it, I waived my hand for a taxi as soon as I left the gates of LAX. I was accustomed to the Korean lifestyle, where I would take the taxi everywhere I went. The distance from LAX to Koreatown, Los Angeles is about 20 miles, and knowing Los Angeles traffic, I know it would have taken about 45 minutes to arrive at home sweet home. So I let my eyes rest gently, falling into a deep nap from jet lag due to the severe time difference between California and Seoul. I woke up around the halfway point, and slowly gazed at the fare meter. $35?! I was so used to riding the taxi in Korea that I had forgotten just how expensive the cabs in LA were. By the end of the trip, the charges had come out to $68. The same distance in Korea costed me 15 USD.

Then I found out about Koreatown's black market for taxi. Uber? Lyft? Please. These underground Korean taxis in Koreatown would run you out of business. In Korea, the basic fare is around $2.50, and when you split that with a couple friends, the price comes out very friendly. Although these Koreatown taxis aren't that cheap, you can get anywhere in Koreatown for only $3. This is extremely convenient for me. Since there are a lot of bars in Koreatown, its not costly at all for you to take these Korean cabs and avoid drinking and driving at all costs. The better thing is, these cabs also take you to LAX! Now remember I had paid $68. These cabs only charge $25... I could have spent the difference on a new pair of chuck taylors. The cost of a regular yellow cab from LAX to Koreatown (one way) is more than the cost of a Korean cab TO AND FROM LAX (round trip). So all of you Loyolans, the next time you want to grab a drink, make your way down to Koreatown. There are lots of cool, hip bars. But I'll save that topic for another blog.

Your Seoul Survivor,

Albert Ko

Not Your Average Bakery

Where do you get your bread? I'm guessing the local supermarket, such as Ralphs, Vons, or Albertsons in the bread and pastries section. But that's no fun. I'm willing to bet that bread sold in the supermarkets is not as freshly baked as bread from a bakery. It seems like more and more bakeries in Los Angeles are going out of business these days. Here's where Korean bakeries come into play. Korean bakeries are like the hidden gems of Los Angeles. In these pastry heavens, you can find freshly baked bread, cakes, desserts, cupcakes, and many more straight from the oven everyday. I would much rather buy my bread from an actual bakery that bakes their bread every morning and throughout the day than from the supermarket, where bread is likely mass-produced and distributed by huge corporations. Believe it or not, there are over 50 Korean bakeries located in just Koreatown (others are located in the Korean communities of Orange County). One of my personal favorites, which will soon become yours as well, is Paris Baguette. But most Korean bakeries more or less provide similar experiences, which I will go into more detail now.

The cool thing about these Korean bakeries is that you can buy single-serving bread that is individually packaged. This makes it extremely convenient to bring to school, work, or even a picnic. The variety of pastries and desserts offered is unmatched, as I have been going to these bakeries ever since I was a kid and still have yet to try every single flavor. You might find the peanut butter cream, sweet red bean taste, sweet potato filled breads, or the mocha frappe cream-filled breads to your liking, just to name a few. If you are looking for a more meaty lunch rather than a sweet dessert, they offer bread with sliced sausages embedded into the soft pastries and also a pizza type of bread as well. Korean cakes are also much more detailed and scrumptious than the same-old normal icing cakes sold at supermarkets, in my opinion. The cakes range from fruits to sweet potato to mocha frappe cakes. It's truly amazing to see so much variety offered in a small little bakery! The prices are very wallet-friendly, as well. Nothing more need be said. Right?

Your Seoul Survivor,
Albert Ko

Koreatown: Lights, Camera, Action!

The world of cinema has always been fascinating and intriguing to me. Films make us cry, laugh, smile, shout, scream, tremble, and much more. They also expose us to different countries and cultures all over the world. Since I do not have the time or money to travel to all these countries as a full time college student, I choose to watch these countries' movies instead. I am interested in learning about Korean culture in particular because I am a Korean American; I want to know the similarities and differences between my upbringing and the upbringing my parents had. Then I found out about CGV. 

PC: CGV Cinemas Los Angeles Google Plus Website

WHAT. A. GREAT. THEATER. Seeing as it is the biggest movie theater chain in Korea and the fifth largest theater chain in the world, of course they saw fit to place one of their theaters right in Koreatown, Los Angeles which is located just a couple miles outside of HOLLYWOOD. I remember going to a CGV theater while I was studying abroad in Korea. And it was a cool experience. All the American Hollywood movies were shown with Korean subtitles for all of the Koreans to comfortably view (without trying to translate the limited English they knew). The CGV in Los Angeles shows both Hollywood movies and Korean movies, and just like the CGV in Korea, they provide Korean subtitles for the American movies. But most importantly, they provide ENGLISH SUBTITLES for the Korean movies shown for all the Americans/Korean-Americans to comfortably view (without trying to translate the VERY limited Korean I know). What a great service! Now I don't have to watch Korean movies on my 16-inch laptop screen. I can finally watch them in the IMAX form they were meant to be viewed in! Even the concessions stand was very comparable to the one in South Korea, right down to the sweet caramel popcorn and fried shrimp/squid snacks. I also find Korean movie theater seats to be much nicer than those at American theaters. Ever wonder about Korean culture and don't want to pick up a textbook? Come down to CGV Cinemas, where you don't have to understand a single word of Korean. Just come ready to watch some great acting, directing, and effects!

Your Seoul Survivor,

Albert Ko

Schoolboy Chew

My most pleasant memories in elementary, middle, and high school all have one thing in common: they occurred during recess/lunch. Want to know why? It's because I loved the food my mother used to pack me everyday for school. Growing up in America, my mother used to pack me all kinds of sandwiches, chips, and fruits. On special occasions such as field trips, my mother would buy me a lunchables so I could share with my buddies. One day, I wondered what my parents' parents packed them for school recesses and lunches. They told me they usually ate rice, spam, and kimchi all mixed up in a metal lunchbox their parents packed for them. My mother then recommended I try this restaurant called "School Food" which wasn't too far away from where we lived in Koreatown. I have fallen in love with the place ever since.

The name of the restaurant is what first intrigued me. I felt like I could travel back to the time when my parents were elementary students. The main dish of the restaurant is the combination Gimbap roll (shown in the picture below). This is the most popular item packed by Korean parents when sending their kids off to school in Korea. Some of my Korean friends even here in America came to school with Gimibap rolls. They're like the Korean version of sushi, but instead of wrapped in raw fish, they are wrapped in dried seaweed. Another popular schoolboy and schoolgirl dish is tteokbokki, which are spicy rice cakes. My parents told me they would run to the tteokbokki stands afterschool to munch on these tasty treats. The nice thing about School Food is that they cater to the American taste buds, as the tteokbokki is served in many different flavors, such as carbonara and cheese so they're not as spicy. I highly recommend this restaurant if you want to try some authentic, traditional Korean school-food.

Tteokbokki (left), Gimbap Combination Roll (right)
Taken with my iPhone

Your Seoul Survivor,
Albert Ko

Korean Supermarket: Saving One Homemaker at a Time

We've all been to our local Ralphs, Vons, or Albertson's at least once in our lives. But I can bet many of you have not been to a Korean supermarket before. THIS NEEDS TO CHANGE. There are about 10 Korean supermarkets just in the Los Angeles area, but there are many more in Glendale, Fullerton, Cerritos, etc. These friendly supermarkets are the only place you can get Korean-imported goods at a very friendly price (mostly due to the intense price competition between the supermarkets). I know all you college students love instant ramen noodles. Well, you can find over 50 choices of instant noodles here! Also, make sure you check out the immense Korean snacks/chips section. These snacks are highly coveted because of the fact that they are much healthier than the salty and fatty American snacks such as Doritos and Twinkies. You can also buy pre-made fresh side dishes for your meals so you don't have to cook as much! Koreans are known for their side dishes such as Kim chi, pickled radish, and seaweed! Here is another fun fact surely to intrigue you: most of these Korean supermarkets are located inside of a huge mall which consist of clothing stores, karaokes, bakeries, and luxury jewelry stores. So once you're done shopping for groceries, you can do some extra shopping for the whole family! Feeling hungry after grocery shopping? Every Korean supermarket contains restaurants or food courts inside of them. Next time you don't know what to cook for dinner or tired of eating the same old pasta dish, I recommend you flirt with the idea of starting a Korean dietand making your way to a Korean supermarket.

Your Seoul Survivor,
Albert Ko

Starbucks, Where Art Thou?

In this day and age, you can find a Starbucks anywhere, especially in a major city. But not in Koreatown; you will be lucky if you find more than two in this region that totals approximately 125,000 people over 2.7 square miles. Why hasn't Starbucks been able to penetrate this extremely dense market? Simply because of the Korean Cafés. If you haven't been to one of these cafés, I highly recommend that you Yelp "Cafes" in "Koreatown." These coffee shops are not your average Starbucks or Coffee Bean & Tea Leaf's, but they provide a full-service social experience. Many youngsters and students use these cafés as their local hangout or study spots because of their hip atmospheres and tasty drinks and desserts. Every corner you turn in Koreatown, you will see either a Tom & Tom's, Caffé Bene, and many others. Although they all pretty much similar in their products and services, I tend to favor "Mr. Coffee" over the others. This coffee shop is located on Western Ave & 6th St. I come here at least once a week with my friends just to chill and catch up on each others' busy and fun-filled lives. All of these café's provide free wi-fi and some even have playing cards and board games for you and your group to compete with. The main reason my friends and I always come to Mr. Coffee is because their Pat Bing Soo is to die for. Pat Bing Soo is basically a Korean-style shaved ice dessert, which is served with ice cream, sweet red beans, mochi, fruits, and fruity pebbles all mixed together for a heavenly dessert dish. If that picture doesn't make you drool, I highly recommend that you visit your local doctor. These desserts come in generous portions, so you can order just one for your whole group! Next time you're in Koreatown with a bunch of friends and need a place to hang out, visit a Korean Café! You won't regret it!

Your Seoul Survivor,

Albert Ko

After a long day, it's time to Wi-Lax!

From My iPhone

You all know how much I love living in Los Angeles. But honestly, there are those days where I feel the stress at an all-time high. Sometimes I work eight hours a day, have to commute to evening class during rush hour, and then return home to write a paper due the next day. I consider myself lucky if I get at least six hours of sleep. Here comes another Koreatown solution: Wi Spa! This hidden gem located right in the midst of all the bank skyscrapers on Wilshire Boulevard will cure any signs of stress or fatigue. At Wi Spa, you can come with your significant other, by yourself, or with your entire family. These types of spas are called Jjim Jil Bang's and they are very popular in Korea. What's cool about Wi Spa is that there is no gender segregation throughout the facilities, except for when you shower. Once you wash up and soak yourself in the multiple jacuzzis, the next stop is the huge community room where boys and girls are free to chill and socialize amongst themselves.

From My iPhone

Once on the community floor, you will find entrances to mini-spas with all different kinds of climates and temperatures. For example, there is a "Salt Room" where the floor is covered with salt rocks and the temperature is 120 degree Fahrenheit. I cannot stay in these rooms for too long, but once I lay down I feel all negativity and hatred leaving my body when my pores open up due to the heat. There is also an "Ice Room" where the temperature is below freezing, which always feels relieving after a nap in one of the hot rooms. The community room also features a full sit-down restaurant and an internet cafe (free wi-fi is provided every step of the way). If you are willing to spend the extra few bucks, you can also get top-of-the-line massages and facials from what I hear. The next time you're in the need of a stress reliever and want to get away from all the traffic and congestion of Los Angeles, Wi Spa is really a one of a kind experience you will never forget!

Your Seoul Survivor,
Albert Ko

Korean American Idol

Taken with my iPhone

Monday through Thursday, I am Albert Ko; I wake up every morning, go to work, and then make my way to class in the evenings. Friday or Saturday, however, I am a mix between Ne-Yo and Eminem. Calling Koreatown my home comes with the luxury of living close to this thing called No-Rae-Bang ("Song Room" is the literal translation). Some of you might be more familiar with the term "karaoke." And because I live right down the street from one, I find myself serenading my friends well into the night on many occasions. These NRB's are special in the sense that the second your group walks into their own personal room, every form of judging or criticizing is prohibited until the night is over. Once you're in that room, you are free to get your N Sync, Michael Jackson, Beatles, or Whitney Houston on!

Taken with my iPhone

The handy dandy remote control will have your thumbs racing to find that next song, with genres ranging from K-pop to Disney songs to Gangster Rap. Just search the title or artist of your desired song and click the "reserve" button! For those of you who play by the book, a thick encyclopedia-style songbook is provided with songs listed alphabetically. What if you can't hit those high notes? Honestly, I am as tone deaf as it gets. Here's a personal tip that has guided me to greatness: a little liquid confidence never hurt me, just so long as it is done responsibly. Most NRB's provide food and beverages, so feel free to order some beers whenever you need that X-factor. Then even Simon Cowell won't have anything to nag at.

Your Seoul Survivor,
Albert Ko

Korean BBQ gets the W!

One cannot turn the corner in Koreatown without bumping into a Korean BBQ joint. It's inevitable. One cannot escape it. So naturally, he or she would be tempted in some way, shape, or form to venture into one of these meat heavens, right? This is what happened to a boy named Albert Ko. The flood gates had opened. If any of you have not been to a Korean BBQ restaurant, please do us both a favor and keep reading. If you have been already, I encourage you to also keep reading because it's more than likely that you didn't receive the full-service experience that I have been exposed to. Let's begin class:

1. For the purpose of this blog, I will be using the specific restaurant called "Kogi-King." This restaurant is my all-time favorite.
   
2. If I were to pick out a common denominator for all Korean restaurants, I would have to pick the side dishes. Every Korean restaurant you visit will provide you with a variety of side dishes comprised of everything from Kimchi to headless bean sprouts. Don't be scared, keep an open mind, and try each one. Kogi-King's special side dish is their signature spicy rice cakes.
   
3. Make sure to ask for the steamed egg casserole and the soybean paste stew. Nothing more need be said. 
   
   
   
   
   
4. Here comes the meat. You get to "do-it-yourself" and sharpen your cooking skills! You get to choose from over 20 choices of meat laid out in a simple menu. Order your meat and use their terrific tongs to cook the meat on your own personal grill. After it's cooked to perfection, cut the meat to your own liking and wrap it up in rice paper. Add a couple veggies and you might as well sing, "Hold on, We're Going Home."
   
   
   
   
   
   
   
5. "Where's the rice," you might ask. No need to fear, DoShiRak is here! Ask for this and your waiter will bring you a tin box filled with rice, kimchi, eggs, and spam. He or she will personally shake that box like they would shake maracas, and bon appetit!
   
                                           
   
6. By now, you should either be going on your fourth hour or second stomach there. To settle down your digestive system, Koreans use a bowl of hot water and rice, which aids in digestion.
   
   
      
                                               

I hope your next Korean BBQ experience will be as memorable as mine. Follow my directions and, "You're welcome."

Your Seoul Survivor,

Albert Ko

The Heart and Seoul of Los Angeles

Photo courtesy of Dann3X, Flickr

Located in the heart of the Greater Los Angeles Combined Statistical Area, Koreatown is home to the largest Korean population in the United States of America. According to Wikipedia, over 108,000 people of Korean descent reside within this region. Although it isn't considered as the safest of communities in Los Angeles, I am definitely proud to call Koreatown my hometown. My name is Albert "Young-Gun" Ko and I have lived in Koreatown for more than fifteen years. As some of you might have already guessed by now, I am of Korean descent with both my parents having immigrated to the States from Seoul, South Korea right after they married in 1990. 

Until I graduated from high school, I had no idea what life in South Korea was actually like. I only knew what I learned from Saturday Korean schools, Korean drama shows, and my parents' ancient recollections.  But little did I know, I was essentially living in the Seoul of America. In the summer of 2011, I had the privilege of visiting Seoul, South Korea with my family (younger brother, mother, & father). I was surprised to find that Koreatown and Korea were nearly identical, with the same high-rise apartment buildings, cheap taxis, drinking culture, unlimited Korean BBQ, and endless karaoke nights. The one major difference that I discovered was that Korea lacked in multicultural diversity, which Koreatown had an abundance of. 

In my future posts to come, I will attempt to paint a picture of what life in Koreatown is like and how it has directly shaped my past, present, and future. 

Your Seoul Survivor,

Albert Ko