Online Custom «Interaction between People in Koreatown» Essay Sample

Koreatown is one of the most vibrant designated areas in Los Angeles. Situated in Central Los Angeles, near Eighth Street and Western Avenue, the neighborhood is abuzz with activity, from eateries to clubs and parks. Most of the buildings are historical and certain have been in existence from the 18^th Century. A majority of the Korean community resides in the area and many of them established businesses here. Certain older buildings have been preserved, such as Terra Cotta facades since they are monumental attractions and, therefore, generate revenue for the neighborhood. Numerous Koreans migrated here in the 1960s, especially after an immigration bill was passed in the United States that made it easier for migrants to settle in the country.

The City of Los Angeles is rather diverse, and though Koreatown initially emerged as a town with people of Korean descent, it has grown to be ethnically diverse (Cha 1). The neighborhood has attractive sites, such as Wilshire Park and Weber House. Besides, there are several thriving art galleries that preserve the history of Los Angeles. In addition, there are countless restaurants and eateries offering different cuisines. Such areas are always buzzing with customers who want to sample and indulge in the food. For the nocturnal citizens, there are various nightclubs that offer electronic nightlife activities, such as dancing to well-sampled music (Cha 2). However, most of the buildings are being brought down, even the city’s best-known landmarks, and the latter is a suggestion of a community that is focused on building a more vibrant town mainly due to the changing demographic and economic viability. Furthermore, the public wants to play a more active role in defining the public and private architecture of the town which is a clear indication of the comfort of the immigrants in the country. Koreatown was designated as a special graphics district in 2008 which gives allowance for digital signage and even digital billboards. Numerous Koreans settled in Koreatown due to the inexpensive housing and, therefore, established businesses here.

The demographic of Koreatown is rather interesting with a population of 115,070 residents in the 2, 7-mile radius (Geographic Names Information System 1). There are about 43,611 people per square mile, and such a density is considered the highest in Los Angeles County. However, according to research done in 2008, the population of the city was estimated to have grown to over 124, 281 people.

The average age of most inhabitants is 30 years and is considered to be one of the most densely populated areas in Los Angeles. Koreatown is ethnically diverse, with about 53.5% Latinos, Asians 32.2%, 7.4% whites, 4.8% blacks. The majority of the population cited were born in Korea and Mexico. Most people have ventured into business, and the annual household income is about $30,000 although several families earned less than $20,000. Most business people rent units (about 93% of the units). Besides, they own houses or co-rent houses to save costs. 44.6% of the men are single while the figure stands at 36.2% among the women, which is considered the highest rate of single people in Los Angeles County (Geographic Names Information System).

Most of the interactions are cordial and civil. Being a small community, there is a sense of responsibility towards each other. The rich culture binds the residents, and even the Mexicans have been assimilated with a percentage speaking Korean. Furthermore, the Korean community has taken up to the Hispanic community with a large number of them speaking Spanish to facilitate cohesion and easier communication. Most people bond over food, festivals, and tours of the neighborhood. There are myriads of activities in Koreatown that keep the locals busy. For example, people sipping cocktails at a rooftop of the Commissary owned by Roy Choi. Numerous joints meant for young people have come up and are open till 2 am which is partly due to the adoption of social media platforms, such as Twitter. There is more of a mixture of people, and the neighborhood is not predominantly Hispanic, as it was in the 1960s. There is cultural interchange manifested by the large numbers of Taco trucks in Los Angeles which have blended Mexican and Korean cuisines. The fact that most people are bilingual shows that there is a high level of integration and socialization among the ethnic groups. Koreans mostly embody the family as the most important unit of social interaction and, therefore, have extended love to other communities within the area (Cha).

According to the social mix concept, socialization between different ethnic groups is encouraged by putting the said groups within the same location with the aim of having them interact smoothly. Local studies have found that contrary to the notion that social mixes increase interaction, certain restructured neighborhoods, such as Koreatown, have not significantly increased the interaction between the ethnic groups. Studies show that the interactions in highly populated suburban neighborhoods increased between ethnic groups that spoke different languages. In the case of Koreatown, both groups assimilated the other’s language which reduced prejudice. Besides, it was established that tenure does not necessarily increase interactions. It has been argued that social interactions between different groups can arise without the need for social mixing. Furthermore, such interactions happen despite social mixing. Koreatown has proven to be an integrated neighborhood that was completely different in the 1960s and after the civil tensions.