The K-Town Atlas is a collection of maps that document the history and culture of Los Angeles’ Koreatown, Macarthur Park, and Pico-Union neighborhoods.
Oakland Koreatown
Listen to the stories of Korean American pioneers, activists, and business owners in Oakland’s Koreatown.
Celebrating legacy businesses on Koreatown’s Western Avenue
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Kwak's Furniture
"If the street becomes more active, I’d like to keep my work going. Even if it’s not me, I hope others can maintain it and keep things going. If Western Avenue is known as the place where Mr. Kwak’s small Korean-owned museum exists, I would be at peace."
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Happy Bookstore
"Despite the prevalence of smartphones, we believe in the importance of keeping books close. Books help deepen our thoughts and perspectives, which is essential for preparing for the future. It’s crucial to remember that books are a vital means of communication."
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New World Camping
"First of all, for adults, it usually comes down to two hobbies: golf or fishing. The thing about golf is that you have a drink afterward and go home. But after fishing, you’ve got the fish."
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Harbin Deer Antlers Trading Company
"Traditional Chinese Medicine is still not widely recognized in American society. However, due to its natural, plant-based ingredients, interest in it is gradually growing. It doesn’t contain chemical compounds; it is not harmful to the body."
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Opera Music Academy
"Unlike the cello or piano, the voice is an instrument we always carry with us. We can enjoy singing by taking care of our bodies and avoiding harmful habits. Singing is like exercise; it engages the lungs and improves respiratory health."
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Goltong Chicken
"I’m really not a chef. But I thought, Why not create a chicken dish that’s unique like a movie? And you know what? When you put in all your heart, use the best ingredients, and give it your all, people quickly notice. That’s how success comes."
The Traditional Healing Arts in Koreatown
In 2024-2025, KSP explored the traditional healing arts in our Koreatown community. We learned about the diversity of healing practices and modalities from our largely Latine and API community, like acupuncturists, herbalists, shamans, botanicas, curanderas, and kabarajis. KSP interviewed, gathered, and archived oral history narratives about the traditional healing arts from our primarily limited-income immigrant community, where the majority of countries of origin (Mexico, El Salvador, Guatemala, Korea, Bangladesh, and Mongolia) have strong cultural roots in these modalities. Many residents of our community understand or practice these cultural traditions, rituals, and methods, but these voices are rarely explored, documented, and archived. We invited traditional healing artists to lead workshops and demonstrations in their areas of expertise, and we learned from them alongside our Koreatown community.
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This program is supported, in part, by the Los Angeles County Board of Supervisors through the Department of Arts and Culture.
This project was made possible with support from California Humanities, a non-profit partner of the National Endowment for the Humanities. Visit www.calhum.org.
In this article Sarah Barnavon interviews Alex Newman, a high school student in the Los Angeles area. Alex lost her home to the Palisades fire, which burned over 23,000 acres of land, and many others lost their houses in the Eaton Canyon fire, which burned 14,100 acres across Altadena. These fires not only caused a serious tragedy in the Los Angeles community but also immense destruction throughout the city.