The K-Town Atlas is a collection of maps that document the history and culture of Los Angeles’s 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 will explore the traditional healing arts in our Koreatown community. We are interested in learning from the diversity of healing practices and modalities from our largely Latine and API community, like acupuncturists, herbalists, shamans, botanicas, curanderas, and kabarajis. KSP will interview, gather and archive 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 will invite traditional healing artists to lead workshops and demonstrations in their areas of expertise and are excited to learn from and with our Koreatown community.
Su historia es un regalo. Share Your Story.
당신의 이야기는 선물입니다.
Sign up for an interview or to submit writing or art.
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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.
On February 2, 2025, Eitan Kim Levy interviewed Rosa Nicely, a 16-year-old from Los Angeles, as part of the 2024-2025 Koreatown Storytelling Program. Their discussion focused on the catastrophic Eaton Canyon fire, which unexpectedly forced Rosa and her family to evacuate their home in Altadena.