View source for Koreatown, Manhattan

{{Short description|Neighborhood in New York City}}
{{Use mdy dates|date=February 2025}}
{{Use American English|date=January 2025}}
{{Infobox settlement
| name                    = Koreatown, Manhattan
| image_skyline           = USA-NYC-Koreatown99.jpg
| imagesize               = 300px
| image_caption           = Koreatown at night (2013)
| settlement_type         = [[Neighborhoods of Manhattan|Neighborhood of Manhattan]]
| subdivision_type        = [[List of sovereign states|Country]]
| subdivision_name        = [[United States]]
| subdivision_type1       = [[U.S. state|State]]
| subdivision_name1       = [[New York (state)|New York]]
| subdivision_type2       = [[City]]
| subdivision_name2       = [[New York City]]
| subdivision_type3       = [[Boroughs of New York City|Borough]]
| subdivision_name3       = [[Manhattan]]
| image_map   = {{maplink|frame=y|plain=y|frame-align=center|zoom=13|type=shape|from=Neighbourhoods/New York City/Koreatown Manhattan.map}}<!--{{maplink|frame=y|plain=yes|frame-align=center|frame-lat=40.705|frame-long=-73.975|zoom=9|type=point|coord={{coord|40.747|-73.987}}}}-->
| map_caption = Location in New York City
| coordinates = {{Coord|40.747|-73.987|type:city_region:US-NY|display=title,inline}}
}}

'''Koreatown''' ({{Korean|hangul=코리아타운|rr=Koriataun}}), shortened to '''K-Town''', is a [[Koreans|Korean]] [[List of ethnic enclaves in North American cities|enclave]] in [[Midtown Manhattan]], [[New York City]], centered on [[32nd Street (Manhattan)|32nd Street]] between [[Madison Avenue]] and the intersection with [[Sixth Avenue (Manhattan)|Sixth Avenue]] and [[Broadway (Manhattan)|Broadway]], which is known as [[Greeley Square]]. The neighborhood in [[Midtown South]] features over 150 businesses of various types and sizes, ranging from small restaurants and [[beauty salon]]s to large branches of Korean banking [[conglomerate (company)|conglomerates]]. Koreatown, Manhattan, has become described as the "Korean [[Times Square]]" and has emerged as the international economic outpost for the Korean ''[[chaebol]]''.<ref name=ChaebolsKoreatownManhattan/>

==History==
Historically, Manhattan's [[Koreatown#New York City|Koreatown]] has been part of the [[Garment District, Manhattan|Garment District]]. In the 1980s, a Korean [[bookstore]] and a handful of restaurants were founded in the area. Their success drew other Korean-owned businesses, sustained by increased immigration from [[Korea]] and the high levels of tourist traffic stemming from nearby Midtown Manhattan landmarks like the [[Empire State Building]], [[Macy's Herald Square]], the [[United Nations Headquarters]], [[Pennsylvania Station (New York City)|Penn Station]], [[Madison Square Garden]], the [[Garment District, Manhattan|Garment District]], and the Flower District.<ref name="nyt">{{cite news|url=https://www.nytimes.com/2008/10/19/realestate/19livi.html?pagewanted=all|title=Living In Koreatown Exotic Flavor, Beyond Just the Food|last=Baldwin|first=Deborah|date=October 17, 2008|newspaper=The New York Times|access-date=October 4, 2013}}</ref> Today, Koreatown is primarily a Korean business district, but [[Japanese people in New York City|Japanese]] businesses have also emerged, and the resident Korean and Japanese populations in the area have grown as well. More broadly, Koreatown is attracting new Korean residents to the adjacent Manhattan neighborhoods of [[Murray Hill, Manhattan|Murray Hill]], [[Kips Bay, Manhattan|Kips Bay]], and [[Rose Hill, Manhattan|Rose Hill]]. The world's largest international Korean Pride Festival was inaugurated in Koreatown, Manhattan in October 2022 and has been growing on an annual basis.

==Demographics==
[[File:USA-NYC-Korea Way.JPG|thumb|The Korea Way sign illuminated at night, with [[Hangul]] translation]]
From 2000 to 2010, the Korean population of Manhattan (co-extensive with [[New York County]]) nearly doubled, to about 20,000, according to the [[2010 United States census]].<ref>{{cite web|url=http://quickfacts.census.gov/qfd/states/36/36061lk.html|title=New York County, New York QuickLinks|publisher=U.S. Census Bureau|access-date=2012-05-21|url-status=dead|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20130619140250/http://quickfacts.census.gov/qfd/states/36/36061lk.html|archive-date=2013-06-19}}</ref> Along with the Koreatowns in nearby [[Bergen County, New Jersey#Korean American|Bergen County]], [[New Jersey]] (in [[Koreatown, Palisades Park|Palisades Park]] and [[Koreatown, Fort Lee|Fort Lee]]) and [[Koreatown, Long Island|Long Island]] (extending eastward from [[Flushing, Queens]]) in [[New York City]], Manhattan's Koreatown serves as the cultural nexus for an overall [[Korean Americans in New York City|Korean American]] population of 218,764 people in the [[New York City Metropolitan Area]],<ref>{{cite web|url=https://www.census.gov|title=Profile of General Population and Housing Characteristics: 2010 Demographic Profile Data New York-Newark-Bridgeport, NY-NJ-CT-PA CSA|publisher=U.S. Census Bureau|access-date=2012-06-29}}</ref> the second-largest population of ethnic Koreans outside of Korea.<ref name=NYCSecondKorea>{{cite book|url=https://books.google.com/books?id=hCegCgAAQBAJ&q=new+york+second+largest+korean+population&pg=PA326|title=Savoring Gotham: A Food Lover's Companion to New York City: A Food Lover's...page 326|author=Chi-Hoon Kim|year=2015|isbn=9780190263638|access-date = October 11, 2015}}</ref>

==Korea Way==
[[File:koreatown manhattan 2009.JPG|thumb|left|"Korea Way" on [[32nd Street (Manhattan)|West 32nd Street]] in Manhattan's Koreatown]]
The heart of Koreatown is the segment of [[32nd Street (Manhattan)|32nd Street]] between [[Fifth Avenue (Manhattan)|Fifth Avenue]] and [[Sixth Avenue (Manhattan)|Sixth Avenue]], officially nicknamed '''Korea Way'''. Korea Way features stores and restaurants on multiple stories, with independently run establishments reaching up to higher floors, exuding an ambience of [[Seoul]] itself.<ref name=KoreatownNYCSeoul/><ref name="nyt"/><ref>{{cite web|url=http://www.metro.us/newyork/entertainment/article/1146050--seoul-searching-in-manhattan-s-koreatown|archive-url=https://archive.today/20130421233532/http://www.metro.us/newyork/entertainment/article/1146050--seoul-searching-in-manhattan-s-koreatown|url-status=dead|archive-date=2013-04-21|title=Seoul-searching in Manhattan's Koreatown|publisher=Copyright 2001-2012, Free Daily News Group Inc|author=Rebecca Finkel|date=2012-06-20|access-date=2012-10-03}}</ref> The New York City Korean Chamber of Commerce estimates there to be more than 100 small businesses on Korea Way.<ref name="Yi">{{cite news|url=http://articles.nydailynews.com/2010-10-03/news/27076919_1_korean-barbecue-galbi-seoul|title=Your Nabe: From barbecue to karaoke, your guide to Koreatown|last=Yi|first=David|date=3 October 2010|work=[[Daily News (New York)|Daily News]]|location=New York|access-date=19 April 2011|archive-date=26 April 2012|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20120426190356/http://articles.nydailynews.com/2010-10-03/news/27076919_1_korean-barbecue-galbi-seoul|url-status=dead}}</ref> Signage in [[Hangul]] is ubiquitous. Koreatown's central location and high density of crowded restaurants, bars, [[karaoke]] clubs, and spas on Korea Way have rendered it a major tourist attraction and a center of [[nightlife]] in Manhattan.<ref name=KoreatownNYCSeoul>{{cite web|url=http://www.businessinsider.com/koreatown-new-york-2011-11|title=An Insider's Tour of Koreatown, A Slice Of Seoul In The Middle Of Manhattan|author=Meredith Galante|publisher=Business Insider|date=November 6, 2011|access-date=October 8, 2016}}</ref>

Korea Way features numerous restaurants<ref name="Andrews">{{cite news|url=https://www.nytimes.com/2011/03/23/dining/reviews/23under.html|title=Snacking in Koreatown|last=Andrews|first=Betsy|date=22 March 2011|work=The New York Times|access-date=13 April 2011}}</ref><ref>{{cite news|url=http://dinersjournal.blogs.nytimes.com/2011/03/22/koreatown-where-to-eat/|title=Koreatown: Where to Eat|author= Nick Fox|newspaper=The New York Times|date=2011-03-22|access-date=2012-10-03}}</ref><ref>{{cite web|url=http://newyork.seriouseats.com/manhattan/koreatown/|title=Serious Eats New York: Manhattan: Koreatown|publisher =Serious Eats ©2006-2012|access-date=2012-10-03}}</ref> that serve both traditional and/or regional [[Korean cuisine]] and Korean [[fusion cuisine|fusion]] fare (including [[Korean Chinese cuisine]]<ref>{{cite web|url=http://newyork.grubstreet.com/2011/12/dong-chun-hong-opening-photos.html|title=First Look at Dong Chun Hong, Bringing Seoul-Based Korean-Chinese to K-Town|author=Jenny Miller|publisher=Copyright © 2009, New York Media LLC. All Rights Reserved|date=2011-12-22|access-date=2012-10-04}}</ref>), several [[bakeries]], grocery stores, supermarkets, bookstores, [[consumer electronics]] outlets, video rental shops, [[tchotchke]] and stationery shops, hair and [[nail salon]]s, ''[[karaoke|noraebang]]'' singing bars, [[nightclub]]s, as well as [[cellular phone|cell phone]] service providers, [[internet café]]s, doctors' offices, attorney offices, banks, and hotels. Numerous [[Japanese in New York City|Japanese restaurants]] have also emerged in Manhattan's Koreatown. Although Korea Way continues to represent the heart of Koreatown, situated between Broadway, Sixth Avenue, and Fifth Avenue, Koreatown itself as of 2015 has been expanding further eastward from Fifth Avenue along East 32nd Street, toward [[Madison Avenue]] in Midtown Manhattan, in the direction of [[Koreatown, Queens|Queens and Nassau County]].<ref name=KoreatownExpanding>{{cite news|url=http://www.nydailynews.com/life-style/eats/koreatown-discerning-diners-article-1.2195196|title=Koreatown in NYC is now being taken more seriously as a dining destination|author=Gina Pace|newspaper=New York Daily News|date=April 26, 2015|access-date=October 10, 2015|quote=Koreatown — long centered on 32nd St. between Fifth and Sixth Aves., nicknamed Korea Way — has expanded in recent months. The new Baekjeong spot, for example, is located just east of Fifth Ave...Kihyun Lee took an even bigger gamble by opening a dual-concept spot midblock on 31st St. between Fifth and Madison Aves...}}</ref><ref>[http://www.mapquest.com/us/new-york/banks-new-york/shinhan-bank-america-274863217] [[Shinhan Bank]] America. Accessed April 18, 2015.</ref><ref>[http://www.yelp.com/biz/dons-bogam-new-york] Don's Bogam Korean restaurant. Accessed April 18, 2015.</ref>

==Development as a Korean dining destination==
[[File:Day124ckoreatown.JPG|thumb|Congregating in Koreatown]]

Some [[24/7]] restaurants conduct business on Korea Way.<ref>{{cite web|url=http://newyork.seriouseats.com/2010/11/in_the_midnight_hour_bcd_tofu_house_in_koreatown.html|title=In The Midnight Hour: BCD Tofu House in Koreatown|first=Zachary|last=Feldman|date=2010-11-26|website=Serious Eats New York|access-date=2011-09-25|url-status=dead|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20110920064410/http://newyork.seriouseats.com/2010/11/in_the_midnight_hour_bcd_tofu_house_in_koreatown.html|archive-date=2011-09-20}}</ref> Korean restaurants in the district have had to expand or stay open around the clock to meet rising commercial rents and stay financially viable, given the growing customer volume generated by foot traffic in and greater investment and involvement by the Korean chaebol.<ref name=ChaebolsKoreatownManhattan>{{cite web|url=https://ny.eater.com/2018/7/31/17633796/k-town-nyc-restaurants-chains-report|title=NYC's K-Town Isn't What It Used to Be|author=Sam Kim, photography by Gary He|publisher=Vox Media|date=July 31, 2018|access-date=November 21, 2018|quote=Most mom-and-pops are gone, and 32nd Street is now dominated by chains due to high rents and policies in Korea itself.}}</ref><ref name=KoreatownExpanding/> Manhattan's Koreatown, historically known as a more tourist-oriented alternative to [[Flushing, Queens|Flushing]] and [[Murray Hill, Queens]] (part of the [[Koreatown, Queens|Long Island Koreatown]]), has since developed a reputation as an authentic Korean dining destination.<ref name=KoreatownExpanding/>

==See also==
{{Portal|Korea|New York City|New York (state)|South Korea|United States}}
* [[Koreans in New York City]]
* [[Korean diaspora]]
* [[List of U.S. cities with significant Korean American populations]]
* [[Midtown South]]

Other Koreatowns in the New York City region:
* [[Koreatown, Fort Lee]]
* [[Koreatown, Queens]]
* [[Koreatown, Palisades Park]]

==References==
{{reflist}}

==External links==
*[https://web.archive.org/web/20120224055459/http://www.kamr.org/churches/search_maps?q=newyork,+ny&r=20 List of Korean-American Churches in New York Area]

{{Midtown South, Manhattan}}
{{Ethnicity in New York City}}
{{American Koreatowns}}
{{Manhattan}}

[[Category:Korean-American culture in New York City]]
[[Category:Koreatowns in the United States]]
[[Category:Midtown Manhattan]]
[[Category:Neighborhoods in Manhattan]]