Photo illustration by Eric Sueyoshi
In a city known for sweet tea and blinged-out rap stars, Koreans are carving their own niche—and it sure is peachy!
By Lola Pak
“DO you guys call it ‘Hotlanta?’” a man from New Jersey once asked me upon introduction. Though the sun definitely scorches from April to October, I politely responded that we do not call it that, while restraining myself from retorting back with a sarcastic inquiry about his home state.
Be cordial and honest, no matter what. It’s the Southern way. While I may not call this place “Hotlanta,” I do call it home.
I was born in Atlanta, raised in the suburbs of Tucker and Duluth, and attended college at the University of Georgia. In many ways, I’m as Southern as can be. But I also happen to be Korean and you won’t find me sipping a mint julep at a debutante ball anytime soon.
So where do I fit in the Old Dixie?
In Koreatown, of course. Our Koreatown has yet to receive an official designation, but it is generally considered to be in Duluth, a suburban town about 30 miles north of downtown Atlanta in Gwinnet County. A drive down its main thoroughfare, Pleasant Hill Road, shows just how much the area lives up to its moniker: Enormous plazas with Super H-Marts and tofu houses sit under the gaze of Korean realtors plastered on billboards. Noraebangs decked with disco balls and Egyptian hieroglyphics pump out the latest hits in Korean and English.
When Grace Shim, 23, moved from Long Island, N.Y., to attend Emory University, she was pleasantly surprised at the established Korean community.
“It reminded me of a more spacious version of Flushing,” she says. Now there are 80,000 Koreans residing in Gwinnett County alone, one-tenth of the county’s general population. According to Nick Masino, vice president of economic development at the Gwinnett Chamber of Commerce, the county provides just what we’re looking for.
“Koreans value education and Gwinnett offers the best school system in the state,” Masino says. “Word got out that it was also a nice, comfortable place to live and everything just followed—banks, stores, everything.”
But how did Koreans end up here in the Atlanta area in the first place?
The first settlers arrived in the early 1890s when Yun Ch’i-Ho, one of the writers of South Korea’s national anthem, came to learn theology at Emory University. Many decades later, a larger wave arrived. Young K. Shinn, 67, moved to Atlanta in 1969 and opened one of the first Asian supermarkets in the middle-class town of Doraville. Now called the Buford Highway Farmer’s Market, it recently celebrated its 37th anniversary, earning the title of the longest running Asian-owned market in Atlanta. It remains an institution in the Korean community.
“Forty years since I’ve been here and I still like it,” Shinn says. “Nice weather, clean water, red clay. There’s no red clay in L.A.”
Then, in 1996, the Centennial Olympics changed everything for Atlanta. After beating Athens and then-favorite Toronto for the top spot, officials set out almost overnight to revamp the city to handle the influx of tourists. Many of them ended up staying and Atlanta’s population escalated.
South Koreans were among them. The U.S. Census counted 15,275 Koreans in 1990 and 28,745 by 2000—a staggering 88-percent rise. Today, the Atlanta metro area is the fastest-growing region in the country.
Shinn has seen the Korean community flourish from the slightly decrepit digs in Doraville (better known as Buford Highway) to the glittering stucco plazas in Duluth.
“I once heard a story back in 1969 that Atlanta will be bigger than New York,” he says. “I didn’t believe it then, but now I do.”
With good Korean eats, hangout spots and thriving community organizations, Atlanta is a great place to be. Watch out, America. The “Hotlanta” you speak of is just starting to burn up.
DESTINATION: ATLANTA
WHERE TO EAT
Myung Ga Won
Right off the Pleasant Hill exit, the 24-hour traditional restaurant is two stories of Korean BBQ goodness. Make sure to get the spicy galbijjim or naengmyeon-galbi combination.
1960 Day Dr., Ste 100, Duluth, (770) 622-1300.
Honey Pig
Forget the swine flu. Grill your samgyupsal, kimchi and basically anything on the hot stone domes with the help of young and mostly-male servers.
3473 Old Norcross Road, Ste. 304, Duluth, (770) 476-9292.
Book Chang Dong
For fans of BCD in L.A.’s K-town, say hello to its Southern sister. Variations of tofu stew, aka sundubu, are paired with galbi or arrowroot naengmyeon, a summer favorite and widely considered the best in town. 2550 Pleasant Hill Road, Duluth, (770) 814-2299.
BELOVED BAKERIES
Maum
Wide booths, long tables and open spaces with plenty of outlet plugs for laptops make this spot perfect for group meetings and private study sessions.
3182 Steve Reynolds Blvd., Duluth, (770) 813-8874.
White Windmill
As one of the larger bakery-cafés, it’s also the only Korean joint to have a sandwich and soup bar. The pressed paninis come with soup, chips, and a small pouch of the in-house baked walnut cookies.
5881 Buford Hwy., Doraville, (678) 887-5200.
Café Mozart
Any decent bakery can make good bread, but how about raspberry mousses or the Korean summer favorite, patbingsu? Head here when your sweet tooth screams for more than sugared yeast.
2131 Pleasant Hill Road, Duluth, (770) 232-1111.
VISITING THE PEACH STATE? HERE’S A GUIDE TO KOREATOWN IN THE ATL.
THREE THINGS YOU SHOULD KNOW:
1. Not everyone has a Southern accent!
You might get the occasional “y’all” but in general, don’t expect a Beverly Hillbillies reenactment everywhere you go.
2. Know your Peachtrees
There are about 70 streets in metro Atlanta with the word ‘peachtree’. The main ones in Duluth are Peachtree Industrial and Peachtree Parkway. Don’t speed on either!
3. It’s humid. Really humid.
The average yearly temperature for Georgia is 64 degrees Fahrenheit, but it feels hotter due to the humidity. Avoid thick makeup and socks in the summer.
WHAT NOT TO DO:
Sit in highway traffic
Forbes named Atlanta the No.1 worst commuter town” in the country. This usually applies to downtown commuters, so you’re safe if you stay uptown.
Speed in Duluth
The Duluth Police Department is notorious for handing out speeding tickets. Trust a local—just don’t do it!
Buy drinks on Sundays
Georgia law prohibits the sale of alcohol on Sundays, but only in retail stores, so just grab your Hites and soju shots at any of the places mentioned above (then pray afterwards).
ATLANTA KOREANS ARE …
Ultra-polite
From yes ma’ams to pardon-mes, there’s definitely been a cultural exchange of sorts with the mostly-conservative locals, starting with proper manners.
Well-traveled
Atlanta is home to not only the global headquarters of Delta Airlines, but also the busiest airport in the world. Catch weekly non-stop flights to Seoul on Korean Air from Hartsfield-Jackson International.
Bilingual
Most Koreans in Atlanta know how to speak both languages equally fluent, due to dealing with the initial rush of Koreans from South Korea..
WHERE TO HANG:
Bistro New York: Great for cafe talks and karaoke. 4126 Pleasantdale Road, Doraville, (770) 263-0220.
Prime: Local watering hole known for beer pitchers that light up and bartenders who remember their regulars. 3545 Peachtree Industrial Blvd., Duluth, (770) 495-8060.
Do Re Mi: Fa-so-la-ti-do! Belt your heart our in one of the larger, cleaner karaoke joints, right next to the Super H-Mart. 2550 Pleasant Hill Road, Duluth, (770) 497-0070.
DON’T MISS:
The Georgia Aquarium: Atlanta’s latest pride and joy opened in 2005 as the largest indoor aquarium in the world. Reserve tickets before going to avoid the lines. www.georgiaaquarium.org
Stone Mountain: Do L.A. and New York have gargantuan granite boulders in their backyards? Didn’t think so. www.stonemountainpark.com
Lenox Square Mall: With every couture label under the sun, a celebrity siting is almost a given. Past sitings have included Usher, Ciara and A-town reppin’ Korean rapper Crown J. www.simon.com/mall
