remembering LA
a visit to a city that changed me and changed itself.
San Francisco has treated me so well, but if there’s one thing it hasn’t satisfied, it’s my craving for Korean food. In Dallas, I saw my local H-Mart plaza grow twice its size in the last decade, the place where I tried my first cuts of marinated bulgogi. At USC, I lived 10 minutes from the center of the best slow-cooked broth served in mom-and-pop shops. Before I fully compartmentalized my Chinese-American identity, I was implicitly raised on Korean crafts in a town where there weren’t many Asian goods.
In my new home, there’s plenty of Chinese and Japanese cuisine. But the Korean spots don’t hit the same (but I wholeheartedly welcome recommendations). Naturally, this inspired me to take a trip down to Los Angeles.
I stayed with a friend who graciously turned her place into an Airbnb-like accommodation on Ellendale. A 10-minute walk from campus, I spent my mornings taking calls before going to the Village, where I parked my laptop on one of the tables and basked in the sun. Between some of my Pomodoro sessions, I scheduled catch-up chats over breakfast burritos and freshly grilled pupusas from the farmer’s market. At night, I went to the heart of K-Town with friends who stayed in the area after the post-graduation wave and we gave each other the rundown on life’s ebbs and flows in between bites of banchan.
I’ve missed this.
I’m grateful that the nature of my work is inherently so agile and mobile. And as much as I love the flexibility, it’s the people missing from the equation. When academic campuses are architected like mini cities, you’re surrounded by the presence of humans, and this reminds us of our humanity. Serendipity is exponentially increased. Being in distance of those you love, knowing that you have support in your vicinity, is comforting. We were meant to walk and be in service of others.
I have Los Angeles to thank for so many things. Its influence is imminent when you’ve lived there for several years. It helped shape my taste in ideas, culture, and people, where I fell back in love with the power of the humanities and learned to craft my own stories. I saw how media and films were shaped in a city where I could sit next to famous actors in coffee shops. I got a taste of the power and responsibility of technology, inspiring my direction to make it somehow work better for real people.
I had the opportunity to meet students who were just beginning their new journey. I reconnected with old professors as their classes ended, seeing how their curriculum had evolved. Visiting did feel different this time, but not necessarily in a bad way. The pool of people to see and reconnect with was just smaller. I realize now that no matter where I am in the world, the people are what transforms a city from being an urban space to an actual home.
This disconnect might have been a sign for me to move on and focus on where I am now and what’s ahead of me. And that’s okay—there’s also opportunity to see LA in a new light in another life.
My fun fact is that I chose on a whim to attend university here because La La Land was one of my all-time favorite movies. And although I didn’t get the opportunity to break out into musical song in an LA traffic jam, high school Kevin would be so proud of what he’s seen and experienced in the city of stars.
Warmly,
KLU
epilogue
You might be wondering, what did I eat in LA’s K-Town on this trip? Here’s a breakdown of five culinary highlights:
Kobawoo House - A quaint local’s favorite where you can grab a shareable plate of bossam (steamed pork) and the freshest slices of kimchi pancake.
Memorylook - Their ceremonial grade matcha einspänner had the richest blend of bittersweet matcha that complements the foamy cream.
Gol Tong Chicken - The best fried chicken I’ve ever had made with a savory flavor profile from the sweet fruits and decadent sauces. All a one-man show (and I think he also used to be a film director)!
Calic Bagel - This new bagel spot has signature pull-apart garlic bagels with dollops of cream cheese in between, along with unique spreads like gochujang and cacio e pepe.
Jinsol Gukbap - The star of the trip: pork soup that’s been boiled and brewed for over 24 hours paired with rice that you dip into the scalding broth. It heals your soul, and I went back again the next day.
