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Monday, April 20, 2026

Koreatown Is An LA Dining Destination. But Most Of Its Restaurant ... - LAist

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IN THIS ARTICLE

Within about two square miles in Koreatown, L.A. diners can find more than 700 restaurants offering everything from Oaxacan cuisine to French fine dining, from the kind of sundubu-jjigae tofu stew championed by Anthony Bourdain to an array of Korean barbecue joints.

L.A.’s culinary scene is already diverse, and this neighborhood provides a huge variety of densely-packed dining options. But when it comes to housing, Koreatown restaurant workers are provided with few choices.

That’s according to a new study published Tuesday by researchers with the UCLA Labor Center and the Koreatown Immigrant Workers Alliance (KIWA).

“Koreatown is fueled by an immigrant workforce who are largely low-wage,” said study co-author Saba Waheed, research director at the UCLA Labor Center.

Too much rent — or too many roommates

Relying on U.S. Census Bureau statistics, restaurant industry data and previous academic studies — as well as worker surveys and interviews — the researchers found:

  • 72% of Koreatown restaurant workers earn low wages (about $17 per hour or less),...


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