Koreatown, NYC - (Asian American Sociology) by Jinwon Kim

Book Synopsis

How Manhattan's Koreatown functions as a new ethnic enclave

In the past decade, Korean entertainment has gained global recognition, with Korean movies and TV shows winning Oscars and Emmys, and K-Pop groups becoming wildly popular. In Manhattan, Koreatown has become a popular destination for both locals and tourists, drawing them in with its bars, restaurants, and day spas. Jinwon Kim argues that Manhattan's Koreatown has become a new type of ethnic enclave, what she dubs a "transclave." This commercialized ethnic space exists solely for consumption, leisure, and entertainment, and has been shaped by South Korea's nation-branding strategy, new economic and cultural strategies, patterns in Korean migration, and shifts in tourism and urban policies in New York City.

Kim posits that for many consumers in Koreatown, especially those who are not of Korean descent, the space has become a commercialized place where transnational culture meets the diverse racial and ethnic mosaic of New York City. Kim emphasizes how the space functions to "brand Korea" as a space to "consume ethnicity," reflecting the landscape of South Korea's consumer culture through the physical appearance of buildings and stores and the inclusion of franchise brands. Ultimately, Koreatown, NYC is a fascinating exploration of the intersection of authenticity, ethnicity, and identity in the heart of New York's midtown.

Review Quotes

"Jinwon Kim draws a deeply researched--and deeply felt--portrait of Manhattan's famous restaurant and nightlife hotspot Koreatown, placing it at the symbolic intersection of global ambitions and local identities. This 'transclave, ' as Kim ingeniously calls it, both depends on and transcends contemporary Korean views of Korean culture, opening the door to intraethnic struggles as well as interethnic understanding."-- "Sharon Zukin, author of Naked City: The Death and Life of Authentic Urban Places"

About the Author

Jinwon Kim is Assistant Professor of Sociology at Smith College. She is a co-editor of Koreatowns: Exploring the Economics, Politics, and Identities of Korean Spatial Formations.