L.A. Koreans Lag Other Groups in Economic Indicators

[achtungbaby]

A recent report on Korean Americans that populate Los Angeles County dispels notions of a "model minority." The study shows that Koreans lag other ethnic groups in homeownership and fall behind other Asians in income. Korean Americans also experienced a higher rate of isolation because of language barriers, according to the report. [details]

[SunWuKong]

Originally Posted by achtungbaby

A recent report on Korean Americans that populate Los Angeles County dispels notions of a "model minority." The study shows that Koreans lag other ethnic groups in homeownership and fall behind other Asians in income. Korean Americans also experienced a higher rate of isolation because of language barriers, according to the report. [details]

hey man, your link isn't working.

[hooligan]

yea, it's not surprising, k-town isn't what you'd call an upscale neighborhood, nor even middle class. studies are just reflecting what a lot of asian americans have known all along.

[achtungbaby]

Originally Posted by SunWuKong

hey man, your link isn't working.

Ah haaaa! And I didn't even have to manually edit it:)

Originally Posted by hooligan

yea, it's not surprising, k-town isn't what you'd call an upscale neighborhood, nor even middle class. studies are just reflecting what a lot of asian americans have known all along.

I think I was most surprised about the home ownership one. Living in ktown, of course, everyone's living in an apt., but I hadnt realized overall ownership rates were so low. It's cuz we're constantly spending our money on shit outside of our homes!

[Banana]

Asians gotta have the bling bling.

[Green_Circle]

Weird. I always had the idea that Koreans were (mostly) middle class. At least that's what most of them are (and upper still) that I know. If most Koreans own their own businesses, then it's clear that gross incomes are being underreported, hence the wage "gap".
Home ownership? You've got me on that one.

[kboy75]

Interesting report.

I wonder if they account for all of the "cash transactions" that go on amonst Koreans.

Also re: home ownership, LA Koreans in particular about having a *BLING* car but living in a shithole. Not everyone, but I've seen it in LA more than anywhere else.

Originally Posted by Green_Circle

Weird. I always had the idea that Koreans were (mostly) middle class. At least that's what most of them are (and upper still) that I know. If most Koreans own their own businesses, then it's clear that gross incomes are being underreported, hence the wage "gap".
Home ownership? You've got me on that one.

Many Koreans who immigrated in the 70's and 80's were/are middle class in Korea. A main reason at that time for Koreans to come to the USA was for more opportunity and social mobility, something Korea had none of (and still to this day, but not as bad as before... i.e. - if you're lower class you will stay lower class).

Not so much with other ethnic groups. Most of my Taiwanese friends for example. Most of their families had to have a lot of money to immigrate. I can't really say that's how it is across the board, but that's my experience.

[moJo]

Originally Posted by kboy75

Also re: home ownership, LA Koreans in particular about having a *BLING* car but living in a shithole. Not everyone, but I've seen it in LA more than anywhere else.

wow. this is the total opposite of the chinese community, at least here in SF. they do everything possible to buy a home - practically live like paupers - so that they can say they own a home. it's like the #1 goal after immigrating here.

[seanp]

weird... most of koreans i know are middle to upper class. I thought southeast asian lag behind the most because of their recent immigration

[hooligan]

Originally Posted by moJo

wow. this is the total opposite of the chinese community, at least here in SF. they do everything possible to buy a home - practically live like paupers - so that they can say they own a home. it's like the #1 goal after immigrating here.

i think it's the opposite here in SGV, when i roll around the neighborhood with my family i see a disproportionate amount of Chinese who roll in mercedes and bmws. the neighborhood isn't that great.

Originally Posted by seanp

weird... most of koreans i know are middle to upper class. I thought southeast asian lag behind the most because of their recent immigration

that's how i thought during high school. a lot of koreans around my neighborhood did really well compared to a lot of the other asians around. then again, when you have a large immigrant vietnamese population compared to the condominium residing koreans, the class differences are further exagerrated.

[kboy75]

Oh yes, there are plenty of Korean that do well, esp in the suburbs.

But Ktown LA is like the biggest Ktown outside of the USA; SO many Koreans there. If you take an average all over LA, then I can see how the #'s could get like that.

Alos, does this report take into account Orange County? From what I can tell, no.

[Cipherous]

Hmmm,

don't Koreans out of any ethnic group boasts the highest percentage of business ownership?

I'd like to see where the sources are from.

If I remember correctly Koreans are ranked pretty high when compared to other Asians.

Japanese Americans earn the highest income of any Asian group and I remember Koreans being ahead of Chinese.

Indian Americans have the highest percentage of college graduates and Korean was one of the top as well.

[hooligan]

Originally Posted by Cipherous

Hmmm,

don't Koreans out of any ethnic group boasts the highest percentage of business ownership?

I'd like to see where the sources are from.

If I remember correctly Koreans are ranked pretty high when compared to other Asians.

Japanese Americans earn the highest income of any Asian group and I remember Koreans being ahead of Chinese.

Indian Americans have the highest percentage of college graduates and Korean was one of the top as well.

read Korean American Dream by Kyeyoung Park.

[yangbahn50]

Originally Posted by achtungbaby

A recent report on Korean Americans that populate Los Angeles County dispels notions of a "model minority." The study shows that Koreans lag other ethnic groups in homeownership and fall behind other Asians in income. Korean Americans also experienced a higher rate of isolation because of language barriers, according to the report. [details]

R U kidding me?!

Korean businesses in Koreatown are thriving as heck!

I go shopping in koreatown supermarkets and for most of the time, it's packed! Sometimes I leave and come back the next day because parking is a hassle.

I don't know who conducted the study, but I see TONS of Koreans living in great looking apartments (not including me) in the downtown area as well as living in houses in the suburban areas such as Rancho Cucamonga, Fullerton, Rowland Heights, Alhambra, Monterey Park (though Chinse dominated), Orange county vicinities (such as Garden Grove...I LOVE this place) and Long Beach (the good areas). So I disagree with this study that Koreans are lagging in terms of home ownership.

I disagree that Korean-Americans are isolated. In fact I see a lot of them working at big fortune 500 companies in downtown LA.
I think what you're trying to say is the immigrant Korean folks are ostracized from the mainstream due to their language barriers. This is true, and sadly many Korean businesses are exploiting them. I know some businesses (Korean businesses in Koreatown) who don't offer their employees benefits such as health insurance.

[hooligan]

Originally Posted by yangbahn50

R U kidding me?!

Korean businesses in Koreatown are thriving as heck!

I go shopping in koreatown supermarkets and for most of the time, it's packed! Sometimes I leave and come back the next day because parking is a hassle.

I don't know who conducted the study, but I see TONS of Koreans living in great looking apartments (not including me) in the downtown area as well as living in houses in the suburban areas such as Rancho Cucamonga, Fullerton, Rowland Heights, Alhambra, Monterey Park (though Chinse dominated), Orange county vicinities (such as Garden Grove...I LOVE this place) and Long Beach (the good areas). So I disagree with this study that Koreans are lagging in terms of home ownership.

I disagree that Korean-Americans are isolated. In fact I see a lot of them working at big fortune 500 companies in downtown LA.
I think what you're trying to say is the immigrant Korean folks are ostracized from the mainstream due to their language barriers. This is true, and sadly many Korean businesses are exploiting them. I know some businesses (Korean businesses in Koreatown) who don't offer their employees benefits such as health insurance.

stop being so model minority. read korean-american dreams.