Koreatown, Vancouver

From Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia

Koreatown is an unofficial area in the West End of Vancouver, Canada.

It is so named because it is particularly popular among young Korean students and tourists, and is home to several Korean and Korean-run grocery stores, noodle houses, restaurants, nightclubs, karaoke bars, internet cafes, and tapas bars.

There is also the Korean-Canadian Association and several temples of worship.

Koreatown is in the centre of a high-density rental housing area — that also attracts visiting students from Japan — and is in close proximity to the numerous language schools in downtown Vancouver that cater to overseas students. The language school precinct itself also features various small Korean restaurants and shoppes, and is anchored by a second Han Ah Reum H-Mart.

Although not as upscale as New Japantown nor as historical as Chinatown, Koreatown is gaining momentum and is becoming a centre of culture and commerce for Korean Canadians and tourists.

[edit] Geography

"Koreatown" is principally centered on the Robson and Cardero Streets in the West End area of Downtown Vancouver. There is also a smaller Korean neighbourhood developing down the street near the intersection of Robson and Seymore Streets.

Another Koreatown shopping neighbourhood exists in the North Road area between Burnaby and New Westminster. Other important Korean commercial areas include the Kingsway corridor in Burnaby and Vancouver, and in Surrey, British Columbia around 104th Avenue and 152nd Street.