History of Koreatown

Ambassador Hotel site

The former Ambassador Hotel site on Wilshire Boulevard carries one of Koreatown’s most complicated layers of Los Angeles history. The hotel opened in 1921 and its Cocoanut Grove nightclub became a major entertainment destination during Hollywood’s golden age. In 1968, Senator Robert F. Kennedy was assassinated there after winning California’s Democratic presidential primary. The hotel closed in 1989 and was eventually demolished; the site is now occupied by the Robert F. Kennedy Community Schools. Nothing resembling the old resort remains to tour, so this is a historical context stop rather than an attraction. Its story shows how dramatically Wilshire Boulevard and the surrounding neighborhood have changed across a century.

Address: 701 S Catalina St, Koreatown, CA, 90005

The Wiltern

The Wiltern is one of Koreatown’s defining architectural landmarks and an active concert venue at Wilshire Boulevard and Western Avenue. Completed in 1931, the Art Deco theater and adjoining Pellissier Building are instantly recognizable for their turquoise terra-cotta exterior and elaborate interior. Today the theater hosts touring musicians, comedians and other live performances, making it both a historical site and a practical reason to spend an evening in the neighborhood. Its location directly across from the Metro station also makes it unusually easy to reach without driving. Even without a ticket, the exterior is worth noticing as part of Wilshire’s surviving collection of grand early-twentieth-century buildings.

Address: 3790 Wilshire Blvd, Koreatown, CA, 90010

Official website

Chapman Plaza

Chapman Plaza is a Spanish Colonial Revival commercial courtyard on Sixth Street that has evolved into one of Koreatown’s busiest dining and nightlife clusters. Built in the late 1920s, its historic architecture now frames Korean barbecue restaurants, cafés and late-night gathering spots, creating a particularly Los Angeles combination of preserved design and constantly changing contemporary use. The plaza is especially lively after dark, when groups move between dinner, dessert and drinks without needing to drive elsewhere. For visitors, Chapman Plaza works on several levels at once: an architectural landmark, a restaurant destination and a compact introduction to the social energy that distinguishes Koreatown from many other Los Angeles neighborhoods.

Address: 3465 W 6th St, Koreatown, CA, 90020

Wilshire Boulevard – Koreatown corridor

Wilshire Boulevard is Koreatown’s grand east-west spine, lined with layers of Los Angeles architecture, transit, businesses and institutions. Historic towers and churches stand near modern restaurants and shopping centers, while Metro stations connect the district directly to Downtown and other parts of the city. Walking even a portion of Wilshire reveals how Koreatown grew within an older Los Angeles commercial corridor rather than replacing it completely. The street is useful as an organizing route for visitors: The Wiltern anchors its western side, the former Ambassador Hotel site carries major twentieth-century history, and side streets lead quickly into the denser restaurant and nightlife districts north and south of the boulevard.

Address: Wilshire Blvd, Koreatown, CA, 90010