Public Art Survey: Koreatown, LA
Phase 1: The Site
Koreatown, Los Angeles
I selected Koreatown as the site for this project due to its dense urban environment and its reputation as a culturally iconic neighborhood in Los Angeles. I am personally very familiar with Koreatown as it is where I currently live (5 years and counting) and have spent lots of my time since 2018. My personal experience with Koreatown made it easy to navigate and observe public art in its public spaces.
While Koreatown, also known as K-Town, is commonly associated with Korean culture, it's also home to a large Latino population, amongst many other communities. Its eclectic combination of murals, corporate advertisements, and informal street art creates a visual landscape unique to K-Town.
Phase 2: Fieldwork
Overview
I chose to focus on 6 main mural artworks throughout Koreatown, along main corridors including Western Avenue, Vermont Avenue, and Wilshire Boulevard. For each artwork, I recorded information including location, subject matter, cultural references, and surrounding context.
When I visited this mural, I immediately noticed how it centers Juan Gabriel as a major cultural figure, representing Latino identity within Koreatown. I found it interesting that children of different racial backgrounds are included, which includes the broader community beyond Latinos in Koreatown. Unfortunately, the mural appears significantly faded and partially covered, which made it feel somewhat neglected despite its cultural importance, especially given how little attention it receives from people nearby at the laundromat.
Royyal Dog (Chris Chanyang Shim / @royyaldog)
3100 Wilshire Blvd, Los Angeles, CA
This mural stood out to me because of its intentional representation of multicultural identity through two non-Korean women wearing traditional Korean garments called hanbok (한복). I noticed that one appears Black and the other Latina, which reflects the diversity that actually exists in Koreatown. The work felt very current and purposeful, especially after reading the artist’s statement on Instagram. Most people seemed to pass by it without stopping due to the busy intersection.
When I saw this mural, I was impressed by how big it was, and how it combines Los Angeles sports culture with elements of Korean identity, especially through the “K-Town” highlighted alongside the Lakers logo, with the Bibigo sponsorship also highlighted. The scale and detail make it one of the most visually dominant works I encountered, and it clearly celebrates well-known Lakers players across generations. Even though it is clean and well-maintained, I noticed that most people interact with it passively, suggesting it functions more as a backdrop than an active community space.
Joseph Lee (@joeyunlee)
1053 S Vermont Ave, Los Angeles, CA
I had previously seen this mural in 2024, where it depicted Dosan Ahn Chang-Ho, an important figure in Korean history. Returning to the site, I found that it had been completely painted over, leaving behind a blank wall with no trace of the original artwork. This change stood out to me because it shows how even culturally significant murals are not permanent, and how easily representations of history can disappear from public space.
This mural felt different from the others because it focuses on unity and diversity through abstract forms and text rather than specific individuals. It was created with local youth, which made it feel more community-driven and collaborative compared to some of the other works I saw. While it is clean and well-maintained, it also seems to blend into the environment, with most people passing by without directly engaging with it.
Phase 3: Critical Analysis
The public art I observed in Koreatown shows that the neighborhood’s identity is more complex than just being Korean. While some murals reflect Korean culture, others represent different communities. For example, Los Ángeles de Juan Gabriel highlights Latino identity, and Royyal Dog’s Untitled (Hanbok Figures Mural) shows Black and Brown figures wearing hanbok, traditional Korean garments. These works reflect the diversity that actually exists in Koreatown.
I also noticed that different types of Korean identity are shown in different ways. The Dosan Ahn Chang-Ho Mural focused on history, while the Lakers Dynamic Duos Mural combines Korean symbolism with Los Angeles sports culture. This suggests that identity in public art is shaped not only by the community, but also by business and sponsorship.
Another important pattern is that public art in Koreatown is not permanent. Some murals I planned to visit, like the Son Heung-Min mural and the Dosan Ahn Chang-ho Mural, were no longer there. Even among the murals that still exist, some are well maintained while others are fading or neglected. I also noticed that most people did not interact with the murals and simply passed by them. Overall, public art in Koreatown reflects a mix of cultures and influences, but it is also shaped by changing priorities and who has control over the space.
Phase 4: Proposal
Based on what I saw, the City of LA and Koreatown should do a better job of supporting and protecting its public art. Some murals are well taken care of, but others are faded, damaged, or removed completely, like the Dosan Ahn Chang-ho mural. This shows how easily important cultural artwork can disappear over time.
I think future murals should involve local communities and better reflect the different groups that live in the area. Murals like Royyal Dog’s show how multiple identities can be represented in a meaningful way. More projects like this could help make the neighborhood feel more accurate to the people who actually live there.
There should also be limits on replacing murals with advertisements so that cultural art is not lost. Overall, Koreatown has strong public art, but with more support, it could better represent its community and preserve that art over time.
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