The 53rd Los Angeles Korean Festival wrapped up Sunday, Oct. 4, after four days of food, music, cultural activities and community programs that drew visitors from across Southern California to Seoul International Park in Koreatown.
Held under the theme “LA Arirang,” the festival opened Oct. 1 and continued through Sunday night with K-pop and hip-hop performances, Korean food and specialty products, competitions, family activities and cultural demonstrations.
Sunday’s final-day program began with a pull-up competition hosted by the U.S. Marines, followed by a K-pop showcase, the SMG Medical Group Silver Fashion Show and other stage performances. The evening concluded with a closing ceremony and prize drawing, followed by “Final Night Lights,” featuring Korean hip-hop and R&B artists Tiger JK and Yoon Mirae.
The festival grounds remained busy despite several days of hot weather. Visitors lined up for food, browsed Korean specialty products and took part in hands-on activities including kimchi making, Korean calligraphy, traditional crafts and games.
The Korean Agro-Fisheries Expo was one of the busiest areas of the festival, with several longtime and first-time vendors reporting sellouts or near-sellouts.
One longtime exhibitor that has participated for more than a decade said all of its kimchi varieties sold out.
“Despite the hot weather, all of our kimchi varieties sold out, and we only had a small amount of a few products, including salted shrimp, left,” said Ho Seop Lee, a manager with the company.
Several other vendors that have participated for years also returned this year, continuing relationships with local customers who visit the festival annually.
First-time exhibitors reported strong results as well.
“This was our first time participating, and most of our products sold out,” said Go Eun Bae, a first-time vendor. “We plan to come back next year.”
Another first-time exhibitor said some products were already gone on opening day.
“I was surprised that some of our items sold out on the first day,” the vendor said. “I would like to come back next year and continue building relationships with the Korean American community.”
The strong response highlighted the festival’s role not only as a cultural celebration but also as a marketplace where small food and specialty-product businesses can meet local consumers directly, offer samples and gauge interest in the U.S. market.
Korean food was also a major draw beyond the marketplace.
A kimchi-making program attracted more than 200 participants within two hours of registration opening, with organizers estimating that about 90% of those who signed up were non-Korean.
“We stayed up through the night preparing fresh ingredients for the participants, but the response was so positive that we forgot how tired we were,” said Young Mi Lee, president of the U.S. chapter of the Korean Food Forum.
“The festival made me realize again how much interest there is in Korean food among people from other communities,” Lee said. “We will continue working to introduce Korean cuisine to more people in Los Angeles.”
Music remained another major attraction throughout the weekend. Thousands gathered in front of the main stage for Jinusean’s Friday night performance, while Saturday night featured a lineup that included Kang Yuchan and Big Ocean.
Big Ocean, the first international Korean deaf K-pop group, drew particular attention from local fans who came specifically to see the group perform. Their appearance added to a weekend lineup designed to reach younger and more diverse audiences.
Saturday’s festival parade brought another wave of visitors to Olympic Boulevard, where spectators cheered as community groups, elected officials and participants made their way through Koreatown.
This year’s festival placed greater emphasis on participation beyond the main stage. Visitors could taste Korean food, shop for products, learn about local organizations and take part in activities ranging from traditional crafts to cultural demonstrations. Families, teens, seniors and visitors from a range of ethnic backgrounds filled the park throughout the four days.
Community and nonprofit booths also offered information and services, adding another local dimension to the event. Police officers, youth organizations, senior programs and cultural groups were among those meeting visitors throughout the weekend.
Alex Cha, president of the Los Angeles Korean Festival Foundation, thanked the community, local visitors, vendors and sponsors for supporting the event through the heat.
“I want to thank the Korean American community, Southern California residents and all of the visitors who stayed with us through the final day despite the hot weather,” Cha said. “I also want to express my deep appreciation to our sponsors, Expo exhibitors and local vendors who helped make this festival a success.”
Cha said this year’s festival reflected the foundation’s goal of making the event part of the broader cultural life of Los Angeles.
“This year’s festival brought traditional and contemporary Korean culture together in a city where people from many different backgrounds live side by side,” Cha said. “I am proud and grateful to see it grow beyond an event for the Korean community into an LA festival where people of different generations and backgrounds can enjoy Korean food, music and culture together.”
The 53rd LA Korean Festival was held Oct. 1-4 at Seoul International Park in Koreatown, concluding four days of performances, food, cultural activities, shopping and community programs.
