Korean bookstores in L.A. are dying. Here’s how one survives

Joe Choi stood inside Aladdin Fullerton bookstore, flipping by way of “Introduction to Enterprise Administration” in Korean.

Choi, 33, has lived within the U.S. since he was a teen, however he’s nonetheless extra snug studying in his native language. He discovered this out the exhausting manner a number of months in the past when he picked up Walter Isaacson’s biography of Steve Jobs.

After wanting up plenty of phrases and progressing slowly, Choi received the Korean model of the Jobs e-book at Aladdin.

On this Friday afternoon, he purchased the enterprise administration e-book.

“Coming to this bookstore, I discovered which you can uncover so many alternative sorts of books while you go to in-person, and even in the event you can’t discover what you’re in search of, the proprietor can order it straight from Korea,” stated Choi.

Tucked away in a strip mall in La Mirada, Aladdin Fullerton is among the final remaining Korean bookstores in Southern California.

The entrance desk showcases bestselling Korean novels in addition to American novels translated into Korean, akin to “Crying in H Mart: A Memoir” by Michelle Zauner and “Pachinko” by Min Jin Lee.

The encompassing cabinets function Christian literature, kids books, Korean language workbooks, novels, cookbooks and Japanese manga. Previous commercials for church buildings and tutoring academies are plastered on the edges of the cabinets.

Prospects vary from immigrants like Choi to folks hoping to go the language to the subsequent technology to non-Koreans making an attempt to study Korean.

Min-woo Nam stated that when he opened Aladdin Fullerton 20 years in the past, there have been about eight Korean bookstores in Orange County and one other dozen in Los Angeles. Now, his retailer is certainly one of two left in O.C., with about 5 left in L.A.’s Koreatown.

The wrestle of Korean bookstores, serving a comparatively small market of Korean audio system and Korean language learners, mirrors that of mainstream bookstores, amid the rise of e-books and on-line ordering.

Aladdin Fullerton has fewer prospects than it did a decade in the past. However Nam, who’s the shop’s sole worker, chooses to look on the intense aspect. Loyal prospects come again time and again. He nonetheless makes a revenue. And Buena Park’s personal rising Koreatown may convey in additional enterprise to the shop, which is a part of a South Korean chain with over a dozen locations in Seoul that may shortly ship nearly any e-book accessible in Korea. Lots of Nam’s prospects telephone in orders, then cease by to select them up.

The shop provides a “lifetime membership” for a one-time $5 charge that comes with a 25% low cost, together with on on-line orders.

“As a result of most different Korean bookstores have closed, it makes it simpler to outlive when all my rivals are all however gone now,” stated Nam, 66. “It’s all about survival.”

The outside of the Alladin Fullerton bookstore in La Mirada.

(Michael Blackshire/Los Angeles Instances)

On a current Monday afternoon, In-chong Kim arrived to select up the books that Nam had ordered for him from Korea on subjects starting from Christianity to science.

Kim, who has been buying at Aladdin Fullerton for over a decade, known as the bookstore a slice of dwelling that ought to dwell on as a “sort of cultural website for our group.”

Books on a shelf on the Aladdin Fullerton bookstore.

(Michael Blackshire/Los Angeles Instances)

“This Korean bookstore holds our Korean tradition and data on this small area,” stated Kim, 65, who’s director of the Seoul Nationwide College Basis. “The work the proprietor is doing right here is so particular. He doesn’t make a lot cash, however he’s preserving an important a part of our group alive.”

Nam got here to the U.S. in 2004 along with his spouse and two kids, opening the bookstore that very same yr. As a world dealer for Samsung, he had labored in Japan and Vietnam for a number of years, kindling his curiosity in worldwide affairs and overseas languages.

Throughout sluggish stretches on the bookstore, he plunges into these topics. A stack of books on his desk features a Spanish language workbook, a pocket book he makes use of to apply writing Japanese and a Chinese language historical past e-book written in Korean.

When shipments from Korea arrive on Mondays, Wednesdays and Fridays, he seems like somewhat child opening up a Christmas current, he stated.

“I’m wondering what sort of story this e-book tells,” he stated. “There’s not a single boring day right here, as a result of I can simply learn, research and be surrounded by books your complete day.”

Janet Lee, 18, seems for a e-book on the Aladdin Fullerton bookstore.

(Michael Blackshire/Los Angeles Instances)

On the Friday that Choi got here in, Nam unpacked a field from Korea, pulling out a few dozen books. He verified each in his on-line system, meticulously cross-checking with handwritten information in a binder he fills with names, dates, telephone numbers and e-book titles in each English and Korean, adorned with colourful markings legible solely to him.

He tacked a sticky word with a buyer’s identify onto every e-book. Then, he was prepared for the Friday afternoon rush of individuals selecting up their orders.

Fullerton resident John Kim stopped by for a novel by an acquaintance from Korea.

Kim, who works at a building firm, stated he doesn’t learn a lot, so he doesn’t come to the shop usually. Many immigrants, significantly these with younger kids, don’t have the time or cash for studying, he stated.

“They’re busy working to place meals on the desk, so I perceive, as a result of once I immigrated right here 35 years in the past, it was a wrestle too,” Kim, 66, stated. “So even when we’re concerned about studying books, oftentimes we are able to’t afford to.”

A e-book shipped from Korea can value round $40, and a few prospects attempt to cut price with Nam.

“The worth is steeper than I anticipated,” Sunny Park grumbled as Nam rang up her buy.

“Ma’am, it isn’t low cost delivering books all the best way from Korea in lower than per week,” Nam stated firmly.

Nam chats familiarly with many shoppers, a few of whom he’s identified for over a decade, sprinkling in informal English phrases whereas sustaining some formality by way of Korean honorifics.

“I’ll benefit from the drink,” Nam stated in Korean after Choi dropped by the shop once more with a Starbucks iced Americano for him. “Thanks!” Nam then known as out in English.

For Allie Bell, Aladdin Fullerton shouldn’t be a bit of dwelling however a portal to a brand new one.

Bell started learning Korean to higher perceive her Korean-speaking dance trainer. She additionally cherished Korean meals and was within the tradition.

Solely two bookstores — Aladdin Fullerton and Bandi Books in Koreatown — carried
the textbooks required for her Korean class, she stated.

Bell, 31, a digital marketer who lives in Cypress, stated her Korean isn’t adequate to order on-line herself. She appreciates coming to the shop, the place Nam can steer her in the correct route, as he does for different prospects who’re studying Korean because the rise of Korean popular culture spurs curiosity within the language.

“So I’m very grateful to the effort and time [Nam] spent ensuring I get precisely what I want and offering recommendations that will assist me on my language-speaking journey,” she stated.

John Kim stated that passing the Korean language to the subsequent technology is essential. And language lives by way of books.

“Every part from our tradition to our historical past will be present in our language,” he stated. “If we don’t have that, our Korean identification will begin to unravel, so this bookstore is important to our group.”