K-Town Is OK

Susan Park of Asian Americans for Housing and Environmental Justice becomes K-Town Is OK Podcast’s first guest ever! Over fish sausages, tofu kimchi chips, and pan de trigo, Susan looks back with the team on her upbringing between Seoul and Los Angeles in the 1970s and describes what Christmas looks like for her and her family today! It’s a special 🎁 episode for Koreatown and communities all around out the world.

Jimmy and Helen reflect on a trailblazing year for K-Town Is OK together. They also get into changes they want to make for themselves not tomorrow or next year, but as soon as possible, including more positive reinforcement or positive self-talk! Last but not least, they delve into their separate adventures (or misadventures?) with their new “friend” (or is it “foe”?): Chat-GPT.

Jimmy and Helen discuss lessons learned from appendicitis. They also talk about their holiday plans for 🦃 day. This episode also introduces timestamps for listeners to navigate through our chats more easily.

Helen calls in from umma and appa’s bedroom in K-Town as she recovers from appendicitis. Jimmy and Helen then recap If Not You Then Who and read questions from the event’s attendees. Jimmy invites each member of the panelist “Dream Team” to be a guest on the podcast soon and also teases more from K-Town Is OK on TikTok.

First, Jimmy officially notes our first-ever panel: “IF NOT YOU THEN WHO: K-Town Speaks Up One Year After the Leaked Recordings.” This event is taking place on November 2nd, 2023, or just 15 days away from this recording, and you can RSVP for free here. Next, Jimmy places the discussion of the leaked recordings from last year under further consideration, contending that a lot was said not just by the L.A. City Council Members in question, but also by “the media,“ and that the truth is somewhere in between, not just in the headlines. Last but not least, Jimmy recommends our latest interview with Godfrey Santos Plata of L.A. Forward, which includes mention of expanding L.A. City Council very soon, among other things. To keep up with us, please subscribe to our newsletter. To make a tax-deductible donation to Quien Es Tu Vecindario for supporting K-Town Is OK’s first ever panel, please do so here.

Fret not, Koreatowners. Though our podcast has been quiet lately, it's only because we’re cooking up the next great production from K-Town Is OK. Promise! Meanwhile, please follow us on Facebook, Instagram or via our new newsletter. Hasta luego!

Jimmy's first podcast, J.T. the L.A. Storyteller, gets a mention from Apple Podcasts for Hispanic Heritage Month! The team feasts on 김밥 {gimbap}, 뻥튀기 {ppeong-twigi/rice puffs}, and banana milk from HK Market while chatting at length about Helen and her 엄마 {umma/mom} and 아빠’s {appa/dad’s} medical supply store in the Westlake/MacArthur Park area. Helen and Jimmy also talk about our latest interview with Kwasi Boyd-Boudin and tease the upcoming one-year anniversary of the racist recordings from L.A. elected officials that spawned K-Town Is OK. Oh, and Jimmy learns that the featured sound effects are not the same on every Rodecaster Pro, to Helen's great delight.

Recording from the L.A. Public Library’s Octavia Lab, Jimmy and Helen name some treats from 85° Bakery and discuss hurriquake weekend in Los Angeles. In a slightly unexpected turn of events, Jimmy also does a deep dive with Helen about the impact his mom’s newsstand on Santa Monica Blvd. had on him as a creator and mover-and-shaker. Don’t forget to subscribe to the K-Town Is Oaxacan Korean newsletter here.

In our second episode, Jimmy and Helen enjoy some California Donuts and provide a few thoughts—even controversial ones—about their latest Abuelita donut. They also discuss the making of ktownisok.com, including the key role played by photography for the site courtesy of Avital Oehler. Jimmy and Helen also name a couple of things about K-Town which they’ll defend at all costs.To subscribe to our new newsletter for the podcast and platform, please do so here.

For our first episode, we tell you about ourselves, the origins of K-Town Is Oaxacan Korean, and a brief history of Koreatown. We also shout out our earliest supporters, including Cafe de Mama for the treats. Please be sure to follow the show and to sign up for our new newsletter! Note from Jimmy: We had slightly unstable microphones in this episode. Please bear with me as I begin to master a new studio setup, and here’s to better sound quality and more excellent content in the future!