The Olympics ‘Return’ to L.A.

Olympic Boulevard swelled with color and pride for the 15th annual Korean Parade on Saturday. In the spirit of the Olympic theme, the Seoul games tiger mascot was there in person, as well as on paper flags, on many of the 20 floats, and even on the dazzling gown of the Junior Miss Korea of Good Heartedness, Mira Han, 17, of Fullerton. Boys in yellow robes tied with royal blue sashes beat cymbals solemnly and girls bedecked in apple green, magenta, hot pink and lavender ushered in a wedding procession reenactment. The crowd, estimated by police at 20,000, waved American and South Korean flags. Koreatown resident Gary Han, 30, said that the parade showed that “the Korean community is growing up. Now it’s part of America.”