Koreans Find Retailing a Way Around Cultural Barriers : CHAD KIM

I first came to the United States 29 years ago. Basically I came here to study. I had a bachelor’s degree in law from Korea University and I worked for a government agency before I came to the United States. I wanted to pursue my interest in law, but that was not an easy thing for a foreign student with little background in this country. So I studied public administration and received my master’s degree from USC in 1970.

While I was going to USC, I got a job at an advertising and marketing firm on Wilshire Boulevard. I entered at the clerical level and stayed with them for seven years, becoming an office manager who reported to the executive vice president and had a number of staff under me. Then one of the vendors we did business with asked me if I wanted to join his operation. I worked with him for a while and then opened my own office supply and printing business.

Currently, I’m the West Coast representative for a desktop publishing system that has the capability to print in 205 languages. For example, the system allows us to typeset Korean and Spanish on the same page simultaneously and we use it to print Spanish lessons for Koreans in The Korea Times . The world is getting smaller, and while English is still a major language, it is not the only one, as it used to be.

We need to have the same respect and regard for other languages, which will help promote American products around the world.

It’s been about 16 years now that I’ve had my own business. When I first moved into this area, there were hardly any Koreans. I think I was the only one. Now there are a lot of Asian-owned businesses. A number of Mid-Wilshire buildings are owned by Koreans and a lot of Korean business people moved to this area.

The Wilshire area was the center of business in Los Angeles back then. As Korean businesses grew, they wanted to base their operations in this area, so they started to buy property. On the retail side, the businesses tended to be liquor stores, restaurants, deli shops and gas stations. Pretty much the same pattern has taken place in other areas of the city. Small retail operations like liquor stores or neighborhood markets are easy to control. Many Koreans feel more comfortable operating that kind of business because it does not require advanced English or professional experience.

Many people who come from Korea have a high level of education, but they cannot find a suitable job in their field because of the language barrier and other cultural differences. And even if they get a job in an office, opportunities for advancement are somewhat limited. So they choose to be their own boss. In this way, they can realize the fruits of the long hours of hard work.

Most Koreans who come to America don’t come mainly for their own sake, but for the education and well-being of their children. That’s their priority. In Korea, the expense of education is quite high and the screening process is very competitive. But the parents are willing to go for it as long as the effort will be rewarded in a fair manner.

Usually, the average Korean entrepreneur has a high level of education and comes with a certain amount of money. That’s one of the reasons they achieve faster--they are investing their family’s time and money. They also receive support through their social networks, including hakyon (school ties), hyolyon (family relationships), and regional ties based on your hometown. There is also church, where Koreans meet on a regular basis. All that tends to benefit their businesses.

Sometimes, because of an unfamiliarity with cultural differences, some Korean merchants can unintentionally create some ill feelings.

I think the community should take more responsibility in letting people know what we should and should not do by conducting seminars, meetings and training sessions. In this way, Korean merchants will be better equipped to respond to customers without giving the wrong message. But it needs to be a two-way communication. It’s not really fair to look only at one side and say, “It’s all your fault.”