Koreatown Aims to Score Points With Soccer Fans

Koreatown is splattered in red these days.

And it’s not just South Korean soccer fans, who are easy to identify in their bright red T-shirts bearing the South Korean flag and phrases like “Go Corea Go.”

The business community has caught World Cup fever too.

If South Korea beats Switzerland today, several Koreatown businesses plan to offer free or discounted services and merchandise.

Up for grabs are free bowls of noodles, cut-rate hair cuts, rounds of drinks, higher interest rates on savings accounts and even a chance to win a wig.

What they will lose in sales, these entrepreneurs hope to make up in goodwill and promotion for their businesses.

Many immigrant communities in Southern California have gone soccer crazy during this year’s run of the world’s most popular sports competition. But Koreatown’s business community appears to be going for the goal like none other.

Part of the craze comes from South Korea’s success in 2002, when the team advanced to the semifinals and took fourth place overall. Outside Albenei restaurant at 6th Street and Alexandria Avenue, a banner proclaims in Korean: “Again 2002, that feeling, that joy.”

If South Korea wins today’s midday game, Albenei owner Yeun-Dan Lee will serve free bowls of bean sauce noodles, known as ja jang myun, from 2 to 5 p.m. The bowls normally cost $6.50 each.

What about dinnertime?

“I can’t do that all day,” she said with a laugh. “I need to recover with the dinner business.”

Lee stands to lose some serious revenue, judging from what happened in 2002, when she gave away about 3,000 bowls of noodles in a three-week period.

This year, Lee advertised the promotion because she wanted the fans, called Red Devils, to celebrate together in front of her eatery’s two televisions (the TV being a favored element of decor for Koreatown restaurateurs).

For Lee, it’s more than just a sports event. Lee, an immigrant from South Korea, has three children, who were all born in the United States. She said they felt little connection to the country that she still considered home -- although soccer is starting to change that.

“In 2002, the children were too young,” Lee said. “They didn’t understand why I was being so crazy about the games. But now, they’re starting to get it. They say, ‘Oh, this is our parents’ country.’ And I tell them, ‘These are your roots too.’ ”

Pride is also a driving force for Andrew Shin, manager of Bohemian, a bar on 6th Street and Kenmore Avenue that is opening early to accommodate the soccer set.

“It means a lot to us, as immigrants, to see Korea doing so well,” Shin said. “A lot of people in the United States don’t even know where South Korea is located. This is our time to shine, to make our mark.”

On Sunday, when South Korea played France to a 1-1 tie, about 150 people gathered inside Bohemian. Shin gave out a round of drinks on the house when South Korea scored. Today, he plans to do the same: one free drink per person every time South Korea scores.

With a drink costing an average of $6, Shin knows that the bar could lose hundreds of dollars if the team performs well.

Nearby, at Blink Cafe & Bar, on Wilshire Boulevard and Alexandria Avenue, if South Korea wins the game each table will get one complimentary entree, such as buffalo wings or chopped tenderloin steak with gravy, ranging from $8 to $22.

Yang Gi restaurant at 7th Street and Vermont Avenue is expecting patrons to come watch the game on its two TVs and will take 20% off all lunch tabs today. If South Korea wins, the discount will grow to 30%.

Signs of the World Cup craze are everywhere in Koreatown.

Stores and sidewalk vendors peddle T-shirts, bandanas and headbands with devil horns. They also sell South Korean flags in all sizes -- small ones to hang outside cars, big ones to drape around fans’ shoulders.

Red T-shirts have become unofficial staff uniforms at several restaurants.

Many newspaper ads and radio commercials feature soccer fans shouting, “Let’s go to 16” -- if South Korea wins today’s game against Switzerland, it will advance to the next round, which will include just 16 of the original 32 teams. If South Korea loses, it will be eliminated.

Thousands of South Korean fans are expected to gather in Koreatown to watch the game on big-screen TVs and projector screens. One of the main viewing areas is on Wilshire Boulevard between Serrano and Oxford avenues. Radio Korea, which is organizing the event, said it expected about 10,000 people.

Edward Kim, owner of Assirang Kook Jae Optics, and his staff will hand out 500 umbrellas to give fans some shade. Global Village Travel will give away 4,000 water bottles, President Jong-Geun Lee said.

Not to be outdone, Pacific City Bank on Wilshire Boulevard will boost the interest rate paid on money market accounts opened in the last two months if the South Korean team advances. The initial rate of 4.25% will bump up 0.25%, the bank said, adding that a number of restrictions would apply.

A South Korean victory would kick off a raffle at Himo Inc. for a $1,500 wig. If the team advances again, the retailer will give away two more wigs. Another advance, three wigs.

At A Team Hair Salon, owner Jenny Park knows that she will have a busy day if South Korea wins this afternoon because she will offer men’s haircuts for $1.99. The normal price is $20.

If South Korea moves ahead again to become one of the top eight teams in the competition, she will offer women’s haircuts, normally $20, for $1.99.

And should South Korea enter the semifinals -- where the team was eliminated in 2002 -- Park will offer all haircuts for free. Each offer would be valid for only the day the team wins.

“If they come, we’ll just have to give out number tickets, I guess,” she said. “They’ll have to wait. But we’ll get to them.”