Korean-American thoughts on Vietnamese-American Food and Community in Chicago

Translation into English:

"Two or three days ago, I had excellent Peking Duck at a "New Chinatown". It's by the subway station by Argyle street in Chicago. It is a community with many Vietnamese people and businesses. It offers a diverse array of foods and products.
Just like many Korean-Americans set up various shops on Lawrence Street, Vietnamese Americans have set up a flourishing community around Argyle and Broadway.

You can order half a duck enough for two people. They cut it up neatly; the service is pretty good. They have excellent pork too; its skin is crispy and melts in your mouth. Price is more than reasonable. You can wash it all down with Tsingtao beer, introduced by Germans in Tientsin. Add Chinese broccoli and some vegetable dishes, and you have it made.

It appears Vietnamese-Americans bought up a large part of that neighborhood along Broadway Street. I recall their arriving in the late 70s as the Boat People. They sold all their property in Vietnam to make the dangerous journey. Through hazards at sea from pirates and drowning, they struggled to find a new life, and many of them arrived in the US.

Many Koreans in the North fled communism during the Korean War. And later, many South Koreans went to United States to look for a better life. Before the Vietnamese arrived in large numbers in America, we Koreans made that journey.

In a way, our histories are intermingled and have certain parallels. During the Vietnam War, many Koreans fought alongside Americans against North Vietnam and the Viet Cong. It was a bloody affair for all sides. Very tragic. Just like the Korean War was a great boon to Japan, the Vietnam War gave a huge boost to the South Korean economy.

Many of the Vietnamese Boat People were of Chinese origin with talent for business. For ethnic and ideological reasons, they were persecuted by the communist government. Many felt compelled to look for new life elsehwere and took their chances on the sea.

I'm very impressed by their achievements in business in the Chicago area. A Jewish lawyer friend told me that he was surprised by the drive and determination of Vietnamese-Americans eager to buy property in Chicago for development. I've heard that many offers were made in cash, and word got around building owners that Vietnamese-Americans were willing to pay good money for real estate.

Koreans started on Lawrence Ave, moved up Lincoln Ave. Today, many have settled in the North suburbs like Northbrook and etc.

Chinese and Vietnamese businessmen are naturally big in the restaurant industry, what with their fine seafood and other dishes.

The full power of the life force is evident when we consider how these people arrived with so little but achieved impressive things in America. They put down new roots and struggled daily to sprout a new life.

There was a time when Americans thought only of Simple Peasants when they heard the word 'Asian', but Asian people have a strong sense of roots. Even against the rain, storm, and wind, they set down their roots and try to make a new life against all odds. Having roots, they work hard to grow into a tall sturdy tree.

When Stalin forcibly uprooted Koreans in Northeast Siberia and resettled them in Uzbekistan, the survivors began new lives in a strange land and sent their children to Moscow to study and move up the social ranks. I see the same kind of resilience and determination among the Vietnamese people.

Anyway, among my favorite dishes in New Chinatown is Seafood combination, Peking duck, Pork slices, vegetable dishes. You found special and unique stuff you cannot find in Italian, French, or Greek restaurants.

When we look back at the history of the United States, for a long time it was dominated and mostly populated by White Protestants. Catholics had been distrusted at one time. Southern and Eastern Europeans arrived in huge numbers later. Jews who arrived with next to nothing are now a very successful and influential community in this country. Though small as percentage of the population, their successes are astounding. Consider the Nobel prizes won by Jewish Americans. And consider their representation in schools like Harvard.

This is something Asian-Americans should learn from and emulate. And, I am hopeful about the next generations of Asian-Americans. Despite the differences among the Asian community, we should recognize much that we have in common in terms of values, historical experiences and parallels, social situations, and aspirations.

Category:

People & Blogs

Tags:

• South Korea
• Vietnam War
• Peking Duck
• Seafood Combo
• Vietnamese Boat People
• 베트남
• 한국
• 이주
• 공산주의
• 사업
• 유태인

[jasluvtian]

and we vietnamese really respect and admire korean americans too. They are hard working people, the example is the success of South korea.

[colorfulskykl]

I don't understand what he's saying, but I know that Koreans are very polite and friendly. I have several good friends from Korea.

[taihee79]

@KImChiRoach

What? N. Korean dialect?? This man spoke with a Seoul accent.

I'm from S. Korea. lol

[yaaman34]

@ben08820 Wow. You're really a dumbass, aren't you? "gook" was a common term used by U.S. military men during the Korean War in the 1950's. I wouldn't expect someone to still use it now, as it's considered offensive to our people. Also, I think it is sad that you would call us baby-eaters. Just saying, that wasn't the Koreans. Specifically, it was the Chinese, but I don't blame them. It's their choice. You, my friend, is the example of the horrible lowlifes we have in this world.

[vampireswithscars]

@KImChiRoach the noodles came from China, pho IS vietnamese.

there are a lot of chinese stuff in vietnam yes, cus china has many times occupied vietnam.

[vampireswithscars]

@KImChiRoach thats not fair to jugdge all vietnamese people like that. maybe you just bumped into the wrong vietnameses? I know a lot of people from that country, and they're all pretty nice. thats rude to called them rude ;)

[naciholidays]

VIET NAM TOUR WITH NACIHOLIDAYS. CONTACT ME FOR MANY TOUR IN VIET NAM. THANK FOR YOUR WATCHING AND LOT OF LOVE

[whitelotus77]

@KImChiRoach Pho came from Northern Vietnam you dumb pho-k. Chinese don't use the noodles we do . you guys use egg noodles, and rice vermicelli

[whitelotus77]

@KImChiRoach Rewrite history? No they don't . .

[ben08820]

@KImChiRoach don't talk about stinky food,u chinks eat infant babies.guess u don't wanna admit that

[KImChiRoach]

@ben08820 , KOreans already are bad. Koreans love to re-write their own history. You gooks are shameless. u gooks have stinky food!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

[ben08820]

@KImChiRoach Don't pretend like u understand korean,and stop troll around youtube with ur buddie(RealDetectives2010) and don't make u chink look bad in internet.