California’s story wouldn’t be the same without the Korean American community.
For more than a century, Korean immigrants have helped shape the state’s neighborhoods, businesses, arts, and food culture. What began with the first arrivals in the early 1900s has grown into the largest Korean American community in the United States, with more than 500,000 Californians proudly tracing their roots to Korea.
From family-owned restaurants and neighborhood markets to cultural organizations and small businesses, generations of Korean Americans have helped build vibrant communities across the state. One of the largest Korean communities outside of Korea is Los Angeles’ Koreatown.
Today, Korean culture is woven into everyday life across California. Whether you’re enjoying Korean barbecue with friends, buying kimchi at your local grocery store, practicing taekwondo, or discovering the latest K-pop or Korean drama, these traditions have become part of California’s shared cultural identity.
Every jar of kimchi tells a story. It tells the story of families preserving recipes, farmers growing California produce, small businesses sharing traditions, and communities gathering around the table. California Kimchi Day celebrates not just a food, but the people, history, and culture that continue to keep those traditions alive.