[dropcap size=big]H[/dropcap]i Duk Lee, the founder of the world’s best known Koreatown, who sparked the formation of a community that would go on to alter the cultural landscape of Los Angeles, has died.
Late last week, approximately 100 people gathered to honor the life of Mr. Lee, in a Korean ceremony at Han Kook Mortuary in the West Adams District of Los Angeles. In a tearful tribute to his father, Lee’s son Roger shared a story about him and his Dad jumping boulders to avoid a swollen river while on a camping trip as a kid. He described his father as a “true American,” and a fearless man that “took all the risks and dealt with all the consequences.”
Lee passed on March 7 at the age of 79, according to Jenny Im with Han Kook Mortuary. The service was held March 14.
Lee sparked the formation of L.A.’s Koreatown, maybe the most well known in the world, for opening the first Korean-driven market at Olympic and Normandie in 1971. Then, the neighborhood was nearly destroyed during the 1992 L.A. Riots, only to rebound again to become one of the most diverse and exciting culinary communities in the country.
Lee was the former owner of the Olympic Market; as well as Young Bin Kwan, the first restaurant in L.A. to feature traditional Korean architecture. In his later life, Mr. and Mrs. Lee were also known as the thoughtful caretakers of Echo Garden, an eco-friendly nursery located on York Boulevard in Highland Park.