Koreatown set to be formalised in CBD as karaoke bars and BBQ restaurants flourish

Central Melbourne has Chinatown and the Greek Precinct, now the city is set to get its very own Koreatown.

Central Melbourne has Chinatown and the Greek Precinct, now the city is set to get its very own Koreatown.

The city council will consider a proposal to designate a formal Koreatown at Healeys Lane, between Lonsdale St and Lt Lonsdale St.

The up-and-coming laneway, is already home to popular Korean restaurants such as Gami Chicken and Beer, Yoon’s Kitchen, Soa Bar and BBQ, Seven Star Pocha and Jan Gun CBD Korean Restaurant.

Several Korean eateries and karaoke bars have popped up around the laneways and streets near King St, prompting businesses to liaise with Town Hall about the idea of formalising the district.

Korean BBQ is increasingly popular in the Melbourne CBD.

If endorsed by councillors on Tuesday, four traditional Korean totem poles – jang-seung – would be installed at both entrances to Healeys Lane.

“An informal Korean precinct has emerged in and around Healeys Lane,’’ the council report said.

“The precinct has at least 24 Korean businesses, with at least seven businesses highly active in Healeys Lane.’’

The area would host festivals such as the Little Korea Street Food Christmas Festival.

The report said that Koreans were the city’s ninth largest cultural group.

Koreatown would be close to many city hotels, Southern Cross and Flagstaff stations and William St tram services.

The precinct would be roughly defined by an area bordered by King, Lonsdale, Queen and Latrobe Sts.

Melbourne Lord Mayor Nick Reece said the precinct would join other colourful Koreatowns in Toronto, Los Angeles, New York and Sydney.

“Melbourne is a multicultural melting pot – we have 2500 fantastic Korean-born Melburnians who call our city home and by formalising Koreatown, we hope to attract more visitors and businesses to the area.”

Gami Chicken and Beer co-founder and chief executive Jun Lee, who was the first person to open a Korean restaurant on the strip back in 2009, said he was excited to see the city embracing his culture.

Gami Chicken & Beer was the first Korean restaurant to open on Healeys Lane in 2009.

“Back then, Korean food wasn’t as popular as it is today,” he said.

“When we started our journey, people thought chicken and beer was a fun concept, but now it represents a part of Melbourne’s food culture. It makes me so happy to see people embrace the trend and it’s motivating me to bring more of my beautiful culture to this city.”

When Lee first launched the fried chicken and beer franchise in 2006 — which has since expanded to 38 stores nationwide — there were only three other restaurants on Healeys Lane.

“Over three or four years, the laneway attracted a combination of multicultural stores,” Lee said.

After “slow growth” now Lee says there are about 13 or so Korean restaurants alone on the strip, and even more in surrounding laneways and streets.

Lee said Melburnians had always been forthcoming with new cuisines, previously embracing Japanese, Thai and Vietnamese food and culture. Now he believes it’s Korea’s turn, with a wave of new restaurants opening across the city.

“Korean cuisine offers good, affordable food and that plays a lot into the appeal,” he said.

“But we are also seeing a younger generation of Koreans starting to bring fusional and high-quality offerings in a neat form. It’s nothing like Korean BBQ, but something that’ll cost you $40-$50 per head.”