Living in a Tent, One Korean American Feels Safer on the Street Than in Shelters

Sunny, 46, a Korean homeless person living in a tent village in LA's Koreatown, finds English more comfortable than Korean. He was born in Chicago and has been living in LA for over 20 years. He was dressed stylishly, with a hat and accessories. He didn't look as though he was homeless. 

He said he feels judged by society for falling on hard times.

"It feels like even Koreans look down on us. Even if I ask for just some rice and kimchi at a Korean restaurant, they say, "no." During the LA riots, we all helped each other. I wish people would reach out a hand before judging us, like in the story of the Good Samaritan in the Bible.” 

“I worked as a manager in four apartments in LA’s Koreatown for 20 years. During the pandemic, I asked the landlord to raise my salary a bit. They told me to find another job. When I came back from lunch, the door to my room was locked. I was kicked out and couldn't even retrieve my belongings.”

Sunny has been living on the streets for two years. He mentioned that he often asks about the well-being of other Korean homeless people. “It's comfortable to be with other Koreans. People are trustworthy and we treat each other like brothers.”

He says the reason Korean homeless people gather together is out of fear. He said, “The scariest thing is being harassed by thugs while sleeping in a tent. And if you have something valuable, someone will steal it.”

Entering a shelter is not as easy as it sounds. “The atmosphere in shelters is strange, and you have to wait five to seven years to get a house from the city.”

Sunny said, “Anyone can become homeless in an instant.” He shared, “In the past, when I was managing an apartment, I would tell homeless people to leave and even call the police.”

He added, “We should not think of homeless people as drug addicts or crazy. Offering a helping hand to someone can change their entire life.”