Melbourne now has its own Koreatown after the city agreed to a proposal aimed at driving more business in the CBD.
The Korean community asked the City of Melbourne designate an informal hub for Korean businesses in the Healeys Lane neighbourhood as an official Koreatown precinct, similar to Melbourne’s Chinatown.
It becomes the second official Koreatown in Australia after Sydney’s precinct at Eastwood that was designated last year.
Koreatowns have long existed in overseas capitals including Los Angeles, Tokyo and New York and follow historical waves of migration and South Korean culture including the latest, Hallyu, a South Korean wave of popular TV, movie and music culture across the globe.
The Melbourne proposal was considered by the city as it supports the Draft Experience Melbourne Plan 2028 that aims to increase the visitor economy of the city by showcasing its many cultures.
Koreans are the ninth largest diaspora within the City of Melbourne and stakeholders include the Consulate General of the Republic of Korea, the Melbourne Korean Business Association (MKBA), the Korean Chamber of Commerce and Industry in Melbourne and the Overseas Korean Trade Association.
Many of MKBA’s 25 member businesses are within the precinct, offering not onluy food but also retail. There are at least 24 Korean businesses operating on Healeys Lane and along Lonsdale, Little Lonsdale and King streets.
The precinct also hosts by the Little Korea Street Food Christmas Festival.
Alternative locations on Kings and William streets were also proposed.
Cultural precincts at Chinatown and Degraves Street, heaquintessential Melbourne laneway, average daily pedestrian counts of 12,500 and 10,700 respectively while Healeys Lane currently averages 5700.
Four Jang-sueng—or traditional Korean poles—will be set up with the council to collaborate with the artist on the design and installation process at Healeys Lane.
The Korean Consulate will be responsible for any costs in procuring, transporting and installing the Jang-seung.
The council also plans to provide communication and marketing support to promote the precinct with the council paying $36,000 for project management, stakeholder consultation and management and service authority approvals.
