Korean town in Mexico City

Right in the heart of Mexico City, next to the financial district, there is a neighborhood where you can find all sorts of Asian stores, ramen houses, convenience stores with “kimchi available” signs on doors, and other signs of flourishing Asian community located between these streets.

This is the “Pequeño Seúl” or “Little Seoul”, an area where the Korean diaspora of Mexico City placed its roots. I love all things Asia and that is why I visit these streets every few days while I’m still here in Mexico City.

In terms of cultural domination, it is not as developed as China Town in New York City or Kampong Glam in Singapore (Muslim neighborhood with Malay and Arabic vibes). All street food stalls still serve tacos and tortas and you won’t see shirtless elderly Asian uncles playing go or another table game unbeknownst to me with a crowd of other uncles standing around them watching the game.

However, you can see its authenticity by visiting any Asian grocery store. While most of the products are dried seaweed, dried mushrooms, dried noodles, and other products with long shelf life, you can also find plastic jars with kimchi with absolutely no label stored in a fridge. I like to think that some old lady living next to this shop makes it just like her mother taught her before she left Korea.

By the way, this kimchi is amazing, not like the supermarket stuff I tried before that.

Wikipedia says some of the residents of Little Seoul don’t even speak Spanish and live tightly within their own bubble. I can relate since I still don’t speak Spanish myself although I reside in Spanish-speaking countries for almost a year now.

I love to come to that area to buy kimchi as well as some coconut milk. It is interesting that Mexican implementation of coconut milk is more on a light side, just like any modern nut milk — around 5% of fat content. But I’m used to the Asian coconut milk that is 18–20% of fat. My wife uses it in smoothies and curry of course.