Kimberley Street : little Korea of Hong Kong

Abstract

Hong Kong is one of China’s cities, yet it has the world's most dynamic history and is a city with unique character. It is undeniably the most globalised city in the world, with multiple cultures from a variety of countries. Hong Kong culture is not only influenced by a few nationalities but by many; no aspect of Hong Kong culture can be omitted because the beauty of Hong Kong lies in the harmonious combination of multicultural tangible and intangible factors. Kimberley Street is a street in southern Kowloon’s Tsim Sha Tsui neighbourhood, a well-known cultural area that the media portrays as Hong Kong's "Little Korea." People can find Korean restaurants and groceries on this street. It is known as the first cultural legacy of Korean immigrants who settled in Hong Kong, and Koreans would determine and conduct business following World War II. It is an area where the ongoing demolition and reconstruction of the old tonglau (a traditional Hong Kong building constructed between the 19th and 20th centuries) is taking place. If Kimberley Street is the location that best exemplifies the cultural significance of Korean cultural heritage, then urgent conservation efforts should be undertaken to preserve its cultural significance. This report investigates whether or not the street contains tangible and intangible cultural heritage, which demonstrates how historically globalised Hong Kong has become and whether or not it should be conserved and protected. Through conducting in-person interviews and field work, this research attempts to find out how and why “Little Korea” came into being. Evaluation of findings is based on UNESCO’s Historic Urban Landscape approach and also the concept of enclave and transclave. The hope is that defining the street's real identity will aid in deciding whether or not it requires preservation.