On Quick Changes of Cultural Affinity
The main Koreatown of Shin-Okubo in Tokyo has, unsurprisingly, a neon-washed main street. Shops advertising the latest hip new trends from the world of Kpop, combined with seemingly endless lineup of Korean street foods and restaurants, draw in customers from across the metropolis to experience "cool Korea." Yet, just a few steps away from the neighborhood's brightly colored main drag lies a completely different side. Dark little alleys, home to hundreds of mundane residences, extend away from the main street, at the first sight no different from any other residential area in the Japanese capital city.