My late uncle also immigrated here in 1977, and the first place he settled was Downey. At that time, there wasn't a significant Korean business community like in Koreatown, so everything was unfamiliar and uncomfortable for him.

Downey had a quiet residential atmosphere while being close to downtown LA, making it a good environment for raising a family. There were many typical American middle-class houses at that time, lined with homes that had spacious front and back yards.

The house where my uncle lived had that structure, and when relatives from Korea visited, they would all exclaim, "It looks like the houses from American dramas." Above all, Downey had convenient transportation, making it easy to travel to downtown LA, Long Beach, or Orange County.

Whether my uncle was working at the factory or taking his family to church every weekend, he could reach major cities in just 20 to 30 minutes by car. This city is actually deeply connected to the American aerospace industry.

Downey once had aerospace facilities operated by NASA and North American Aviation, where the Apollo spacecraft was manufactured. Therefore, for local residents, Downey is not just a quiet suburban city but also a place with special significance in the history of American space development.

I remember my uncle telling this story and saying, "Isn't it amazing that a spacecraft that went to the moon was made in the city where I live?" Additionally, Downey holds an important place in fast food history. The world's first McDonald's opened here in 1953, and that building is still preserved and regarded as a tourist attraction.

One of the places that immigrants from my uncle's generation frequently visited was this McDonald's. At that time, dining out was not common, so taking the kids there to buy hamburgers was a great joy and a special memory.

As time passed, a large Mexican community settled in Downey, enriching the food and culture, and now it has transformed into a much more livable city with Korean supermarkets and restaurants.

However, according to my uncle, the Downey of the late 1970s symbolized a special land representing 'a new beginning in America.' Although everything was unfamiliar and awkward back then, it was that experience that allowed us to build our current lives.

Downey may now be an ordinary city between LA and Orange County, but for our family, it was the first settlement that holds the history of hope and challenge.