A photo taken around 2017

If you've been around the Vermont and Olympic area in LA's Koreatown, you probably remember Hodori Snack Bar.

It's not a flashy or trendy restaurant, yet somehow this place has just been there all along.

For decades, it has remained in the same spot with the same name.

While there has been much talk on Radio Korea about the closing of the pork ribs and potato soup specialty restaurant Hamjibak on 6th Street, Hodori Snack Bar is still open for business.

When you hear the name Hodori, it brings to mind the mascot of the 1988 Seoul Olympics, and it's widely assumed that the name of this snack bar comes from that.

As far as I remember, it was already Hodori Snack Bar nearly 30 years ago in 1998, and back then, just like now, it was a place where students and local workers would stop by for a quick meal.

As is typical for this neighborhood, Vermont and Olympic have always been bustling with people and changes.

Stores have opened and closed repeatedly, and signs have changed frequently with the trends.

Yet, Hodori Snack Bar has not undergone significant changes. The menu, featuring items like kimbap, tteokbokki, and ramen, has not varied much, and the taste remains consistent with my memories. They haven't aimed for upscale dining; they have simply maintained the essence of Korean and snack foods.

Thinking of the neighboring restaurant brings the passage of time into sharper focus. It used to be Nakwon Restaurant, which was open 24 hours.

A Google Maps photo from 2025 - You can see that the Hodori Snack Bar sign has been changed to an LED electronic sign.

It was a place where taxi drivers and night workers would often be seen, especially when you were hungry late at night or in the early morning.

It used to fill you up with hearty dishes like soup and rice, but at some point, it closed down and has now been replaced by a pho restaurant.

I remember feeling that, as the Nakwon Restaurant sign disappeared, Koreatown was gradually changing.

The changes on this street reflect the overall flow of Koreatown.

Korean restaurants and snack bars are disappearing one by one, while pho shops and other Asian restaurants are taking their place, slowly altering the landscape.

Amidst all this, the fact that places like Hodori Snack Bar are still around is strangely comforting.

Even if it doesn't make it to social media as a hot spot, for someone, it remains a place that connects them to memories from 20 or 30 years ago.

These days, when I pass by the Hodori Snack Bar sign, it brings back memories of when I first came to LA, feeling awkward with my English and finding comfort in a roll of kimbap on unfamiliar streets.

Though the city and its people continue to change, it feels like this one enduring shop is holding onto a piece of Koreatown's history.