In a narrow alley in Changsin-dong, in Seoul's Jongno district, Nepali restaurants, spice shops and grocers form a distinct block. The lettering on the signs and the goods on the shelves declare its character.

Many of the owners came to Korea as migrant workers or students and settled. Most began as restaurants for compatriots before their custom widened.

How a block forms

Such districts usually grow around cheap rent, transport access and one shop that arrived first. Supply of ingredients and word-of-mouth hiring then circulate within the alley, and density builds.

Seoul already has food streets of several nationalities: the Chinese-speaking commercial areas of Daerim-dong and Garibong-dong, and the South Asian and Middle Eastern quarters around Itaewon.

The fragility of such districts

These areas are also vulnerable to redevelopment and rising rents. Density is the competitive advantage, so the loss of a few shops can scatter the rest.

The pattern overlaps with what Chinese communities in Korea have long experienced. The changing fortunes of Incheon's Chinatown and of Daerim-dong are the examples usually cited.