For many Koreans of a certain generation, the harmonica brings back memories of their youth and homeland. Decades spent away, however, pursuing new lives often meant leaving such simple joys behind.
This was true for Donna Lee. Now 80, she reflects on growing up in Seoul, where she learned the harmonica in school. She later immigrated to the United States, settling in Koreatown near downtown Los Angeles, where she still resides. After nearly 30 years working at a local hospital, retirement left her seeking something more.
Her search led her to the Koreatown Senior and Community Center of Los Angeles (KSCC). The center provided Lee and others a place to connect and enjoy life after years of hard work. In 2023, she joined the harmonica class, where she and her classmates diligently practiced `The Star-Spangled Banner.`
Lee commented, “We practice for one or two hours weekly. We`ve played it so many times, I can`t count.”
Given Los Angeles` large Korean population, the class received requests to perform locally. In January, the LA Kings invited the KSCC harmonica class to play during the team`s Korean heritage night in March.
Their performance was so well-received that they were asked to play the national anthem before Game 1 of the Kings` first-round playoff series against the Edmonton Oilers on April 21. Lee and 12 classmates, dressed in traditional Korean hanbok, delivered a performance that immediately captivated online audiences and coincided with a Kings victory.
The group`s popularity exploded, leading to an invitation for Game 2. Not only did they gain more fans, but the Kings also won again, taking a 2-0 series lead. They have since become a sensation, drawing attention across the hockey world, Southern California, and even South Korea. The group was scheduled to perform again for Game 5 on April 29.
“I could never have imagined this would happen,” Lee shared.
In just two years, the KSCC harmonica class transitioned from practicing the national anthem in a classroom to performing for 18,000 fans on heritage night.
That was already an unforgettable experience. But being invited to a Stanley Cup playoff game, not once but twice? And witnessing nearly everyone in the arena sing along, sparking a social media frenzy with fans clamoring for their return every home game?
This goes beyond hockey; it`s a profoundly meaningful moment for Kwan-Il Park, a retired South Korean political journalist who now directs the KSCC.
Through interpreter Sandra Choi, a KSCC volunteer, Park noted, “There haven`t been many opportunities for the Korean community and the mainstream community to connect like this. A key factor is that the harmonica is affordable, just $15 or $20, an instrument accessible to everyone.”
Park explained that performing the national anthem on such a universal instrument allowed the class members to honor their adopted home while feeling deeply connected to their heritage.
Park stated, “We`ve often been seen as outsiders, immigrants facing cultural and language barriers. You come here and work tirelessly for 30 or 40 years. This time, we stood shoulder-to-shoulder as Korean Americans, not just immigrants, performing before 20,000 people. The feeling is indescribable.”
Park mentioned that the first wave of Korean immigration to the U.S. began in 1903, often to coastal cities. A second wave followed the Korean War in the 1950s, contributing to today`s landscape where nearly 2 million Koreans reside in the U.S.
Although large Korean communities exist in Chicago, New York City, and Washington D.C., Los Angeles boasts the largest, home to 17% of all Korean Americans, according to the Pew Research Center.
So, why is playing the national anthem on a harmonica so special? It bridges the life they once knew with the one they built for themselves and future generations.
KSCC chairperson Yong-Sin Shin explained that a generation of children growing up in South Korea were introduced to the harmonica in second-grade music class. While some played for a few more years, many stopped after moving to the U.S.
For the group at the KSCC, the harmonica reconnected them with those earlier times.
Choi noted that for many older Koreans, playing the harmonica offered a chance to relax, a rarity for a group that dedicated years to supporting their families.
Choi shared, “I would find a harmonica at my house because my dad had one. When he played it, it somehow resonated with my childhood as a Korean American. Even though I`m not from Korea, the sound and songs create a connection for all of us.”
Shin stated the KSCC was founded to provide community and fulfilling classes for older Koreans in their later years.
Initially, the KSCC offered five classes weekly. Now, the center provides 47 classes Monday through Friday, attracting nearly 1,500 people weekly, according to Shin.
Classes range from practical skills like improving English speaking and writing or learning smartphone use (beginner and intermediate levels) to hobby-based subjects.
Perhaps the most celebrated class at the KSCC is the 11:10 a.m. Wednesday harmonica session, lasting 50 minutes.
Shin recalled the harmonica class began in 2021. After weeks of practice, they started public performances at center events like Mother`s Day, Thanksgiving, or Seollal (Korean Lunar New Year). Their profile grew significantly after an invitation to perform at Los Angeles City Hall in 2023.
Shin recounted, “Our senior harmonica class performed for 100 people, and everyone loved it. So, we kept performing at our senior center events, they improved, and we started getting more invitations to play the harmonica.”
Park, Shin, and Choi (even when not interpreting) all agree on one point regarding the class`s performance and sudden fame: Nobody anticipated it.
Choi shared, “I have a child in high school, and she even showed me the clip because it was so viral. She asked, `Isn`t this where we volunteer?`”
Part of the surprise stems from the limited visibility of their initial Kings performance during the regular season. Contrast this with the playoffs, where the anthem was televised nationally in North America.
While anthem performers often get attention, seeing a dozen elderly Korean citizens playing harmonicas was uniquely captivating and guaranteed to draw interest both within and outside the sport.
And it did. They were invited back for Game 2, this time wearing Kings jerseys instead of hanbok, facing even higher expectations now that their performance was widely known.
Their appearances inspired social media comments ranging from playful banter like “Oilers comeback bid was cool but you ain`t beating the Kings in the house that the Korean Harmonica Grannies built” to requests from opposing fans like “Does anyone in the Edmonton Korean Community play Harmonica? We need to fight fire with fire here.”
Lee described their experience: “We were not nervous. It was my first time at the arena because of the performance. So many people were surprised, and we just enjoyed the wonderful arena. It was a big place with a lot of people. We thought the performance was good, and we had done a lot of preparation and practicing for the national anthem.”
Lee had never watched a Kings game before but stayed for Game 1 and became an instant fan. While some classmates stayed and others left, she confirmed a collective shift in allegiance.
Now? “We`re all L.A. Kings fans now!” she declared with a laugh.
Lee and Park noted they`ve heard from family and friends in South Korea about the performance making headlines there—another unexpected outcome that amplifies the visibility of Korean culture.
The Kings joined other LA teams like the Lakers, Dodgers, and Clippers in hosting a Korean heritage night. The Rams and Chargers have also supported initiatives during Asian American and Pacific Islander (AAPI) Month.
This increased visibility coincides with Korean food, film, music (K-pop), and television (K-drama) gaining mainstream popularity.
Lee concluded, “We have K-pop, K-drama, K-food, K-beauty — and now we have K-seniors.”
Rupert Hartwell