For many Koreans of a certain age, the sound of a harmonica evokes memories of youth and their homeland. It also serves as a poignant reminder of the life they left behind when they emigrated in pursuit of new opportunities.
Donna Lee, now 80 years old, is one such individual. Growing up in Seoul, she learned to play the harmonica in music class as a child. Her journey led her to immigrate to the United States, eventually settling in Southern California`s Koreatown, where she still resides. Before retiring, she dedicated nearly three decades to working at a local hospital.
Retirement brought boredom and a desire for more engagement. This led her to the Koreatown Senior and Community Center of Los Angeles (KSCC). The center provides classes and activities, allowing Lee and her peers to fully enjoy the life they worked so hard to build. In 2023, she joined the center`s harmonica class, where they dedicated significant time to practicing `The Star-Spangled Banner`.
“We practice weekly for one or two hours,” Lee shared. “We`ve done this almost every week and have played the anthem so many times I`ve lost count.”
Given Los Angeles is home to the nation`s largest Korean community, the class began receiving invitations to perform at local events. In January, the Los Angeles Kings hockey team reached out to the KSCC, inviting the harmonica group to perform in March as part of their Korean heritage night celebration.
Their performance was so well-received that it led to an invitation to play the national anthem before Game 1 of the Kings` first-round playoff series against the Edmonton Oilers on April 21. Donna Lee and twelve of her classmates, dressed in beautiful traditional Korean clothing called hanbok, delivered their performance. It immediately went viral, and the Kings won that game.
The popularity continued to surge, resulting in an invitation to perform again at Game 2. This not only gained them more fans but also coincided with another Kings victory, giving the team a 2-0 series lead. Since these performances, the group has become a sensation, capturing the attention not only of the hockey world and Southern California but also generating buzz back in South Korea.
“I never could have imagined any of this would happen,” Lee reflected.
In just two years, the KSCC harmonica class transformed from practicing the national anthem within a classroom to performing in front of an audience of 18,000 on heritage night. While that was already considered the experience of a lifetime, the invitation to perform at a Stanley Cup playoff game – not just once, but twice – was extraordinary. Witnessing nearly everyone in the arena sing along and observing the social media frenzy, with fans clamoring for their return at future home games, propelled the experience into something far grander.
This unexpected fame transcends hockey, touching upon something deeper and more meaningful for Kwan-Il Park, the KSCC`s executive director and a former political journalist in South Korea.
“There haven`t been many opportunities for the Korean community and the mainstream community to connect in this way,” Park explained through interpreter Sandra Choi, a KSCC volunteer. He emphasized a key factor: “The harmonica is not an expensive instrument. It costs $15 or $20; it`s an everyday instrument accessible to everyone.”
Park believes that performing the national anthem with such a universally accessible instrument created a powerful moment, allowing the group to feel deeply connected to their cultural roots while simultaneously honoring the country they have called home for many years.
“We have often been perceived as outsiders, as immigrants facing cultural and language barriers,” Park stated. “You come here and work continuously for 30 or 40 years. But this time, we had the chance to stand `shoulder-to-shoulder` as Korean Americans, not just as immigrants, performing in front of 20,000 people. I struggle to find the right words to describe that feeling.”
Park provided context on Korean immigration to the U.S., noting the first wave arrived in 1903, often settling in Pacific coast cities. A second significant wave followed the Korean War in the 1950s, contributing to the current landscape where approximately 2 million Koreans reside in the U.S. While major cities like Chicago, New York City, and Washington D.C. have significant Korean populations, Los Angeles holds the largest, with 17% of all Korean Americans living there, according to data from the Pew Research Center.
So, why is performing the national anthem specifically on a harmonica so resonant? It`s because the instrument itself creates a tangible link between the life they knew in Korea and the life they built for themselves and future generations in America.
Yong-Sin Shin, chairperson of the KSCC, shared that in South Korea, a specific generation of children were introduced to the harmonica in the second grade as part of their music education. Although they might have played for a few years, many stopped after immigrating to the U.S.
For the members of the KSCC group, rediscovering the harmonica reconnected them with those cherished childhood memories.
Sandra Choi added that for many older Koreans, playing the harmonica offered a rare opportunity for relaxation, a luxury often unavailable to a generation dedicated to working tirelessly to support their families. “I would find a harmonica in my house because my dad had one,” Choi recalled. “When he played it, it somehow touched my soul and brought back memories of my childhood as a Korean American. Even though I wasn`t born in Korea, the instrument, its tone, and the songs played on it create a shared connection for all of us.”
Shin explained that the KSCC was established with the primary goal of providing older generations of Koreans a place to find community and offer enriching classes for their later years. Initially, the center offered only five classes per week. Today, it has expanded significantly, hosting 47 different classes from Monday through Friday, attracting nearly 1,500 people weekly.
These classes cover a wide range of subjects, from practical skills essential for daily life to various hobbies. For instance, the KSCC offers multiple English classes for improving speaking and writing, as well as beginner and intermediate courses on using smartphones.
However, arguably the most treasured offering in the KSCC curriculum is the 11:10 a.m. Wednesday harmonica class, which lasts for 50 minutes.
Shin noted the harmonica class began in 2021. Initially, the group practiced for many weeks before feeling confident enough to perform publicly. Their first performances were at KSCC events like Mother`s Day, Thanksgiving, or Seollal (Korean Lunar New Year in February). The class`s profile began to grow notably when they were invited to perform at Los Angeles City Hall in 2023.
“Our senior harmonica class performed in front of 100 people at City Hall, and everyone really enjoyed it,” Shin said. “So, we continued performing at our senior center events, and they improved steadily, which led to more invitations to play the harmonica.”
One point that Park, Shin, and Choi (even speaking outside her interpreter role) all agree on is the utter surprise surrounding the harmonica class`s performance and the rapid surge in its popularity.
“My child is in high school, and even she showed me the viral clip,” Choi recounted. “She asked, `Isn`t this the place where we volunteer?`”
Part of the reason for their surprise can be seen in the stark contrast between their early performances and the playoff appearance. It`s difficult to find videos of the group`s first performance for the Kings during the regular season.
Compare that to the playoffs, where the national anthem was televised across North America.
While anthem singers routinely attract attention, a dozen or so Korean senior citizens performing with harmonicas is inherently distinctive and was bound to capture interest both within and outside the sport.
And it did exactly that, leading to the invitation for Game 2. This time, instead of traditional hanbok, they wore LA Kings jerseys, facing even higher expectations now that the public knew what a unique performance to anticipate.
Their captivating performances sparked numerous comments on social media, ranging from declarations like “Oilers comeback bid was cool but you ain`t beating the Kings in the house that the Korean Harmonica Grannies built” to a playfully competitive Oilers fan asking, “Does anyone in the Edmonton Korean Community play Harmonica? We need to fight fire with fire here.”
Reflecting on the experience, Lee said she and her classmates felt no nervousness. “It was my first time ever going to the arena because of the performance. So many people seemed surprised, and we just enjoyed the wonderful atmosphere of the arena. It was a huge place with so many people. We felt the performance went well, and we had done a lot of preparation and practice for the national anthem.”
Lee mentioned she had never watched a Kings game before but decided to stay for Game 1 and immediately became a fan. Some class members stayed to watch, while others returned home.
But now?
“We`re all L.A. Kings fans now!” she exclaimed with a laugh.
Lee and Park shared that they`ve heard from family and friends in South Korea, surprised that their performance made headlines back home. This was another unexpected dimension to their experience, further highlighting the increased visibility of Korean culture on a global stage.
The Kings joined other prominent Los Angeles sports teams like the Lakers, Dodgers, and Clippers in hosting a Korean heritage night. Similarly, the Rams and Chargers have organized initiatives during Asian American and Pacific Islander (AAPI) Month.
This moment aligns with a broader trend of Korean culture – including food, film, music, and television – gaining significant traction and mainstream recognition worldwide.
“We have K-pop, K-drama, K-food, K-beauty,” Lee stated with pride, “and now we have K-seniors!”
