Hwang, a Korean man in his 60s living in Pacific Palisades, was on a business trip to the East Coast when he received an urgent call from a neighbor in the early hours of the 8th: “A wildfire broke out yesterday, and our house is completely gone. Is your home safe?”

Shocked, Hwang contacted his wife and daughter, who had evacuated to a hotel in Koreatown, to check on their home. Rushing back, his wife discovered their house had been completely consumed by the fire, leaving only the skeletal remains of the structure. Devastated, Hwang said, "In the end, we leave this world empty-handed. The only solace is that my family is safe and unharmed."

As simultaneous wildfires continue to ravage the Los Angeles area for the third consecutive day, entire neighborhoods are left looking like war zones. Korean residents are among those grappling with devastating losses, particularly in severely affected areas like Pacific Palisades and Altadena.

Yoo, a Korean woman who moved to Altadena two years ago with her husband, is among the victims. The couple had remodeled their home extensively, with Yoo's husband putting his craftsmanship into every corner of the house in preparation for retirement. When the Eaton Fire forced them to evacuate to a relative's home early on the 8th, they later learned their home had been completely destroyed. Fighting back tears, Yoo said, "Every part of the house bore my husband’s touch. Losing our retirement haven overnight is devastating. We’ve reached out to our insurance company to discuss compensation."

KakaoTalk group chats used by Koreans are flooded with messages sharing updates about destroyed homes or checking on friends and family impacted by the fires. The Korean Consulate in Los Angeles is also working to gather information on affected residents and devise support measures. Consul Kang explained, “A 20-year-old Korean international student in Pacific Palisades called on the 8th, saying they had to evacuate immediately without packing and are now staying at a friend’s home. When they returned, they found all their belongings, including their passport, destroyed. They’ve requested assistance.”

As of January 9, the worst wildfires in the LA region continue to burn for the third straight day. While firefighting efforts have made progress in some inland areas, coastal fires remain uncontrollable, with additional fires bringing the total to seven active blazes. According to the Los Angeles Times, more than 9,000 structures have been destroyed, including over 5,300 homes in Pacific Palisades alone.

Evacuation orders have been issued for approximately 200,000 people across the metropolitan area due to the growing threat of fire spread and toxic smoke inhalation. The number of evacuees in LA County has surged from about 155,000 on the night of the 8th to nearly 180,000 on the 9th. Additionally, nearly 200,000 residents are currently under "evacuation warning" status, according to the LA Sheriff’s Department.

<Hwang, Eui-kyung>