[tang45srh]

My wife and I would like to relocate to the state. And with that I'am doing the research into cost of living,pay scale,etc.. A real sticking point is the need to be near a large Korean population. I.E. shopping, church's,etc.. Yes she is korean and we have kids.
I have been looking thru the threads all over this site and many thanks to those of you who have given so much clear and concise information .

[sunrico90]

Might want to look close to the USAF and Army bases. Many families are from Korea and they some what establish a community.

Bases in Florida include:
Satellite Beach (Patrick AFB)
Tampa (Macdill AFB)
Fort Walton Beach (Eglin AFB and Hurlburt Field)

[eureka1]

This is NOT fresh information but for what it's worth, about 15 years ago my boss retired and after searching the country extensively (Austin, Oklahoma City ) for a place where his Vietnamese wife and children would feel comfortable and have access to Asian markets etc they settled in Oviedo, which is in the Orlando area. You might check it out. Good luck!

[cmsvmom]

There are directories of where you can find Korean churches on the Presbyterian (PCUSA) website. Methodists may have them as well. That would give you a good indication of where in florida there is a sufficient Korean population to support a congregation.

[LingLing]

Port St. Lucie. There is a Korean Church and supermarket. My favorite restaurant is a Korean restaurant. Everyone is very nice. I am sure Orlando and Fort Lauderdale have Korean churches and markets too but I don't know them personally.

[Alphaman]

In Orlando there is a section on Colonial from Bumby until just pass mills that has a Korean/Asian culture maybe someone who lives over in that area could give you more information.

[compelled to reply]

There is a corner of Hollywood, FL around Hollywood Boulevard and S.R.7 that has a large amount of Korean businesses, churches, grocers, and what not, although there are a lot of other ethnic and non ethnic businesses in the area. What's strange is that there isn't much of an Asian population at all in Hollywood (even in that area), but theres a large and extensive population of most east Asians (or just about any other group) to the west in the newer suburban community of Pembroke Pines, exceeding 15% in the school systems of some of the far western communities. I assume perhaps a lot of the business owners live in the nicer area and settled their businesses in that area because it was less expensive and close by. This is located outside of Fort Lauderdale, and Pembroke Pines itself is a crowded, cookie cutter, but generally clean bedroom community with low crime, decent schools in the western areas (good elementary schools in the entire city), and bears a resemblance to any newer suburban area around the U.S. Also, it's the most diverse suburban city I have ever seen, there is literally no reason for a person of any race of culture to feel uncomfortable there as no group dominates and people actually tend to get along.

Also, in Orlando, the Mills Ave. corridor was burgeoning with Vietnamese, Chinese and Korean businesses. Not a great place to live though, although Winter Park is nice and not far. Also, around Tampa, the "New Tampa" area is starting to emerge with many east Asian businesses, and that is a clean place to locate.

[Crane's Rooster]

There are multiple Korean churches and supermarkets in Orlando (one the size of a Publix.) However, my old korean high school buddies tell me the community is not huge. The larger Asian populations in Florida are in the Tampa Bay area, Orlando and Jax. South Florida has a good number but because it's such a huge metro, land and population wise it seems like there are alot smaller of a community there. The largest ethnic population in Orlando are Vietnamese, than Korean, than Filipino, than all others(that's just my best guestimate). There is a substantial Asian business community along Colonial/Mills but the Korean supermarkets are more in the area of Edgewater drive, Altamonte and Apopka.

[riveree]

There is a good-sized Korean population in Jacksonville.

There is at least one Korean church (could be more, but I only know of the one some friends attend), there are Korean grocers, market stalls at the farmers markets, and of course Korean restaurants.

Most of the Asian population here seems to be comprised of Korean and Phillipine with some Vietnamese.

If you do choose to take a look at Jax, I think you'll find a lot of the Korean population in a part of town called "Intracoastal West". IW is in the Southside region of the city, just to the west of the Intracoastal Waterway - it's a very nice part of the city too.

[tcar509]

I live in Hollywood Fl (between Miami and Ft Lauderdale, I have never seen a Korean Community here.
tcar509