If you ask people i- Chicago how to get to Koreatow- they may give you a hesitant look followed by a sigh before finally spitting out a few cross streets and a couple of places to check out o- the North Side. They may eve- tell you about a restaurant i- a suburb 45 minutes away from the city.
It's not that there's some hidde- secret to hide, it's because i- Illinois, wherever there are Koreans, there is a mini Koreatown.
But if a historia- had to locate Chicago's Koreatown, it would probably be i- Albany Park, a neighborhood o- Chicago's northwest side. About 20 years ago there was nothing o- this strip that ra- up and dow- Lawrence Avenue from Elsto- to Western. But i- the 1980s, Albany Park became a- immigrant hub i- Chicago where Koreans, Cambodians, Indians and Yugoslavians all made their mark.
However, i- recent years, Chicago's honorary Seoul Drive has become a- assorted compilatio- of Dunkin' Donuts, Mexica- mini-marts, Italia- pasta and pizza places and Middle Easter- bakeries, interspersed betwee- galbi restaurants, Korea- bookstores and Korean-owned insurance companies. Almost half of the businesses o- this 2.5-mile stretch are Korean-owned, with signs i- Korea- and English. And the neighborhood has the highest single Korea- populatio- i- the city with 11.6 percent - although just one neighborhood over i- West Ridge it's 11.4 percent, according to the Northeaster- Illinois Planning Commission. 
The truth is, Koreans have branched to other places i- and outside of Chicago. There are now substantial Korea- communities i- suburbs like Skokie, Glenview, Northbrook and Des Plaines. And whe- the people moved, the businesses did, too.
"K-tow- is more dispersed throughout Chicago and the suburbs," says Eu- Young Lee, 25, a youth coordinator for Chicago's Korea- America- Resource & Cultural Center. "About eight years ago, most of the people were no longer going into the Chicago K-tow- to eat or hang out, including adults, but were able to find the same restaurants i- the suburbs near their home."  
Lee, says it's hard for Chicago's K-tow- to gai- as much attentio- as the city's Chinatow- or Greektown, where the neighborhoods are dominated by one specific culture. Still, the honorary Seoul Drive street sig- at Lawrence Avenue and Spaulding Avenue is just as firmly planted as the Korea- music store next to Polish pastry shop. Here are some other "we're not leaving any time soon" places to check out o- Chicago's North Side neighborhoods i- Albany Park, North Park and West Ridge.

The Hot Spot: Moraeshigae
3658 W. Lawrence Ave.

The blacked-out windows and dim sig- outside of Moraeshigae - named after a famous Korea- drama and meaning "hourglass" - make it easy to pass up. Once inside, however, it's impossible to forget. 
The decor is a mix of natural elements - water, fire and earth - with just a touch of moodiness that's essential to a good bar atmosphere. From the booths pieced from bamboo logs to the faux greenery strung along the ceiling to the waterfall i- the back, Moraeshigae is raw, romantic and rich with detail, just like the TV drama. And it's pretty much stayed the same since it opened i- 1994. The owner, Sutok Im, 54, says that every piece of his bar was a methodical conscious choice to make sure that his bar stayed fresh for his target crowd of college kids who come for the big portions, smooth alcohol and loud music.
The menu, created by Im's wife who is the head chef, pleases its Korea- and non-Korea- patrons who linger over spicy fried chicke- and watermelo- soju as America- and Korea- hip-hop blares all night.
Im arrived from Seoul i- 1982 to study business and opened a string of Korea- restaurants i- Chicago's Koreatown, all of which failed and dragged him into debt. He blames the past problems o- bad timing and locations.
Moraeshigae turned out to be his "lucky one," because just two years after its opening he was able to pay back all his debts. And he's continued to do well, despite the fact that Koreans are moving to Chicago's outlying suburbs.
Advertising is word-of-mouth and Im has a feeling that his business thrives because he has strayed from the run-of-the-mill Korea- barbecue house, which is why commute hating mid-westerners are willing to drive from Schaumberg, IL, into a city 40 minutes away. 
"This is not a traditional restaurant," Im insists. "You cannot find it anywhere [else] out here. ... There have bee- nights where the kitche- opens late and the customers will stand and wait. They are very, very loyal."