But their predictions haven't materialized, and Korean food only inches forward in American food consciousness, never joining the ranks of Thai, Vietnamese, and Japanese. This seems to be fine with Korean Americans, if the location of true Korean restaurants is any evidence. The best ones are isolated within Korean communities.
Korean food remains ghettoized for a number of reasons, both culinary and cultural.
Centuries of oppression, especially from Japan, may be one of the reasons that Koreans seem to keep their cuisine a secret. Tokyo Garden teriyaki on the Ave, for example, is actually Korean-owned and serves a few cheap and tasty Korean specialties, listed at the bottom of the menu. Minami Teriyaki on Broadway serves three or four Korean dishes, but you'll have to ask what they are because most of their names are only found posted on the wall in Korean. Secrecy was not the attitude of John, the super-charming waiter who served me and the friends I brought to Hanil Garden, in the International District. John was our cultural ambassador in this rambling, empty establishment.