Koreatown

"**Koreatown**" is the sixth episode in the first season of *City of Ghosts*. It is the sixth episode overall.

## Synopsis

The team interviews Yulissa, who teaches Oaxacan music. She's looking for her missing friend, Chepe, a colorful ghost who communicates by whistling.

## Plot

We start with Zelda talking into Peter's tuba, and then asking us what we would do if we lost our very best friend. Peter then shows as a map of Koreatown, where he lives. He talks about his music class, where many of the students are mexican. Ms. Yulissa talks about Oaxacan music, and how her father would drag her to his music lessons, but she learned to love it. She also talks about how difficult it is to be a female latina music teacher. She tells the Ghost Club about her friend Chepe, and then explains that Chepe is a ghost. She was going to tell him that she got into college, but she couldn't find him.

They all gather at Peter's favorite comic book store, instead of the library, where Yulissa explains that Chepe is from Oaxaca, and speaks Zapotec, but usually talks through whistles (and she says that many Oaxacan people like to talk this way). She draws a picture of him, so they print out flyers at John's shop, and hang them up all over town. When a woman's dog eats one of the flyers, she tells them that she knows something about Chepe.

She introduces herself as Lena, and says that the poster spoke to her. She explains that she is taking a class for Zapotec, so they all go to her teacher. Felipe, the teacher says the poster looks like an alebrije, a type of Oaxacan sculpture. He says that whistling is very common in Oaxaca, as that's what he and all the other people in Oaxaca. He then talks about how he believes people go to Lyobaa when they die, and also explains the Day of the Dead; this is conveyed through peg dolls and a colorful background. Now at the music store, they wait with their instruments and a bowl of chips.

Lena said she heard whistling at her favorite Korean restaurant. WHen they turn on the vent, Chepe starts to whistle, and the teacher translates to say that he wants barbecue. Chepe peers out of the vent, and he and the teacher have a conversation, until he comes out of the vent.

Zelda and Chepe continue talking with Felipet as a translator, and Chepe explains that he didn't mean to stay in the vent, but he loves how it makes the whistling sound. He also explains that he doesn't know what he'll do when Yulissa goes to college. The kids tell him to talk to her, instead of hiding. The two Korean restaurant workers ask if they found Chepe, and then tell them to bring Yulissa over, so she can talk with Chepe. The two of them start eating barbecue together, and Yulissa reassures Chepe that she won't move because she loves where she lives.

They all gather for Yulissa's graduation party, where the kids play their instruments. The episode then ends.

## Characters

### Major Characters

* Zelda
* Peter
* Yulissa
* Lena
* Chepe
* Felipe

### Minor Characters

* Thomas
* Eva
* Jasper
* John
* KBBQ Owner 1
* KBBQ Owner 2
* Korean drumming group

### Mentioned or Pictured

* Yulissa's dad (mentioned)
* Jordan (voice heard)
* Bob Baker (mentioned and pictured)

## Trivia

* This episode's intro is composed of band music and whistling, which is done to mirror the band class playing and Chepe's whistling.
* This is the first episode to feature a colorful ghost.

### Cultural References

* Ms. Yulissa teaches Oaxacan music, and this is shown throughout the episode.
* The teacher references the Oaxacan art form Alebrije.