(코리아타운뉴스) Koreatown House Parties Infested With Drugs

Party venues are disguised as recording studios
Drug use runs rampant even during broad daylight

In a central area of Los Angeles Koreatown, house parties providing illegal drugs are running rampant. A party of such a kind is usually called “happa.”

The drug users usually attend the house parties after purchasing the substances at an “after club.” Many of them attend the parties to enjoy the drugs beyond the 2 a.m. curfew placed on bars and clubs in L.A.

Their usual route begins from “G club” in Downtown L.A. from 2 to 6 a.m.,
followed by going to a “J club” in Hollywood in the early morning.

“It’s easy to buy drugs at after clubs as there are at least three to four dealers there without any law enforcement,” said Justin Kim (pseudonym). “They don’t sell alcohol at after clubs, but people there usually come in drunk anyway, so it’s the best place to do drugs.”

The illegal drugs used can be divided into three different kinds—E, G and K. All three substances, sold for $80 per bottle, are designed to be mixed in beverages. It ensures up to 12 hours of intoxication.

E, better known as ecstasy, is often used as the first line drug to get its user hyped up. It is then followed by G, which is composed of substances to drive up the user’s emotions. Then, K was designed to normalize the drug user’s emotional state.

Many “happa-goers” commonly enjoy E and G at an after club before gathering at the “house party” during the next day for the K stage.

“Happa parties are held at homes with a clear system for drug users to enjoy abusing substances,” a witness said. “The difference between normal house parties and happas is the presence of drug dealers and hosts at the party. I know that there are about three to four places with such a system in L.A. Koreatown. The house parties are usually hosted with an impeccable soundproof system, so it’s impossible to tell from the outside what is going on inside.”

The rumor is that many of the so called house parties are attended by employees of illegal establishments designed for the nightlife culture in Koreatown. Many of those employees get off work after 2 a.m., making it easier for them to find their solace at such an environment.

It is obviously difficult for the law enforcement to be involved given how quite the “house parties” seem from the outside.

“Those who attend these house parties are more likely to come out on the streets and commit a serious crime,” said a police officer. “It’s difficult to enforce the law on this as the drugs are being used inside homes and not in a public setting. Anyone who sees a large group of people go in and out, while seemingly involved in suspicious activities, are encouraged to call the police.”


By Woosoo Lee