LOS ANGELES – A rendition of the Star-Spangled Banner before a crowd of LA Kings fans by a group of Korean American senior harmonica players has captivated the hearts of sports fans nationwide.
With an average age of 80, members of Los Angeles’ Koreatown Senior & Community Center (KSCC) ensemble have become something of a good luck charm for the hockey team.
A video of their performance quickly went viral after being posted on the LA Kings’ official X (formerly Twitter) account, which boasts 1.14 million followers, and the NHL’s YouTube channel with 2.4 million subscribers. Media outlets both in the U.S. and Korea widely covered the story, turning the seniors into overnight sensations.
Their first official appearance was on March 23 at the LA Kings’ home game held at Crypto.com Arena in downtown Los Angeles. The event also celebrated “Ktown Heritage Night,” dedicated to showcasing the culture and traditions of Koreatown. Dressed in traditional Korean hanbok, the 14 ensemble members performance of the national anthem prompted more than 18,000 spectators to join in singing, creating a wave of emotion that swept through the stadium.
The LA Kings later invited the group back to perform again at the first and second playoff games held on April 21 and 23, respectively. This time, the ensemble took the stage wearing jerseys provided by the team. Coincidentally—or perhaps not—every game in which the seniors performed resulted in a Kings victory. The group quickly earned the nickname “Lucky Charm” among fans.
LA Kings head coach Jim Hiller even joked during a press conference after Game 1, “Maybe it was the national anthem performance that helped us win today.” Interestingly, following the three games with harmonica performances, the team went on to lose consecutive matches, further solidifying the seniors’ status as good-luck talismans.
The Koreatown Senior & Community Center is the only community facility of its kind within Koreatown. Established in 2011 with $1.9 million in funding from the City of Los Angeles and an additional $600,000 raised by local organizations and leaders, the center now serves over 1,500 people annually. It offers more than 40 classes per semester, ranging from English and exercise to calligraphy—most of which are taught by volunteers.
Executive Director Kwanil Park shared, “In the early days, it was difficult to find volunteer instructors, but now even students from UCLA and USC are stepping up, greatly improving the variety and quality of our programs. On registration days, it’s common to see people lining up in the early morning.”
The harmonica ensemble, led by Chairperson Young-shin Shin, is now in its seventh year and is composed mostly of members who joined at its inception. While the group initially had an outside volunteer instructor, they now practice independently every Tuesday and have developed excellent coordination. In addition to the center’s regular recitals, the group is often invited to perform at local churches and community events. Last year, they performed at the LA City Council, receiving a standing ovation from both council members and citizens.
Carol Jung (77), who has participated in all three major performances, said, “I don’t know much about ice hockey, but hearing that the Kings won every game we played at made me feel so proud. Most of all, I’m grateful we could represent the Korean American community.”
Other members echoed her sentiment, saying, “It was truly the highlight of my life. Even now, thinking back brings tears to my eyes. If we get another chance, we’ll do even better.”
According to KSCCLA, following the Kings performances, major U.S. media outlets—including The Washington Post, LA Times, ESPN, TNT, and NPR—covered the story extensively. Korean media also praised the ensemble for playing the U.S. national anthem at a major hockey game, emphasizing the contributions of first-generation Korean immigrant grandmothers.
Chairperson Shin commented, “Despite the fact that ice hockey is an unfamiliar sport for many of us, and the arena was packed with nearly 20,000 people, our members performed magnificently. I’m extremely proud of them.” She added, “I believe audiences saw the dedication, spirit, and patriotism of immigrants through our harmonica performance. We’ll continue striving to create more opportunities like this to share our culture.”
Meanwhile, to mark Mother’s Day on May 6, the LA Kings organization visited the senior center and delivered a donation of $15,200 raised by the team’s fans, along with gifts for the members. It marked the first time a professional sports team has made a donation to the center.
