Incheon's Chinatown reflects history

On the busy streets of South Korea's biggest Chinatown in Incheon stands Gonghwachun, a Chinese restaurants popular among tourists to the area. "We hold pride in our 100-year history," its sign reads.

Not many are aware that the restaurant is in fact owned by a Korean, and has no direct link to the original Gonghwachun (1912-83), the legendary restaurant considered to be the first in South Korea to offer jajangmyeon, the beloved localized Chinese noodle dish.

If Wang Ae-joo, the granddaughter of the Chinese founder of the original Gonghwachun, and her mother had known more about Korean law, Wang would have owned the right to the name of her family business, which lasted for three generations.