In August 2023, Netflix released a compelling documentary on the secrets of longevity titled Live to 100: Secrets of the Blue Zones. Longevity researcher Dan Buettner travels to regions around the world known for their high concentrations of centenarians, examining their lifestyles and shared habits. The concept of “Blue Zones” itself—referring to areas with unusually high longevity—was coined by Buettner.
The five Blue Zones he identified are Okinawa(Japan), Sardinia(Italy), Ikaria(Greece), Nicoya(Costa Rica), and Loma Linda(USA). Buettner distilled their longevity secrets into four key factors: natural daily movement, a healthy diet, strong social connections, and a sense of purpose. His message is clear—no matter how diligently one exercises or manages diet, a life lived in isolation without meaning cannot lead to healthy aging.
Loma Linda, the only Blue Zone in the United States, is located in San Bernardino County, about an hour’s drive east of Los Angeles. Residents there live, on average, seven to ten years longer than the national average, often maintaining good health well into their 90s.
What stands out is that their longevity is not rooted in cutting-edge medical technology or expensive health products. The key lies in a lifestyle shaped by community.
Many residents of Loma Linda are members of the Seventh-day Adventist Church, practicing a largely plant-based diet, abstaining from alcohol and tobacco, and observing a full day of rest each week. Yet more important than these habits is the connection between people. Within their church and community, they continuously build relationships, care for one another, and sustain a sense of purpose. In other words, Loma Linda is not a place where people strive to live healthily—it is a place where the environment makes healthy living inevitable.
![Korean American seniors practice harmonica performance in the Koreatown Senior & Community Center. [Courtesy of the center]](https://www.koreadailyus.com/wp-content/uploads/2026/03/0330-Hamonica.jpg)
At this point, one cannot help but think of the Koreatown Senior & Community Center in Los Angeles.
Since opening in 2013, the center has offered a wide range of free programs—singing, dance, musical instruments, English conversation, calligraphy—made possible by the dedication of volunteer instructors. Today, about 50 volunteers run more than 50 classes, serving roughly 1,500 seniors each week, or over 5,800 participants monthly.
Thirteen years on, the center has evolved beyond a place of learning into the very “center of life” for Korean American seniors. Here, they meet friends, continue learning, and rediscover a sense of purpose. A symbolic example is the harmonica class that gained national attention after performing the U.S. national anthem at an LA Kings game in 2025. This is not merely a hobby—it is a process of restoring meaning and self-worth within a community.
In many ways, this mirrors Loma Linda.
First, there is social connection. Isolation is one of the greatest threats to health, yet the senior center creates relationships. The simple act of seeing familiar faces daily, sharing laughter and conversation, is itself a form of health.
Second, there is purpose. Attending classes, preparing performances, and learning new skills create something to look forward to—an essential force that sustains life. This aligns closely with Loma Linda’s emphasis on living with purpose.
Third, there is mental stability and stress relief. Activities such as singing, dancing, and the arts go beyond hobbies—they serve a therapeutic function, much like the Sabbath rest observed in Loma Linda.
Ultimately, the Koreatown Senior Center already embodies many of the conditions of an “urban Blue Zone.” The challenge, however, is sustainability. The center relies entirely on donations for operating costs, limiting its ability to expand programs. Its greatest strength—being free—also makes it financially vulnerable and contributes to intense competition for enrollment.
As Loma Linda demonstrates, healthy aging is not merely a matter of individual will but a product of community structure. The task for the Korean American community in Los Angeles is therefore clear: to preserve and strengthen this community.
Supporting the senior center is not simply an act of charity. It is an investment in reducing loneliness, preventing illness, and restoring meaning in life.
We often look to hospitals or medicine for health. But Loma Linda suggests otherwise: health is created between people. And today, in the heart of Koreatown, that possibility is already becoming a reality.
By Mooyoung Lee
The author is a newsroom editor of the Korea Daily.
