Top 10 Differences between Japan and South Korea

So I got this question from Jasmine. I'm thinking about studying in Japan or South Korea. What do you think is the difference? I'm glad you asked me that, Jasmine. I love Korean culture, food, music, and the beautiful women. Yeah, they are really hot. But maybe you are not sure about our difference like Jasmine wondering which country should I go? That's actually a really common question because we have many similarities just like Canada and the US. Language, demographics, and especially people. Yeah, we are quite alike just like twins. Maybe most people can't tell which one is Japanese or Korean. But actually, we are quite different in many ways. Okay, let's start with the most obvious one. The women in both countries are beauty conscious but it's much more common in South Korea. So many young women have experienced some sort of a cosmetic procedure. Seems like it's completely acceptable for women in the society. In Japan, on the other hand, nearly 70% of the women in their 20s and 30s think that it's not okay according to a survey. Although some women definitely do that, it's kind of still taboo in Japan, I think. Many Japanese women told me that it's a shame you change your natural face. So I would say Korean women are even more beauty conscious than Japanese women. Actually, not just women but Korean men also. Having said that, we are seeing some change. This kind of movement is more and more common nowadays. I guess they are getting westernized in that sense. Japan is famous for the declining birth rate and aging population. But actually, South Korea has even lower birth rate, the lowest number among OECD countries. Just like in Japan, more women work and fewer women get married. In addition to that, the housing prices are skyrocketing and education costs are really high which definitely makes it harder to have children. Japan actually has a similar problem, but probably it's even worse in South Korea. As you can see, many things are lower in South Korea than in Japan. But when it comes to average salary, Japanese people have more. Having said that, these things are relatively cheaper in South Korea. Taxi, hotel, cosmetics, water, alcohol, street food, and fashion items. And these are higher price in South Korea than in Japan. Cafe, McDonald's, Starbucks, Uniqlo, gasoline, and toilet paper. But overall, probably Japan is more expensive for tourists. Let's take a look at unemployment rate. It's actually lower in Japan. Actually, we have the second lowest number among OECD countries. Despite of the declining birth rate and aging population, our economy is actually not so bad at least for now. But in South Korea, the situation is getting worse. The problem is, especially when the economy gets bad, a lot of young people go to university or graduate school. They don't even try to get employed and just over-educated. That said, the government is taking action like this. So I hope the situation gets better. Compared to many Western countries, it's quite safe in both countries. Although Japan has fewer crimes, probably it's not a huge difference when it comes to safety. But when it comes to sexual crime, South Korea has much much more. 40 times more than in Japan. This has been actually a big issue in South Korea. And this is what I like the least. So why does that happen? I think it comes down to the sex education and the strong gender roles. Which maybe it has pros and cons though. Not surprisingly, MeToo movement is getting bigger in South Korea. Both countries are famous as suicide countries. But South Korea has much more. While in Japan, it has been dropping, especially among Japanese men. This is not uncommon in South Korea. Actually, they have the highest suicide rate among OECD countries. And it's getting worse and worse. The depression of young people is so bad. Because the pressure of getting high score and competition to get into a famous university is even much fiercer than in Japan. According to OECD Better Life Index, Japanese ranked 23rd as South Korea ranked 29th. Among developed countries, the happiness level is quite lower in both countries. But maybe it's worse in South Korea. Because many people don't even ask for help. Having said that, when it comes to English skills, Koreans are better than Japanese in every area. Reading, writing, listening and speaking. This is not surprise because they start learning English earlier and study longer in school than Japanese. And more Korean people go study abroad or even migrate to another country. Especially in the US, there are so many Korean immigrants. To be fair, as far as recently, fewer Korean people go study abroad. But I think South Korea is more influenced by the United States. Especially when it comes to K-pop and TV shows. Actually, not just Americans, but they have so many Western celebrities in the entertainment industry. By the way, do you know about dating in Korea? I'm curious the difference about dating in Japan and dating in Korea as a foreign girl. In Korea, it's a lot easier. Yeah, it's a lot easier because many Korean men can speak English quite well. And a lot of Koreans, they've studied abroad. So they have a bit more open mind. And that was one of the things I struggled with in Japan. I dated men that had just lived in Japan, but showed interest in wanting to live abroad. So they never actually lived abroad. Korean men, they're a bit more romantic. And they're very direct. If they like you, they're going to call you. They're going to text you. They're going to invite you out all the time. They're going to do nice things for you. You know, like the Korean dramas. Have you ever seen any? They're an exaggeration of Korean culture. They're not that romantic. But there are some things that are true about the dramas. So I think that when they date, they really do go the extra mile and the extra step to show the girl that they like them and they care about them. Korea is a lot better for dating. Other differences about dating I noticed are that it's completely a social norm. Guys pay for the date. While in Japan, it's not like that. Many girls are okay with 50-50. And in South Korea, wearing the same color or style clothes is quite common. You're gonna see that a lot. And PDA is more acceptable than in Japan. Also, Korean couples really like to celebrate a lot. Not just like 100 days mark, but 200, 500, or even 1000 days anniversary, which is not really common in Japan. So this is what Japan looks like when it comes to religion. And this is what South Korea looks like. So the question is, which country is more religious? Definitely South Korea. No doubt about that. In Japan, most people actually don't even know what religion they belong to. Don't have any knowledge about that. Many people go to shrine or temple at New Year's Day. But it's more like just a tradition or ceremony rather than actually practicing a religion. What about in South Korea? According to a survey, 56% of the people are not religious. But remember, they have the largest Christian community outside of the US. So you can find a lot of churches everywhere. According to Pew Research Center, Christianity has grown rapidly in South Korea. Like from just 1% to 30%. Most Korean Christians belong to Protestant. But this is interesting. 86% of the Koreans have a positive view of the poor. That's actually higher than Americans. Anyway, if you are dedicated Christian, probably South Korea would be the better choice. So both countries place high value on that. Respecting elderly or older person is really important. But Koreans even more. This is what I found. In Japan, asking somebody's age is usually considered rude. Especially if you ask Japanese women that. But it's totally normal and kinda necessary in South Korea to establish ranking of seniority. Many Korean people I talked with asked my age at the first time meeting. And even just one year age difference matters to them. You're gonna have to use a lot of honorifics. Show your respect, bow deeply, pay the bill at a restaurant or stuff like that. Japan is actually similar. But I think we are more relaxed when it comes to that. Especially to the people around the same age. We don't have to use honorifics every time. See, confusion values are even stronger in South Korea. Probably not just at a company, but pretty much in any situation. So those are my top 10 differences between Japan and South Korea from a Japanese perspective. I know, I missed a lot of other differences. Actually, I have so many other areas I wish I could talk about. But this video would be too long if I did. So tell me what you think. Especially if you have been to both countries, I'm sure you know about that a lot. Let me know that in the comment below. Thank you so much for watching. See you next time.