Comparing Korea, China, and Japan
About the differences between neighboring countries
I’m Korean.
We’re neighbors, so we share the same Chinese character culture, eat rice as a staple food, and use chopsticks.
We also emphasize respect for older adults and look similar at first glance.
I travel to Japan and China occasionally, and I often see Chinese and Japanese people traveling to Korea.
I also have Chinese and Japanese friends.
Let me explain some of the subtle differences I see between Korea and its neighbors.
Country
China is a communist country, so the more you go to the capital, Beijing, the more rigid and controlled the country feels.
Riding the subway in Beijing is a bit more rigid than in Guangzhou and Shanghai.
There is a strong sense of patriotism characteristic of communism, and the entire country is controlled by WeChat and Alipay, not to mention the Internet.
Japan has a very free-spirited feel to it, and compared to China, it’s more polished and the streets are more organized.
However, since the 2000s, it feels like things have been stuck there rather than evolving, so it has a very analog feel.
By region, Tokyo is the capital, and the cities above and below it are well-developed with their own characteristics,
In fact, many Koreans prefer to travel to Japan.
As mentioned earlier, it hasn’t digitized, but remains more analog than its neighbors, which can be both a pro and a con.
South Korea has recently become more sophisticated with the development of many cultural contents such as k-pop, k-drama, and k-beauty.
The people are somewhat closed-minded, but they are becoming more open-minded in recent years,
There is not much state repression, so it is free.
Seoul and the metropolitan area are heavily concentrated, and most of the amenities, public institutions, and attractions are concentrated there.
In terms of tourism, there is a lack of content and weak information compared to neighboring countries such as China and Japan, so I would like to create my own site to promote it.
Sightseeing and shopping
China is a huge land mass with so many places to visit that the Chinese themselves fly around in planes within the country.
It’s big, it’s gorgeous, and it has a lot to boast about in terms of natural beauty and amenities. However, it lacks a certain level of detail,
The lack of attention to foreigners is a bit disappointing.
Shopping is as well-developed as any factory in the world, but most people don’t trust Chinese goods, which is a shame.
Tourism in Japan is highly developed.
For decades, they’ve been capitalizing on the unique characteristics of small towns in the countryside outside of Tokyo and turning them into popular tourist destinations.
Hokkaido in the north and Okinawa in the south are famous examples.
They’ve also been successful in shopping, to the point where you can’t help but buy souvenirs and food when you visit the area.
They make things that people want to buy, and their attention to detail is outstanding.
South Korea‘s tourism culture is a bit behind Japan’s.
But we’ve been working on it for a few years now, and now even small towns in the provinces are trying to capitalize on their own characteristics.
So I’m trying to promote it myself, even though I’m an individual, and I’ve created a website.
So far, Seoul and the metropolitan area or Busan or Jeju Island are the most famous destinations.
However, like Koreans who love fast, K-pop is still developing rapidly, and there are many good places that foreigners don’t know about, so I would like to introduce them.
Citizenship
China‘s civic spirit is unfortunately notorious around the world.
I have experienced first-hand that the civility in Guangdong is particularly poor compared to other provinces.
However, with the development of cultural awareness, I expect that it will improve one day.
Japan‘s civility is famous around the world and is very polite.
It is impressive how they try not to cause harm to others.
If you ask them something in a tourist spot, they will try to help you.
South Korean citizenship has come a long way in the last decade.
It’s getting better really fast.
They are friendly to foreigners, and their English is better than in China and Japan.
You can drop your phone in a restaurant or on the street and no one will pick it up.
food
Chinese food is some of the best in the world.
The recipes, the use of spices, and the variety of ingredients are incredible.
It’s also reasonably priced, you don’t have to go to expensive restaurants, and the food is more than basic.
Unfortunately, there are some places that don’t pay attention to hygiene.
Japan‘s food is world famous.
While China uses a wide variety of ingredients and spices, Japan brings out the best flavors in its ingredients and brings them to the forefront.
Bread and desserts in particular are some of the best in the world.
In particular, there are many famous foods in each of the country’s famous tourist spots that are loved by travelers.
Compared to China and Japan, Korea‘s food culture is not as well known around the world.
There is the famous kimchi and bulgogi,
Nowadays, with the development of k-drama and k-contents, it is starting to be known a little bit.
That’s why I’ve created this site to share some of my favorite Korean foodss.
Korean food can be a bit spicy, but I know many dishes that foreigners will like.
In fact, I often eat with my foreign friends.
