I don't have thorough exposure to Japanese and Korean culture that's why I'm starting this topic. By distant observation, I always find it hard to distinguish a Korean from a Japanese. Their cultures are quite the same. They even look alike. Their products are also kinda similar.

So what are the characteristics that distinguish the two nationalities from each other besides language?

Hi Pokkha,

The common point is that this two countries have been very influented by China (religions, rules, plans of the capital. Then Japan took its proper way (Shogunat, Samourais...)

Today, if the two countries have bouddhism as common religion, the Koreans are more confucianist.

If you cannot recognise a Japanese from a Korean, neither ask a Japanese if he is a Korean, or the contrary, you will hurt the two.

Don's forget that Korea has been invaded and occupy during 40 years and that Korea suffered a lot.

Yes both are confuciounist societies, but not both Buddhist. In Korea, about 900 years ago, the Monks were involved in a scandal from which the religion never fully recovered. Koreans and japanese don't really look alike. They dress slightly differently, and the accent is totally different. Korean is actually an Ural-Altaic branch of language, believe it or not. I spent several years in Noryanjin, and Koreans are still smarting (of course) from the indignities imposed upon them by the Japanese many years ago. Socially, I've found Japanese to be more easy-going....happier it seems to me. Both are very Xenophobic, but Korean men, due to a lack of available women are marrying outsiders, mail-order brides from Southeast Asia quite a bit now. Women in Korea at one time were kept in a sort of "purdah" and only lately seem to be gaining in status.