After Fukuoka

After Fukuoka, I came back to Busan and realized that the temperature has dropped a few more degrees. Everybody is in long sleeves now.

After Fukuoka, I am more acutely aware of the differences between Korea and Japan.

After Fukuoka, I am just so tired that I sat in front of my lab computer and did nothing the whole day today.

Some of the differences between Korea (Busan) and Japan (Fukuoka):

The place.
1. Korea has free drinking water everywhere. Japan does not.
2. Korea is more hilly. Japan has more flat land.
3. Busan's streets and houses look older although Fukuoka is said to be the oldest city in Japan.
4. Korea's streets are narrower. Japan's streets are wider.
5. Korea is dirtier. Japan is much cleaner - sterile, even. Just a little less cleaner than Singapore.
6. Korea's temples are less glammed up.
7. Korea's taxis are newer and nicer. Japan's taxis are those really old Toyota models like from the 1980s! Japan's taxis have automatic opening doors though...
8. Korea's subway stations make it difficult for you to change lines if you get on the wrong subway. It is much easier to change to the next platform in Japan.
9. Busan is much rowdier thanks to the ajummas and giggling university students. Fukuoka is sooooo devoid of human presence, I dunno why...
10. Busan is much more livelier than Fukuoka. I wonder why Fukuoka was voted into Newsweek's Top 10 Most Dynamic Cities instead of Busan!
11. Busan has too many sleazy love motels and is in lack of clean, homely backpackers' motels. Fukuoka's backpackers' motels rock!
12. Busan has many shopping streets aimed for university age people and you can find The Face Shop, Mischa, Nature Republic, Skin Food all lined up in one row. I didn't see such places in Fukuoka.
13. No. 12 being said, however, Japan's shopping malls are funkier.
14. Korea's salespeople charge a small fee if you take plastic bags. Japan's salespeople give them out freely.
15. Korea is so much cheaper. Japan is 3 times more expensive!
16. Korea's taxi fare starts from 2400won and jumps 100won every 144m travelled after the initial 2km. Japan's taxi fare starts from 550yen and jumps 100yen for every 50m travelled!
17. Korean restaurants serve side dishes (kimchi) at the start of your meal. In Japan, you have to buy your own kimchi.

The people.
1. The Koreans' dress sense is too monotonous. You can see your favorite shirt from Gmarket being worn by a few dozen people in a week. The Japanese have more varied taste and individual style (punk/gothic/doll, etc).
2. Koreans like to wear one piece. Japanese like to wear their clothes in layers.
3. Koreans' hairstyle is monotonous and somewhat old-fashioned (think curled bangs and black dye). Japanese hairstyle is funkier and more colourful!
4. Koreans like to wear super high boots. Japanese wear more sensible shoes.
5. Koreans have super small eyes and single eye lids (except for those who have gone under the knife, of course). Japanese eyes are bigger and have double eye lids.
6. Koreans say iye as yes. Japanese say iie as no.
7. Koreans don't go neh neh neh (yes) on the phone a lot. Japanese say their hai hai hais (yes) a lot and quite forcefully.
8. Koreans apologize less. Japanese say sumimasen more.
9. Korean women are more full bodied. Japanese women are slimmer and willowy looking.
10. Korean ajummas are loud and brash and blingbling in their clothing and speaking. Japanese are more reserved and polite.
11. Korean guys look like Rain. Japanese guys look like Yutaka Takenouchi (竹野内丰).
12. Korean guys look more boyish. Japanese guys look like real men.
13. More Japanese understand English compared to Koreans.

(my Fukuoka adventure, to be continued...)

Comments

josze said…
oh really? seems like Busan is a nicer place but people in Japan is more interesting then. I've been to both Seoul and Tokyo but it didn't notice anything different except Japanese are funkier and things are more expensive lol. talk about ignorance pfttt..
leonardlcy said…
hahah I like the "iee" one best. Imagine a Korean and a Japanese on the phone -- communication breakdown.

Also, Japanese obasan old already still make up until very thick to cover flaws, but Korean Ajumas dun really bother.

Japanese say "eh eh" alot on the phone.
haha... i love this post!! SO real and so much to tell~ I'm going to Japan soon, so looking forward for your japan sharing ~!! oh ya, do i need to apply visa from msia?
Xweing said…
Josze: You already got the main point! Hahah!

Leo: I didnt hear the "eh eh" part but they say their "hai hai" very strongly!

Valyn: Yeah, you need to apply visa from the Jap embassy if you're in Msia, or the Jap consulate if you're in UK?

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