SUMMARY

Jerry from Kxplorer interviews foreigners in Tokyo who moved from South Korea to Japan, exploring reasons like racism, pace of life, health, and cultural fit in a 30-minute video.

STATEMENTS

Foreigners in Japan share experiences of moving from Korea due to racism, fast-paced culture, and health issues.
One interviewee from California faced spitting and overt racism in Korea on her second day, leading to her departure after a year.
Japan offers a more chill, slower-paced vibe compared to Korea's efficient, pali-pali (hurry-hurry) culture.
Air quality in Korea caused frequent illnesses like bronchitis for one resident, while Japan provided cleaner air and more energy.
Post-graduation, some chose Japan for language learning passion, cultural interest, and easier transition with existing connections.
Social pressures around sex and relationships feel stronger in Korea than in Japan.
Korean society emphasizes fitting into group norms and hierarchies more strictly than Japan, limiting individual expression.
Housing in Japan is more bureaucratic and less foreigner-friendly than Korea's quick rental process.
Media like K-dramas influenced initial moves to Korea, but personal evolution drew some to Japan's slower pace.
Japan provides diverse activities, historical sites, and seasonal experiences that Korea lacks outside Seoul.
Working in Japan can involve less strict hierarchy for foreigners in Western companies compared to Korean norms.
Korean convenience like instant deliveries fostered bad habits, pushing some to Japan's less convenient but exploratory lifestyle.
Japan's film industry is seen as the world's best and most varied, attracting cinema enthusiasts over Korea's shorter history.
Older generations in Korea showed more racism toward foreigners, while younger ones were accepting.
Japan's culture allows more personal freedom in fashion and expression without overt judgment.
Expat communities in Korea are more connected and supportive for content creators than in Japan.
Korea suits younger people for its vibrant festivals and social scene, while Japan appeals for travel and diversity.

IDEAS

Experiencing racism as a Black woman in Korea, including being spat on, contrasted sharply with zero incidents in nearly a decade in Japan.
Korea's pali-pali culture promotes efficiency but exhausts, while Japan's focus on well-made things encourages a slower, more enjoyable pace.
Poor air quality in Korea led to repeated bronchitis infections, but Japan's cleaner environment boosted energy and health.
Post-graduation fear drove a move to Japan as an easy escape, fueled by prior interest in its language and culture.
Strong social hierarchies in Korea require constant respectful language use, overwhelming egalitarian Americans more than Japan's workplace-limited norms.
Less convenience in Japan, like cumbersome housing processes, forces people outside, breaking Korea-induced isolation habits.
Individual expression in fashion thrives in Japan, where eccentric outfits are tolerated silently, unlike Korea's trend conformity.
Japan's diverse geography offers snowboarding, mountains, and deserts, making it more explorable than Korea's urban-focused Seoul.
K-dramas initially attracted to Korea, but disappointment with its speed led to appreciating Japan's evolved, fitting pace.
Japan's film history spans 100 years with vanguard innovations per decade, surpassing Korea's post-1980s development impacted by colonization.
Expat life in Korea builds strong, helpful communities for newcomers, easing content creation compared to Japan's isolation.
Media like anime creates idealized visions of Japan, but reality demands separating fantasy from daily integration challenges.
Korea's competition and proving worth pressure contrasts Japan's live-and-let-live attitude, reducing overall societal stress.
Japan's international appeal draws more foreigners, creating broader networking opportunities absent in smaller Korea.
Younger expats find Korea's wild festivals and K-pop scene more exciting for 20s exploration than Japan's steadier vibe.

INSIGHTS

Racism in Korea disproportionately affects visible minorities, pushing them toward Japan's subtler, less overt discrimination.
A slower pace in Japan fosters personal growth by countering Korea's efficiency-driven burnout and health declines.
Cultural media builds romanticized expectations, but lived experience reveals Korea's vibrancy suits youth while Japan aids maturity.
Strict hierarchies in Korea stifle egalitarian foreigners, whereas Japan's selective application allows freer social navigation.
Less convenience in Japan intentionally disrupts sedentary habits formed in Korea's delivery paradise, promoting active lifestyles.
Historical colonization by Japan diminished Korea's cultural artifacts, leaving Japan with richer, more preserved diversity to explore.
Air quality disparities highlight how environment shapes well-being, making Japan's cleanliness a silent quality-of-life upgrade.
Individualism flourishes more in Japan through tolerated eccentricity, escaping Korea's group conformity pressures.
Film industries reflect national evolutions: Japan's century-long innovation versus Korea's resilient post-occupation surge.
Expat networks thrive in fast-paced Korea for quick connections, but Japan's scale offers deeper, varied professional paths.
Personal evolution post-media influence shifts preferences from Korea's initial excitement to Japan's sustainable calm.

QUOTES

"My second day there, I got spat on."
"In Korea everything has to be efficient and everything has to be done fast... while in Japan I think things has to be well made even if it's taking more time."
"In Korea, I would actually get sick really often. Like for example, in 2024, I got bronchitis three times."
"Japan is Japan. And it's like you would think they would have more systems in place now that they're like a global place. Like no."
"I feel in Japan, even though maybe everyone going to still judge you... they're not going to express and they're going to let you live your life."
"Japan's film industry is not only the biggest but also I would say the best in the world actually even more various than American cinema."
"Korea is pretty boring other than like Seoul. That's all y'all got."

HABITS

Wearing masks and using air purifiers daily in Korea to combat fine dust and yellow dust.
Relying on instant delivery apps for food, makeup, and groceries to avoid leaving home.
Participating in active expat communities like Savage Ultimate and Move Z for social interactions.
Attending anime pop-up exhibitions and seasonal restaurant menus to engage with culture.
Seeking out film industry opportunities in both countries to build a cinema career.
Breaking isolation by forcing outings in Japan's less convenient environment to touch grass.
Learning languages proactively, like Japanese, to ease integration and meet people naturally.

FACTS

Japan has lived through a longer film history of about 100 years, with innovative filmmaking each decade, compared to Korea's starting in the 1980s-1990s.
Korea's historical sites and culture were largely destroyed due to repeated bombings and colonization, limiting diversity outside Seoul.
Air pollution in Korea includes frequent yellow dust and fine dust events, leading to higher respiratory issues like bronchitis.
Japan's housing rental process requires reservations, screenings, and landlord approvals, often discriminating against foreigners.
Korea's delivery system allows same-day moves into apartments with instant contracts, far quicker than Japan's bureaucracy.
Japan hosts more international expats, providing broader job opportunities in industries like animation despite language barriers.
Korean social hierarchy demands honorific language across all interactions, stricter than Japan's workplace-focused version.

REFERENCES

K-dramas and Korean movies as cultural entry points.
Anime, manga, and Japanese music as lifelong inspirations.
Japanese films and cinema history for professional passion.
K-pop, K-hip-hop, and university festivals in Korea.
Vogue, America's Next Top Model, MTV Made, MTV Catfish, and Coca-Cola modeling gigs.
Savage Ultimate and Move Z expat sports communities.
Epidemic Sound for music needs.
Anime pop-up exhibitions in Korea.
Japanese TV programs with bizarre challenges like roach-blowing contests.
North Face and boot fashion trends in Korea.
Seasonal menus at Japanese fast food places.
Philippine upbringing in the Middle East.
French two-hour lunch culture for enjoying moments.

HOW TO APPLY

Assess personal tolerance for pace: If you thrive on efficiency, stay in Korea; for calm, try Japan.
Evaluate health impacts: Monitor air quality effects and relocate if respiratory issues persist.
Build networks early: Join expat groups like sports clubs to ease social integration.
Separate media from reality: Visit both countries as a tourist before committing long-term.
Embrace discomfort for growth: Use Japan's inconveniences to break sedentary habits like over-relying on deliveries.
Pursue passions strategically: Leverage language skills and cultural interests for job opportunities in desired fields.

ONE-SENTENCE TAKEAWAY

Foreigners prefer Japan over Korea for its chill pace, cleaner air, and freedom, despite Korea's vibrant convenience.

RECOMMENDATIONS

Visit Korea in your 20s for energetic festivals and social scenes before shifting to Japan's mature exploration.
Invest in Japanese language learning to navigate bureaucracy and unlock deeper cultural immersion.
Prioritize air quality when choosing residences, opting for Japan's cleaner environment to safeguard health.
Challenge conformity by experimenting with personal style in Japan, where judgment stays internal.
Seek Western companies in Japan to avoid rigid hierarchies while benefiting from diverse expat opportunities.
Use moves between countries to reset habits, like trading Korea's deliveries for Japan's outdoor activities.
Explore film or animation careers in Japan for its innovative industry edge over Korea's newer scene.
Build expat connections proactively in Korea for quick support, then scale up in Japan's larger networks.

MEMO

In the bustling streets of Tokyo, a diverse group of foreigners shares candid stories of swapping South Korea's high-octane life for Japan's serene rhythm. Jerry, host of Kxplorer, captures their reflections in a revealing street interview, highlighting why the move across the sea felt essential. From California's sunny shores to France's leisurely lunches, these expats—spanning nearly a decade in Japan or just months—cite racism as a stark breaking point. One American woman recalls her second day in Korea: spat on by elderly men, a shocking welcome that escalated into constant microaggressions, utterly absent in her nine years in Japan.

Health emerges as another pivotal factor, with Korea's polluted air—riddled with yellow dust and fine particles—triggering repeated bronchitis for long-term residents. "I felt lethargic," one says, contrasting it with Japan's invigorating freshness that restored energy without masks or purifiers. This environmental toll underscores broader lifestyle clashes: Korea's pali-pali ethos demands speed and efficiency, from instant deliveries to trend-driven conformity, fostering isolation and burnout. Japan, by contrast, prizes meticulous craftsmanship, even if slower, allowing time to savor moments and express individuality—think pink outfits in Harajuku, judged silently rather than enforced.

Cultural hierarchies amplify the divide. Korea's rigid respect system, honoring age in every interaction, overwhelms egalitarian Westerners, while Japan's version confines to workplaces, sparing daily life. Yet, Korea's conveniences—same-day apartment signings and door-to-door everything—bred bad habits for some, like avoiding the outdoors. Japan's cumbersome housing hunts and foreigner-wary landlords force adaptation, pushing people to "touch grass" and explore diverse landscapes from snowy mountains to seasonal festivals, far beyond Seoul's urban pulse.

Media's role is nuanced: K-dramas lured many to Korea's vibrant K-pop scene and festivals, ideal for youthful adventures, but disillusionment with its competitive pressure drew them to anime-inspired Japan. One film enthusiast praises Japan's century-spanning cinema as the world's most innovative, unhindered by Korea's colonial-erased history. Expat communities thrive in Korea's fast-paced openness, aiding content creators, while Japan's vast scale offers broader jobs despite language barriers.

Ultimately, the choice boils down to personality and life stage: Korea energizes the young with its accommodating, hot-guys-and-festivals allure, but Japan suits those seeking space to breathe, evolve, and integrate on their terms. As one reflects, "It depends on what you tolerate"—a reminder that neither is superior, just differently demanding. For wanderers eyeing East Asia, these tales urge trial by living, not just touring, to uncover what truly fits.