I really felt that Koreans were free and the Japanese were imprisoned by their own culture, although they are probably suffering in similar ways economically.
I will still go back to Japan for Okinawa and Hokkaido, and likewise for Jeju. I really felt I that I was freed from prison when I went to these places.
We go as tourists... who cares whether they are free or imprisoned a not... as long as they give good service and sell good quality products... they scold us go die behind our back also not my business... The older generations of Japanese still have high regards to politeness and good service... straight from their heart... not act or pretend... this we will not understand coz we are not brought up that way and will mistaken as they are pretentious...
Even so... at least the Japs still pretend to smile at you while servicing you...
To me... I rate the Koreans just 1 step behind HK in terms of service... they are rude as F... even the pple on the street also same kind... You pushing stroller no hands to open door... no one nearby will help you open the door... no one will help you up and down stairs with the stroller... same as HKies they are like rushing from place to place... knock onto you will not even turn back to apologize... No such problem in Japan... pple will help you carry stroller up the stairs or hold the door without even asking...
The only exceptions is Jeju... the pple there different breed from the mainland... more welcoming and warm and polite...
Unless pple nowadays prefer service line pple to DLLM straight in your face... like that more authentic and not pretentious... is that what we want? We go as tourists... got good service can liao... no need care they real or not... we not go there to match make or find a son-in-law or daughter-in-law...