Which Nationality Do South Koreans Like Most? One Country's Favorability Soars to 54.3% for 'Friendly and Orderly People,' While Another Is Most Disliked

According to the '13th Survey on Mutual Perceptions between Japan and South Korea' jointly released by the East Asia Institute (EAI) of South Korea and the International House of Japan (IHJ), mutual favorability between the two nations has significantly increased. South Koreans' favorable view of Japan has risen to 54.3%, marking the highest level in the 13-year history of the survey. At the same time, Japanese favorable perceptions of South Korea have surged by over 10 percentage points.

The survey was conducted online from July 17 to 21 this year, targeting 3,099 adults aged 18 and over—1,547 in South Korea and 1,552 in Japan. Data shows that 54.3% of South Korean respondents hold a 'favorable impression' of Japan, up 1.9 percentage points from last year's 52.4%, marking the second consecutive year above the 50% threshold. Those with negative impressions dropped to 38.5%, while 7.2% expressed neutral views.

The improvement is attributed to increased exchanges. South Koreans' favorability toward Japan had plummeted to 12.3% during the Moon Jae-in administration in 2020 but has since shown a steady recovery. The surge in tourism to Japan, the popularity of shopping and cuisine, and the penetration of Japanese pop culture have all played key roles in improving perceptions.

When asked about reasons, 66.9% of South Korean respondents cited 'friendly and orderly people' as the top reason, followed by 43.9% who highlighted 'appealing food culture, shopping, and tourism'.

On the other hand, Japanese perceptions of South Korea have also improved significantly. This year, 35.3% of Japanese respondents expressed a favorable view of South Korea, a sharp increase from 24.8% last year—an 10.5 percentage point rise. Negative views decreased from 51.0% to 44.1%, with 20.6% remaining neutral. Analysts attribute this shift to the positive impact of the Korean Wave and tourism, frequent 'shuttle diplomacy' between leaders, and increasing political stability in South Korea, which has eased Japanese concerns.

Despite the overall improvement, historical and territorial disputes remain secondary factors affecting South Korean public opinion. Among those with negative views, 74.9% believe Japan has 'not sufficiently reflected on historical issues,' while 46.9% mentioned the Dokdo (Takeshima) sovereignty dispute. Issues such as comfort women and forced labor of Koreans during WWII continue to influence perceptions.

Regarding the current state of bilateral relations, 20.6% of South Koreans view the relationship as 'good,' nearly doubling from last year's 10.6%. Those who see it as 'bad' dropped to 20.6%, while 59.1% consider it 'average'.

Looking ahead, South Koreans are shifting their focus toward future cooperation. When asked whether 'future-oriented cooperation' or 'resolving historical issues' should take priority, 42.2% favored future cooperation, surpassing the 34.1% who prioritized historical resolution.

The survey also examined South Korean perceptions of regional powers. Notably, 74% of respondents expressed 'distrust' toward China. Former EAI President Son Yul pointed out that amid shifting regional dynamics and rising perceptions of China as a threat, many South Koreans now recognize the necessity of strengthening multi-domain cooperation with Japan.