· 8 min read
Japanese vs Korean: Which Should You Learn?
By Language Lab editorial team
Japanese vs Korean compared with official figures: both take 88 weeks by US State Department measures. See scripts, tests, free courses and uses.
Japanese and Korean are rated the same for difficulty: the US State Department places both in Category IV, its hardest group for English speakers, at 88 weeks or 2,200 class hours. The clearest difference is the writing. Korean is written in Hangeul, an alphabet with 24 basic letters that are combined into syllable blocks. Japanese uses three types of characters together, two phonetic sets plus kanji, and its official list of kanji for general use has 2,136. So Korean asks you to learn far fewer symbols before you can start reading, while the total effort to professional level is the same by official figures. Each has a well-run official test, TOPIK for Korean and the JLPT for Japanese, and free courses from public institutions. Choose by where you want to live, study or work.
Side by side
| Japanese | Korean | |
|---|---|---|
| State Department category | Category IV | Category IV |
| Class time | 88 weeks (2,200 class hours) | 88 weeks (2,200 class hours) |
| Writing system | Hiragana, katakana and kanji used together | Hangeul, a phonemic alphabet written in syllable blocks |
| Symbols to learn | Two phonetic sets, plus 2,136 kanji on the official general-use list | 24 basic letters and 16 compound letters |
| Official test | JLPT: five levels, N5 to N1 | TOPIK: two tests, six levels |
| Test sessions in 2026 | 2 | 6 paper-based and 6 internet-based |
| Speaking tested? | No speaking or writing section | Writing in TOPIK II; speaking in a separate test |
| Free official courses | NHK WORLD-JAPAN and the Japan Foundation | The Online King Sejong Institute |
Is Korean easier than Japanese?
In the number of symbols you need before you can read, yes. To reach a professional level, not according to the State Department, which lists Japanese, Korean, Chinese and Arabic together as Category IV, languages it calls exceptionally difficult for native English speakers. Spanish and French are listed at 30 weeks for comparison.
The writing systems
Korea's National Institute of Korean Language describes Hangeul as a phonemic writing system of consonant and vowel letters that are combined into syllabic units. There are 24 basic letters and 16 compound ones.
NHK's beginner course explains that Japanese has three types of characters: hiragana and katakana, which are phonetic symbols each representing one syllable, and kanji, each of which stands for a meaning. The two phonetic sets are learned early. Kanji are the long task: the government's Jōyō Kanji Table lists 2,136 for general use, each with its readings.
What else is demanding
- Japanese: honorific language. NHK treats keigo as a topic of its own, with lessons on speaking to and about a superior.
- Japanese: listening at speed. The top JLPT level expects news reports and lectures at natural speed.
- Korean: the test goes further into production. TOPIK II includes a writing section, and TOPIK Speaking asks for answers of up to 80 seconds on tasks such as explaining material and giving an opinion.
- Both: the sheer number of hours. The State Department gives each of them 2,200.
The tests compared
| JLPT (Japanese) | TOPIK (Korean) | |
|---|---|---|
| Run by | The Japan Foundation and Japan Educational Exchanges and Services | The National Institute for International Education, under Korea's Ministry of Education |
| Levels | N5, the easiest, to N1, the most difficult; you choose the level | TOPIK I gives levels 1 and 2; TOPIK II gives levels 3 to 6, depending on your score |
| Scoring | Out of 180, with an overall pass mark and a minimum in each section | TOPIK I out of 200, TOPIK II out of 300; score bands decide the level |
| 2026 dates | 5 July and 6 December | Six paper-based and six internet-based sessions; the next paper test is on 10 January 2027 |
| Validity | Check with the organisation asking for it | Two years from the announcement of the score |
What each is used for
- JLPT: the organisers list uses in Japan's immigration procedures, including 15 points for N1 and 10 for N2 in the points-based system for highly skilled professionals, N2 as a benchmark for higher education, and N4 for the Specified Skilled Worker (i) status.
- TOPIK: the organisers list university admission and graduation in Korea, job applications in Korea and abroad, visas including permanent residency and employment, and the Global Korean Scholarship programme.
Who is learning them
The figures are counted differently, so read them separately. The Japan Foundation's 2024 survey found 4,000,750 people learning Japanese at institutions in 143 countries and regions, the highest it has recorded. Korea's Ministry of Culture, Sports and Tourism reported 210,374 students at King Sejong Institutes, online or offline, in 2024, with the network at 252 institutes in 87 countries after the 2025 designation.
Free ways to try both
- Korean: learn the 24 basic Hangeul letters, then start the introductory course of the Online King Sejong Institute, which describes itself as a free online Korean language learning service.
- Japanese: learn hiragana from NHK's chart, then start Easy Japanese, NHK WORLD-JAPAN's 48 conversation lessons for beginners.
- Give each a week. Reading your first Korean words and saying your first Japanese sentences will tell you more than any comparison table.
How to choose
- Choose Korean if you plan to study or work in Korea, or want a script with a small set of letters.
- Choose Japanese if you plan to live or work in Japan, where JLPT levels are written into several immigration routes.
- Choose by test rhythm if you need a certificate soon: TOPIK is held far more often than the JLPT.
- Do not choose by total difficulty. Officially it is the same.
Language Lab offers both. Its Japanese and Korean courses are built around voiced real-life scenarios with an AI tutor.
Frequently asked
Is Korean or Japanese easier to learn?
The US State Department rates them the same: both are Category IV languages at 88 weeks, or 2,200 class hours. Korean has the smaller script to learn first: Hangeul has 24 basic letters.
Which writing system is easier, Korean or Japanese?
Korean. Hangeul is a phonemic alphabet of 24 basic and 16 compound letters. Japanese uses two phonetic scripts and kanji, with 2,136 kanji on the official general-use list.
Which test is held more often, TOPIK or JLPT?
TOPIK. In 2026 it had six paper-based and six internet-based sessions. The JLPT is held twice a year, on 5 July and 6 December in 2026.
Does the JLPT or TOPIK test speaking?
The JLPT has no speaking or writing section. TOPIK II includes writing, and there is a separate TOPIK Speaking test.
How long is a TOPIK score valid?
Two years from the announcement of the test score.
Should I learn Japanese or Korean first?
Start with the one you have a reason to use. Each is a 2,200-hour project by State Department figures, so motivation matters more than a small difference at the start.
Sources: US Department of State, National Foreign Affairs Training Center, Foreign Language Training; National Institute of Korean Language, About Hangeul; TOPIK official website (NIIED), TOPIK Outline, Exam Schedule and Exam Introduction pages; King Sejong Institute Foundation, About Online KSI; Ministry of Culture, Sports and Tourism, press release of 1 July 2025; NHK WORLD-JAPAN, Easy Japanese and Learn Japanese; Agency for Cultural Affairs, Jōyō Kanji Table; Japanese-Language Proficiency Test, official pages; The Japan Foundation, Survey on Japanese-Language Education Abroad 2024; Interagency Language Roundtable, Skill Level Descriptions: Speaking. Checked on 13 October 2026. Photo: Hydrangeas below Seongsan Ilchulbong, Jeju Island, Basile Morin / CC BY-SA 4.0 (Wikimedia Commons).
