How close to Korean is Japanese?

[Camreeno]

Just curious. Is it totally different or are there key similarities?

[QuackingShoe]

As far as the sound library, no particular similarities.
As far as grammar, virtually identical.
As far as vocabulary, there are loose similarities because both borrowed heavily from Chinese (low estimates at 50% of the active vocabulary). So many kanji/hanja compounds are the same, but they're largely read differently (?), and they don't use kanj/hanja much anymore anyway, having been replaced by hangul.

You could read an overview of both languages on Wikipedia for specifics. You could also compare the Japanesepod101 lessons with the Koreanclass101 lessons.

Edit: Also, many cultural components of the languages are similar, such as the varying levels of formality based in verb conjugation, and the use of honorifics. I'm lead to believe these qualities are actually more pronounces in Korean than in Japanese, but I can't back that up.

[Camreeno]

Awesome, thanks.

[skorange]

My feeling is that their similarities are usually overstated by Korean and Japanese. Phrases like "exactly the same" get tossed around when I've found that the two are basically similar enough to get yourself in trouble. It's far more similar than say Chinese, but it is a whole nother language.

[jaypunkrawk]

You said "nother!" Haha. Nice!