february, 2025

Asia vs Europe

Comparison of Asian and European Approaches to UX/UI Design

Let’s explore why Asian websites look the way they do.

In the modern web industry, fundamental differences in design approaches stem not only from technological constraints but also from deep-rooted cultural characteristics. For Russian-speaking or European audiences, Asian web design may seem cluttered with images, text, animations, and numerous icons.

However, this perceived "chaos" is the result of historical, technical, and cultural factors that explain the choice of this style.

Typography and Font Limitations

In Europe

The standard Latin alphabet includes approximately 230–840 glyphs, giving designers a wide range of typographic tools to create visual hierarchy. Text on European websites is easy to read, and headings are highlighted using uppercase letters, size changes, and other techniques that make information intuitive to grasp.

This counts as 3 glyphs (Large, small and italicized)

To create a custom font in English, you need around 230 glyphs—or up to 840 if you want to cover all Latin-based languages. This relatively small number makes font design and implementation more manageable.

In Asia

For Japanese, due to its three writing systems and countless kanji (ideograms representing concepts), creating a font requires 7,000–16,000 glyphs or more. This means developing a new Japanese font demands significant effort from a team and far more time than creating its Latin counterpart.

Languages like Chinese and Korean (Hanja) face similar challenges. Fonts for these languages often fall under the CJK (Chinese, Japanese, Korean) category, sharing unified glyphs due to the high workload of font development.

From left to right, the '述' glyphs in South Chinese, Traditional Chinese, Japanese and Korean. This character means 'to describe'.
Google Developers Blog

It’s no surprise that Chinese and Korean (Hanja) scripts share similar typographic challenges, which is why they are often grouped under CJK fonts — a unified character set for Chinese, Japanese, and Korean.

The limited variety of typefaces pushes designers in Asia to explore alternative solutions, frequently incorporating image-rich elements to create a clear visual hierarchy.

U.S. websites: Use scalable fonts with varying sizes, styles, and colors for clarity. The text stands out, helping users navigate content easily.

Japanese websites: Headlines and buttons are often represented as images, not text elements. This leads to pixelated headers on high-resolution screens since they are raster images, not scalable fonts.

Text Structure and Visual Overload

In Europe

Western design tends toward minimalism, favoring simplicity, clean lines, and user-friendly navigation. Text is structured for quick comprehension, while visual elements support, rather than distract from, the main message. Features like uppercase letters, spaces, and punctuation help organize content logically.

In Asia

The writing structure is vastly different:

No spaces: Text appears as dense blocks, which may feel overwhelming to Western readers.
No uppercase letters or standard highlighting: This makes it harder to visually distinguish headings from body text.
Complex characters: Each symbol contains multiple strokes, adding to the perception of visual overload.

Some studies suggest that Japanese users process information more holistically, while Americans tend to focus on individual elements. This explains the abundance of links, detailed information blocks, and numerous calls to action on Japanese government and news websites.

Additionally, Asian users are often skeptical of brief descriptions. The more detailed and convincing the content, the more trustworthy it seems.

Technological Factors

In Europe

Western countries generally have higher digital literacy. Frequent software updates, flexibility in adopting new solutions, and a lack of rigid bureaucratic structures foster modern, adaptive design. Developers are encouraged to experiment and integrate new technologies to improve UX/UI.

In Asia

Asian countries, especially Japan, present a paradox. On the one hand, they are global leaders in advanced technologies like robotics; on the other, they rely on outdated software solutions.

Japan: Despite being a technological leader, Japan continues to use legacy systems due to risk aversion and a strong emphasis on double-checking information.

South Korea: Many websites were built by contractors in the early 2000s. When updates are needed, companies aim to minimize costs. A rigid corporate hierarchy, low developer salaries, and dependence on government frameworks hinder innovation.

Institutional digital literacy and risk perception directly impact the appearance and functionality of websites in Asia.

Color Palette and Visual Elements

In Europe

Western design often features neutral, soft tones and a minimalist aesthetic. A simple color scheme enhances clarity and helps users navigate quickly.

Asian Style

Asian design is characterized by brightness, contrast, and emotional expression.

Chinese and Japanese websites: Use colors with cultural significance. Red symbolizes luck and prosperity, while gold represents wealth. These colors are frequently used in brands with Chinese roots.

Korean design: Known for its playful and dynamic visuals.

Bright colors create an energetic feel.
Illustrations over photos add a personal touch.
Layered elements create depth and volume.
A wide variety of fonts — from handwritten styles to bold blocks—gives Korean designs a distinctive character.

Mobile-First Approach and Local Adaptation

European Design

Western designers have long prioritized responsive design for mobile devices. The focus is on simplicity and ease of use, with clean and structured layouts.

In Asia

Mobile dominance: With over a billion users accessing the internet via smartphones, Asian designers adopt a mobile-first approach. HTML5 enables seamless integration of interactive videos, animations, and audio without additional plugins.
Local social networks: Communication and social connection play a vital role in Asian culture. Apps often integrate chat features, content sharing, and community-building functionalities.
Mobile payments: Systems like WeChat Pay, Alipay, KakaoPay, and PayPay are deeply integrated into websites and apps, simplifying transactions.
Content localization: In Japan and China, interface design is adapted for complex writing systems. Features like handwriting input and culturally relevant design elements (e.g., seasonal themes) enhance user experience.

In Asian countries, the mobile approach to UX/UI design combines technological progress, cultural traditions, and high user expectations for convenience and functionality.

The Western (European) approach to UX/UI design focuses on clarity, minimalism, and simplicity, aligning with the linguistic and cultural norms of audiences accustomed to structured interfaces. Meanwhile, Asian design—whether in Japan, China, or South Korea—reflects not only technical and institutional constraints but also deeply rooted cultural traditions.

What may seem cluttered and chaotic to Western users is, in fact, an established way of presenting information to local audiences.

Understanding these nuances helps designers create products that resonate with local audiences while maintaining universal standards of usability and functionality.