Korean Size Converter
Your Korean shoe and clothing size, plus what to say in the store.
Sizes are approximate and vary by brand, so try things on when you can. "Free size" (프리사이즈) means one size only, usually close to a women's 55 to 66. Pants are often sold by waist in inches (28, 30, 32), the same as in the US.
Korean sizes follow their own logic: shoes by foot length in millimeters, women's clothes by numbers such as 55 and 66, men's tops by chest measurement. Choose your usual size to see the Korean one and the phrase for asking a shop assistant.
Shoes
A Korean shoe size is your foot length in millimeters, so 260 fits a 26 centimeter foot. If you know your foot length, that is the most reliable way to choose. Many stores stock women's shoes up to about 250 and men's up to about 280, so larger sizes can take some searching.
Clothing
Women's clothing uses 44, 55, 66, 77 and 88, running from extra small to extra large. Men's tops use 90, 95, 100, 105 and 110, which is the chest size in centimeters. Korean cuts tend to run slimmer than US sizes with the same letter. Free size means the item comes in one size only.
Shopping tips
Sizes vary between brands, so try things on when you can. Small boutiques and underground shopping malls often do not allow trying on tops, so check the measurements on the label.
Questions people ask
What is a Korean size 55?
Women's 55 is roughly a small: about US 4, UK 8 or EU 36.
What is Korean shoe size 260 in US sizes?
About a US men's 8 or a US women's 9.
Do Korean clothes run small?
Generally yes. Cuts are slimmer, so many people go up one size from their usual US size.