Korean sizes decoded for shoes, clothes and rings

Returning clothes to a Korean store from abroad is rarely practical. Store return windows often run out before the parcel even reaches you. So it pays to get the size right before you order. Here's how Korean sizing works and how to check it.

Shoes: sizes in millimetres

Korean shoe sizes are written in millimetres and are based on foot length. They go up in 5 mm steps: 240, 245, 250, 255, 260 and so on.

As a rough guide, 260 is about US men's 8 or EU 41. We don't give a full conversion table, because the fit varies by brand and model and a table gives false confidence. Instead, work from your own foot or a shoe you already own.

Measure your foot:

1. Stand on a sheet of paper with your heel against a wall.
2. Mark the tip of your longest toe.
3. Measure from the wall to the mark in millimetres. Do both feet and use the longer one.

Or check a shoe you own. Many sneaker labels list a centimetre size (for example "CM 26" or "JP 26"). That lines up with the Korean 260.

Then read the product page. Many Korean listings say whether a model runs small or large, or recommend going up a size for wide feet.

Tops: letters and chest numbers

Korean tops use either letters or numbers.

Letters (S, M, L, XL) are common, but a Korean M can run smaller than a US or European M. Check the measurements rather than trusting the letter.

Numbers (90, 95, 100, 105) roughly refer to chest circumference in centimetres. A common pattern is:

Korean number	Usually labelled
90	S
95	M
100	L
105	XL

Brands don't all follow this exactly, so treat it as a starting point.

You may also see 44, 55, 66, 77 on women's clothing, an older Korean system where 55 is roughly S and 66 roughly M. And FREE or 프리사이즈 means one size, so the measurements table is the only guide.

Bottoms: inches or centimetres

Trouser and jeans waists appear in one of three ways:

• Inches, such as 26, 28, 30, 32. A number between about 24 and 40 is almost certainly inches.
• Centimetres, such as 72 or 76. A number above about 60 is centimetres.
• S, M, L, often with a waist measurement in the table.

One inch is 2.54 cm, so a 30-inch waist is about 76 cm.

The measurements table (실측) is what counts

Most Korean fashion listings include a 실측 table, which lists actual garment measurements in centimetres. It's more reliable than any size label. These are the terms you'll see:

Korean	Meaning
총장	Total length
어깨너비	Shoulder width
가슴단면	Chest, measured flat across the front
소매길이	Sleeve length
허리단면	Waist, measured flat
엉덩이단면	Hip, measured flat
허벅지단면	Thigh, measured flat
밑위	Rise
밑단단면	Hem or leg opening, measured flat

단면 means measured flat, across one side of the garment. Double it to get the full circumference. A 가슴단면 of 55 cm is a chest of about 110 cm all the way round.

To compare:

1. Lay a similar item you own flat on a table.
2. Measure the same points in centimetres.
3. Compare them with the table. Stores often note that measurements can vary by 1–3 cm depending on how they're taken.

For Musinsa specifically, see our Musinsa page.

Rings: measure the circumference

Korean ring sizes are numbered with 호 (for example 11호), and stores match those numbers to the ring's inner circumference in millimetres. Size charts can differ between stores, so we'd rather not convert from your home-country size.

Instead, measure the inner circumference in millimetres and send us that number.

• From your finger: wrap a thin strip of paper around the base of the finger, mark where it overlaps, and measure the length in mm. Measure at the end of the day, when fingers are usually a little larger.
• From a ring that fits: measure the inside diameter in mm and multiply by 3.14.

We'll check your measurement against that store's own chart.

How to ask us about sizes

Before we buy:

• Write the size exactly as it appears on the product page, including Korean text, in your request.
• Tell us in the note if you want us to check anything in the store's size chart before buying.
• For second-hand items on Bunjang, we can ask the seller for measurements in Korean.

After it arrives:

• Arrival photos and a basic check are included. The check covers item count, the option you ordered (including the size on the label) and visible damage.
• If you want to see more before it ships, add detailed photos (up to 10, ₩1,500 per parcel). Tell us in the note which measurements you'd like to see, such as chest flat or total length.

If you're stuck between two sizes, post the 실측 table in community Q&A with your own measurements and we'll help you read it.