Korean Clothing Sizes Explained for Overseas Shoppers (90/95/100, 44/55/66, Free Size)

Korean fashion sites use two sizing systems that look like nothing you have seen elsewhere. Men’s and unisex clothing is labeled 90, 95, 100, 105, 110. Women’s clothing is labeled 44, 55, 66, 77, or simply “Free.” Neither is arbitrary, and once you know what the numbers describe you can convert them accurately. But be warned: the cut behind the number is slimmer than the equivalent Western size, and that is where most overseas orders go wrong.

The 90/95/100 system: chest in centimeters

The number is the chest circumference in centimeters that the garment is designed for. A “100” top fits a 100 cm (39.4 in) chest. That makes it one of the more logical systems in the world, and you can convert it directly if you know your chest measurement.

KR size	Chest (cm)	US men’s	UK men’s	EU men’s	Intl
85	85	XXS (32–34)	32	42	XXS
90	90	XS/S (34–36)	34–36	44–46	S
95	95	S/M (36–38)	36–38	46–48	M
100	100	M/L (38–40)	38–40	48–50	L
105	105	L/XL (40–42)	40–42	50–52	XL
110	110	XL/XXL (42–44)	42–44	52–54	XXL
115	115	XXL (44–46)	44–46	54–56	XXXL

The “Intl” column is how Korean brands themselves usually label the same size, and this is the trap: a Korean “L” is a KR 100, which is a US M. Musinsa, Ably, 29CM, and most Korean brands on those platforms follow this mapping. A US Large buyer who orders a Korean L will typically get a garment 4–5 cm tighter in the chest than expected.

Bottoms use waist in inches for jeans (28, 30, 32, like anywhere else) or the 90/95/100 system for sweatpants and shorts, where the number still refers to the chest-equivalent size grade, not the waist. A KR 100 pant is designed for roughly a 32–33 inch waist.

To convert your own measurements into any of these, the men’s clothing size converter takes chest and waist in cm or inches.

The 44/55/66 system: women’s height and bust

The women’s system is older and less intuitive. It came from a 1981 Korean standard where the base size was set at a 155 cm tall woman with an 85 cm bust, and the digits “55” were derived from those two numbers (5 from 155, 5 from 85). Each step up adds 5 cm height and 3 cm bust in the original standard; in practice today the sizes work like this:

KR size	Bust (cm)	Waist (cm)	Hips (cm)	US women’s	UK women’s	EU women’s
44	78–82	60–64	84–88	0–2 (XS)	4–6	32–34
55	82–86	64–68	88–92	4–6 (S)	8–10	36–38
66	86–90	68–72	92–96	8–10 (M)	12	40
77	90–95	72–78	96–101	12–14 (L)	14–16	42–44
88	95–100	78–84	101–106	16–18 (XL)	18–20	46–48

Most K-fashion brands sell only 44, 55, 66 and sometimes 77. Size 88 exists mostly at department-store brands. If you wear a US 12 or above, the selection on Korean sites shrinks to a fraction of the catalog, and “Free size” will not fit.

The women’s clothing converter converts bust, waist and hips into the KR number alongside US, UK and EU.

What “Free Size” really means

“Free” (프리 사이즈) on a Korean site is not “one size fits all.” It is a garment made in a single size, cut to fit roughly a KR 55, occasionally stretching to a small 66. In Western terms that is a US 4–6, UK 8–10. Oversized “Free” tops are cut loose for a 55 body, so the shoulders and sleeves are proportionally shorter than a Western oversized fit.

If you are above a US 8 and a listing says Free, look for the measurements table (실측 or 사이즈 정보) and compare against a garment you own, or skip it.

Fit differences beyond the number

Even at the correct number, Korean garments differ in shape from Western equivalents:

• Shoulders are narrower. A KR 100 shirt typically has a 46–47 cm shoulder width versus 48–49 cm on a US M.
• Sleeves and inseams are shorter. The Korean base height is around 174 cm for men and 161 cm for women; if you are taller, sleeves will finish 2–3 cm short. Use the height converter to compare your height to the brand’s model height listed on most product pages (모델 사이즈).
• Rise on trousers is higher, and thighs are slimmer relative to the waist.
• Jeans are labeled in inches but cut slim. A 32 is a true 32 inch waist, but expect a thigh roughly 2 cm narrower than a Levi’s 505 in the same waist. Compare to Levi’s sizing if that is your reference.

Reading the measurements table

Every serious Korean fashion listing includes a 실측 (actual measurement) table. Values are in cm and are flat measurements, not circumferences. “가슴 52” means the garment is 52 cm across the chest when laid flat, so 104 cm around. Common labels:

• 어깨 (shoulder), 가슴 (chest, flat), 소매 (sleeve length), 총장 (total length)
• 허리 (waist, flat), 허벅지 (thigh, flat), 밑위 (rise), 인심 or 안기장 (inseam), 밑단 (hem, flat)

Take a garment you like, measure it flat the same way, and match numbers. This is more reliable than any size letter, and it is how Korean shoppers themselves buy.

Quick rules for overseas buyers

1. Ignore S/M/L labels on Korean sites; read the KR number.
2. Men: add one letter size to your US size (US M → KR L/100). Add two if you have broad shoulders.
3. Women: US 0–2 → 44, US 4–6 → 55, US 8–10 → 66. Above that, look for 77 or department-store brands.
4. “Free” means US 4–6. Not “any.”
5. If there is a flat-measurement table, use it and forget the label.

FAQ

Is Korean size 100 a Large or a Medium?

Both, depending on who is labeling. Korean brands call a 100 “L,” but the garment fits a 100 cm chest, which is a US Medium (38–40). If you wear a US L, order KR 105.

What is Korean size 55 in US sizes?

A KR 55 fits an 82–86 cm bust and 64–68 cm waist, which is a US 4–6, UK 8–10, EU 36–38. It is the base size most Korean women’s brands design around and the size “Free” garments are cut for.

Do Korean clothes run small?

Yes, relative to the same letter label in the US or UK. The number is accurate to the body measurement, but shoulders, sleeves and thighs are cut slimmer and shorter. Size up one step from your usual letter size, or better, match the flat measurements listed on the product page.