Key Insights
Essential data points from our research
South Korea’s fashion market was valued at approximately $38 billion in 2021
Online fashion sales in South Korea reached $18.4 billion in 2022
Women’s fashion dominates with a 58% share of the Korean fashion retail market
The men’s fashion segment accounts for around 27% of the total market share in South Korea
The athleisure segment in Korea has seen growth of 9.5% annually since 2019
Korea's fashion export value reached $2.37 billion in 2021
South Korea’s apparel import value increased 14.3% in 2022, reaching $12.1 billion
Korean consumers spend an average of $500 per year on fashion items
The fast fashion market in South Korea is valued at approximately $3.8 billion in 2023
Korean fashion influencers have an average engagement rate of 6.3% on Instagram
72% of Gen Z in Korea follow fashion trends via social media
YouTube is the most used platform by Korean fashion consumers for trend discovery, with 68% usage
The luxury fashion market in Korea is estimated at $14 billion as of 2023
Consumer Segments
- Korean consumers spend an average of $500 per year on fashion items
- Korean fashion influencers have an average engagement rate of 6.3% on Instagram
- 72% of Gen Z in Korea follow fashion trends via social media
- 22% of foreign tourists shop for Korean fashion when visiting Korea
- 58% of surveyed Korean consumers plan fashion purchases around seasonal sales events
- 61% of Korean consumers are interested in sustainable fashion options
- Fashion-focused YouTube channels in Korea have over 30 million combined subscribers
- 48% of Korean consumers report shopping for fashion at least once per month
- Male contributions to Korean fashion spending increased by 12% in 2022
- Korean consumers rank quality (34%) and price (30%) as top priorities in fashion buying
- 59% of Korean fashion designers are under the age of 40
- The average cost of a Korean designer brand item is $125
- 82% of Korean fashion consumers consider celebrity endorsements influential
- Korean fashion employees earn an average annual salary of 32 million KRW ($25,000)
- 46% of Korean consumers trust local fashion brands more than foreign ones
- Korean fashion marketplace Zigzag registered 6 million users as of 2023
- Stylenanda is the most followed Korean fashion brand on Instagram with over 1.8 million followers
- Korean adults own an average of 71 clothing items
- 48% of consumers aged 20-29 in Korea are influenced by K-pop idols in fashion choices
- 41% of Korean fashion designers are female
Interpretation
In a country where Gen Z turn to Instagram for style sermons, K-pop idols wield more influence than mannequins, and $500-a-year wardrobes hinge on seasonal sales and sustainable chic, Korean fashion is a tech-savvy, trend-driven industry where youth, quality, and homegrown pride stitch together a booming style economy with global sway.
E-commerce & Technology Integration
- 50% of fashion purchases by Korean millennials are made online
- Korea's e-commerce fashion penetration rate is approximately 78%
- AI use in Korean fashion design increased by 41% in 2022
- 34% of Korean Gen Z fashion consumers shop via mobile-only platforms
- Second-hand fashion app Cream had over 2 million downloads in South Korea by 2023
- 71% of Korean brands use KakaoTalk for fashion customer engagement
- 66% of Korean consumers have bought clothing via live commerce
- 57% of Korean fashion buyers expect personalization in online shopping
- 85% of Korean fashion-related SMEs use social media for marketing
- South Korea has over 180 online fashion shopping malls
- 62% of Korean fashion retailers integrate AR features into e-commerce platforms
Interpretation
In South Korea’s hyper-connected fashion scene, where AI sketches your next outfit, AR lets you try it on virtually, and you can buy it through a chat app or a live stream—all while thrifting on your phone—it’s clear that style here isn’t just about what you wear, but how digitally savvy you are when you shop.
Export & International Markets
- Korea's fashion export value reached $2.37 billion in 2021
- Korean fashion exports to China rose 11% in 2022
- Korean fashion brands exported apparel to 104 countries in 2021
- Korean fashion export to the U.S. surged 23% in 2022
- 39% of Korean fashion students aspire to work overseas
- Over 40 Korean fashion brands participated in Paris Fashion Week in 2023
- Korean baby clothing exports increased by 15% in 2022
Interpretation
Korean fashion isn’t just dressing the world—it’s strutting down global runways, charming international markets from babywear to Paris catwalks, and confidently stitching its future across 104 countries and counting.
Fashion Segments & Trends
- Women’s fashion dominates with a 58% share of the Korean fashion retail market
- The men’s fashion segment accounts for around 27% of the total market share in South Korea
- YouTube is the most used platform by Korean fashion consumers for trend discovery, with 68% usage
- 70% of Seoul Fashion Week designers are independent Korean labels
- Top three most searched Korean fashion brands in 2023 were Stylenanda, Musinsa, and Ader Error
- Seoul ranked 10th globally for fashion influence in 2023
- South Korea accounted for 13.5% of global streetwear discussions on social media in 2022
- Korean teens change fashion styles on average every 3 months
- G-Dragon’s fashion collaboration increased product sell-out rates by 280%
Interpretation
In a market where women lead the retail runway, teens switch styles like playlists, and G-Dragon wields more retail power than most CEOs, South Korea’s fashion scene struts globally with indie coolness, YouTube flair, and streetwear swagger loud enough to echo from Seoul to the world stage.
Market Size & Growth
- South Korea’s fashion market was valued at approximately $38 billion in 2021
- Online fashion sales in South Korea reached $18.4 billion in 2022
- The athleisure segment in Korea has seen growth of 9.5% annually since 2019
- South Korea’s apparel import value increased 14.3% in 2022, reaching $12.1 billion
- The fast fashion market in South Korea is valued at approximately $3.8 billion in 2023
- The luxury fashion market in Korea is estimated at $14 billion as of 2023
- Korea ranked 7th globally in luxury fashion sales in 2022
- Street fashion brands in Korea grew revenue by 16% in 2022
- Over 10,000 fashion-related businesses operate in Seoul alone
- Dongdaemun Fashion Town generates over $15 billion in annual sales
- Korean eco-friendly fashion sales reached 345 billion KRW in 2022
- Korea’s second-hand fashion market grew 34% year-over-year in 2022
- Seoul Fashion Week draws over 100,000 visitors annually
- There are currently 23 accredited fashion colleges in South Korea
- Musinsa’s annual revenue surpassed $400 million in 2022
- South Korea ranks 2nd in Asia for clothing and footwear expenditure per capita
- Annual growth of Korean fashion tech startups stands at 18%
- Over 1,000 new fashion brands launched in Korea between 2020 and 2022
- The resale fashion market in Korea is projected to hit $3.2 billion by 2026
- Digital fashion shows in Korea grew by 60% due to COVID-19
- Athleisure brand Ander’s revenue rose 40% YoY in 2022
- The Korean footwear market alone is valued at over $5 billion
- The children’s fashion market in Korea reached $3 billion in 2022
- Korean fashion rental services grew by 22% CAGR between 2019–2022
Interpretation
Blending tradition with tech and luxury with street, South Korea’s $38 billion fashion industry is not just stylish—it’s a high-speed, high-stakes cultural juggernaut where e-commerce thrives, athleisure outpaces the treadmill, and Seoul struts the global runway with both sustainability and swagger.
