Buying Shoes in Korea: Read the Size Chart Before the Number

Information checked: 28 October 2026 (Korea Standard Time).

A Korean shoe listing may show sizes such as 250 or 255. Start with the chart linked to that product, rather than choosing the nearest-looking number. A size label and your measured foot length can be different things.

AI-created editorial concept; Concept illustration of shoe shopping and measurement; generated with AI.

Find the right row

The Nike Korea men’s chart lists KR (mm), JP (cm), EU, UK and US sizes, with a separate foot-length row. Nike specifically says the CM marking on its box and label is different from foot length in centimetres.

Our practical rule: keep two notes on your phone — your measured foot length and the size you wear in a particular brand and model. Do not merge them into one ‘Korean size.’ When using a chart, check whether its unit is centimetres, millimetres or inches before reading across.

Measure both feet

Nike’s chart recommends measuring on paper secured to a hard, flat surface while standing with weight distributed evenly. Mark the toe and heel points with help from another person, measure the distance, and repeat for the other foot. Use the longer result to consult Nike’s foot-length row. For measurements between its entries, Nike recommends the larger size.

That last step is Nike’s guidance for its chart. For another maker, use that maker’s measuring instructions and product guide rather than carrying the rule across automatically.

AI-created editorial concept; Concept illustration of shoe shopping and measurement; generated with AI.

Check width as well as length

A longer shoe is not always the answer to a tight fit. FootJoy Korea’s golf-shoe fitting guide advises considering a wider fit before increasing the size. It also recommends measuring with the socks used for the activity and judging the actual fit, rather than the box number alone.

Useful Korean words are 발 길이 (foot length), 발볼 (foot width) and 사이즈표 (size chart). Ask: 발볼이 넓은 제품도 있나요? — ‘Do you have a wider version?’

Finish with the exact product

Adidas Korea notes that sizing can vary with the shoe style and recommends checking the size guide before buying. If you can try the pair, use that opportunity to compare the fit. If ordering online, read the seller’s current exchange conditions before removing tags or wearing the shoes outside.

For a shared shopping trip, save each person’s measurements separately. Take a photo of the label on a pair that fits well, including its model information. Use it as a reference alongside the new product’s chart, rather than as a universal conversion.