Monthly household spending on clothing and footwear South Korea 2023, by category

In 2023, South Korean households spent an average of around 101,000 South Korean won on fabric and outer clothing a month, a decrease compared to previous years. Total average monthly household expenditure on all items categorized under clothing and footwear, including related services, came to approximately 139,000 won.

The growth of the fashion market

Clothing retail sales in South Korea have exhibited consistent growth since 2020, and were estimated to reach a peak in 2023 at over 67 trillion won. Despite a temporary setback in 2020 in part due to the onset of the COVID-19 pandemic, the fashion market rebounded strongly, boasting a growth of over eight percent in 2022. 

South Korea’s online shopping habits

In recent years, online sales of fashion and accessories in South Korea have shown consistent growth, with transaction values nearing four trillion won. Musinsa stands out as one of the leading online fashion platforms in the country, followed by ZigZag. A survey found that South Koreans tend to shop through online shopping malls once a month, signaling some preference for digital channels for fashion-related purchases.