Sun-Safe and Stylish: Inside Korea’s Beachwear Obsession (Yonhap)
SEOUL, July 13 (Korea Bizwire) — On a recent vacation to Bali, Lee, a South Korean office worker in her 30s, noticed a peculiar trend on the beach: whenever she heard Korean being spoken, it was invariably by someone clad in a long-sleeved rash guard. “You could almost identify a Korean by whether they were wearing one,” she joked. Even Western tourists, she said, seemed intrigued by the sight.
The observation reflects a broader cultural quirk that has sparked international curiosity, with recurring questions on platforms like Reddit and Quora: Why do Koreans swim in clothes? In Western countries, rash guards are mostly reserved for surfers and athletes. In Korea, they’ve become a mainstream beachwear staple.
According to KakaoStyle, which operates the fashion shopping platform Zigzag, search queries for “rash guard” surged 40% year-on-year during the two-week period ending July 10. Sales rose by 35%—far outpacing a 5% uptick in bikini sales. On Naver, Korea’s top search engine, rash guards dominated the top 10 rankings in the “beachwear” category.
Several cultural and practical reasons explain the rash guard’s appeal. Chief among them is sun protection. Unlike in the West, where tanned skin is often desired, many Koreans prefer fair complexions. Rash guards, which can double as casual wear indoors and out, offer both style and coverage. “They’re a safe, flattering choice for anyone,” said Yoon, a 27-year-old office worker.
The popularity also reflects deeper societal attitudes. “Many Koreans are uncomfortable with the attention that comes from wearing revealing swimwear,” said Lee Eun-hee, a professor emerita of consumer studies at Inha University. Online reviews often highlight how well rash guards conceal the body, suggesting a continued sensitivity to public perception.
But sociologists see another trend emerging: a quiet rejection of traditional beauty norms. “In the past, people felt pressure to sculpt their bodies to wear bikinis,” said Ku Jung-woo, sociology professor at Sungkyunkwan University. “Now, the preference for rash guards signals a shift toward comfort and autonomy over appearance.”
Whether this trend will last is uncertain. Fashion cycles in swimwear tend to shift roughly every decade. While some in the industry believe rash guards have become a basic wardrobe item, others expect new styles to eventually replace them.
For now, however, the rash guard remains a distinctly Korean marker on beaches around the world — both a shield against the sun and a subtle reflection of evolving cultural values.
Lina Jang (linajang@koreabizwire.com)
