At a glance: what Korean size labels mean in height
Korean kids' clothes are labelled in cm, in numbered sizes or as S/M/L, but none of these means the same height at every brand. The table shows examples from the Korean standard and published charts — always check the brand's own chart or ask the seller for measurements before you buy.
| Label | Height it stands for | Source |
|---|---|---|
| KS 115 | 110 cm up to 120 cm | Korean Standard (KS) height code |
| Agabang 100 | About 92 cm (3 years) | Agabang (아가방) official size chart |
| Agabang 120 | About 110 cm (5 years) | Agabang (아가방) official size chart |
| Size 7 (shop A) | 100–106 cm (4–5 years) | 2022 survey of Korean kids' online shops |
| Size 7 (shop B) | 90–100 cm (3–4 years) | 2022 survey of Korean kids' online shops |
Korean online shops often pair numbered sizes with letters — 3 = XS, 5 = S, 7 = M, 9 = L, 11 = XL, 13 = 2XL — but shops differ. Sources: Agabang's official size chart and a 2022 survey of size systems at Korean children's online shops.
Three things to remember
- 1In Korean sizing the number isn't always the child's height: Agabang (아가방) recommends its size 100 for a child of about 92 cm.
- 2Numbered sizes and S/M/L aren't standardised nationally: one shop's 7 can be 10 cm bigger than another's.
- 3Thai boutique S/M/L has no published common standard, so compare the seller's measurements with your child's height.
Three ways Korean brands label sizes
Korea has national size standards for infants' and children's clothing, but brands each do their own thing, so first work out which kind of label you're looking at.
The national standards: KS K 0052 covers infants up to pre-school age, KS K 9402 covers boys aged 7 to 12 and KS K 9403 covers girls. A children's label combines a build code (S, M, L, XL) with a height code — a height code of 115, for example, means from 110 cm up to, but not including, 120 cm.
Brands in practice: a 2013 study of 78 Korean children's brands found that 37% labelled by height, 26% used numbers from 3 to 17 with no stated meaning, 9% used XS–XL and 5% used age. Even in cm, the number isn't always the child's height: Agabang recommends its 100 for a child of about 92 cm (3 years) and its 120 for about 110 cm (5 years).
| Numbered size (호) | Shop A: height | Shop A: age (years) | Shop B: height | Shop B: age (years) |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 5호 | – | – | 80–90 cm | 2–3 |
| 7호 | 100–106 cm | 4–5 | 90–100 cm | 3–4 |
| 9호 | 107–114 cm | 5–6 | 100–110 cm | 4–5 |
| 11호 | 115–122 cm | 6–7 | 110–120 cm | 6–7 |
| 13호 | 123–129 cm | 8–9 | 120–130 cm | 8–9 |
| 15호 | 130–138 cm | 9–10 | 130–140 cm | 10–11 |
Reading Thai kids' sizes
We couldn't find a publicly verifiable national size chart for children's clothing in Thailand, and labelling differs by channel.
Thailand's national body-size survey (SizeThailand, 2007–08) measured only people aged 16 and over, so it has no children's data. The Thai Industrial Standards Institute (TISI) lists SME product standards for girls' and boys' ready-to-wear (TIS S 133-2565 and S 134-2565), but their content isn't publicly available, so we couldn't check whether they include size tables.
International brands in Thai department stores mostly use European height sizes: H&M Thailand's chart puts 104 at 3–4 years, 110 at 4–5 and 116 at 5–6. The Thai brand Enfant, on the Central department store website, sells in numeric sizes such as 70, 80 and 90 and gives the age in the product name, for example "12–24 months".
The Thai boutique brands many parents buy — dresses and sets labelled S, M, L or XL — don't have official size charts we could verify, and the cut can change from one batch to the next. Before buying, ask the seller for measurements such as body length and chest width and compare them with a garment that fits your child. When you record the piece, keep the original S, M or L and add your child's height when it fits.
Converting by height: Korean, Japanese, European and US sizes
Height is the best common language between systems. The table places Agabang's (Korea) recommended heights within the height ranges of Japanese sizes and of the European and US sizes on H&M's chart.
| Height | Japan | Korea (Agabang) | EU | US |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 75–85 cm | 80 | 80 (76 cm) / 90 (84 cm) | 80 | 12M |
| 85–95 cm | 90 | 100 (92 cm) | 86–92 | 18M–2T |
| 95–105 cm | 100 | 110 (101 cm) | 98–104 | 3T–4T |
| 105–115 cm | 110 | 120 (110 cm) | 110 | 5T |
| 115–125 cm | 120 | 130 (119 cm) | 116–122 | 6–6X |
Recording Korean and Thai sizes in Minidrobe
What we suggest
- Keep the original label in the size field — 7, M or 100 — rather than rewriting it as a guessed age.
- Use a tag or note for your child's height when it fit, such as "worn at 98 cm".
- Put the seller's body length and chest width in the notes, so buyers can read them when you resell.
- After a few pieces from the same brand, you'll see whether it runs large or small.
Frequently asked questions
Common questions
What age is a Korean size 7 (7호)?
There's no single answer. In a 2022 Korean survey, one online shop's 7 was for 100–106 cm (4–5 years) and another's for 90–100 cm (3–4 years). Check the height on that shop's chart.
Is a Korean 100 the same as a Japanese 100?
Not necessarily. A Japanese 100 fits a child about 95–105 cm tall, while Agabang in Korea recommends its 100 for a child of about 92 cm (3 years) — closer to a Japanese 90. Some Korean brands' numbers run above the child's height, so look at the height column of the brand's chart.
What age is a Thai size M?
There's no common standard. Thai boutique brands define S, M and L themselves, and it can change between batches. Ask the seller for measurements such as body length and chest width, and compare them with a garment that fits your child.
How do Korean numbered sizes line up with S/M/L?
Many Korean online shops pair 3 with XS, 5 with S, 7 with M, 9 with L, 11 with XL and 13 with 2XL, but that's only a common habit and shops differ, so go by each shop's height chart.
Are Thai sizes like 70, 80 and 90 heights?
The Thai brand Enfant uses numeric sizes like 70, 80 and 90 and gives the age in the product name (for example 12–24 months), but doesn't publish what height the numbers mean. Go by the age on the product page and the garment's measurements.
Put the method to work in a wardrobe you can search
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