Breaking tradition: Korean men embrace parasols to beat summer heat

A man walks holding a parasol amid a heat wave in central Seoul's Jongno District, Thursday. Newsis

On a sweltering July afternoon last week, a 36-year-old office worker in Seoul surnamed Park, made an unexpected purchase: his first parasol.

“Heat is something all living things feel, regardless of gender,” he said. “Buying a parasol was an inevitable choice under this weather. There’s no reason to refuse portable shade.”

Park is not alone.

With Korea grappling with a record-breaking heat wave, an increasing number of men are adopting parasols — once considered exclusively feminine — to protect themselves from the intense sun.

A 31-year-old salesman in Seoul surnamed Kang also purchased a parasol this summer.

“I often travel for work by subway, and I bought it to protect my skin,” he said. “I hesitated a little bit at first because of the perception that men don’t normally use parasols, but after trying it, I’m more than satisfied with how cool it keeps me.”

The shift toward greater use of parasols among men is striking.

According to local online fashion retailer Musinsa, searches for "parasols" by male customers surged 904 percent between July 1 and 10 compared to the same period last year. From Jan. 1 to July 10, searches of the product by men rose 191 percent from the same period a year ago.

Naver’s search trend data also reveals that men’s interest in parasols has consistently peaked between June and August over the past three years, with search frequency scores ranging from 85 to 100 on a scale of 100.

A man walks under a parasol in Daegu during a heat wave advisory, June 30. Yonhap

Fashion brands are responding by launching parasols with simple, UV-coated designs, moving away from the frilly, colorful styles that traditionally target middle-aged women.

One online search turned up 48,000 products under the term "men’s parasol," accompanied by user reviews declaring parasols a "must-have item" for men and urging, "Don’t be embarrassed — now is the time for men to use parasols."

A similar shift has been underway in neighboring Japan since 2018, where government agencies have actively encouraged parasol use among men as a measure to prevent heatstroke.

In 2019, Japan’s Ministry of the Environment even ran a campaign encouraging people to gift parasols on Father’s Day and as a result, “men’s parasols” ranked 14th in Nikkei Trendy’s 2023 hit product list.

Korea’s local governments are also encouraging parasol use.

Daegu, a southern city nicknamed “Daefrica,” combining the words Daegu and Africa, and famous for its extreme summer heat, began operating parasol rental stations in 2020, and expanded to over 160 locations this year, including options for men. Other cities, including Busan and Daejeon, have launched similar services.

In 2021, the National Institute of the Korean Language revised the dictionary definition of “parasol.” The original definition described it as “a large umbrella-shaped item mainly used by women to block sunlight,” but the phrase “mainly used by women” was removed.

Research by the Seoul Institute found that using a parasol can lower perceived outdoor temperatures by up to 10 degrees Celsius. Parasols also block UV rays, helping prevent heat-related illnesses, skin conditions and even hair loss.

While attitudes are beginning to shift, some men remain hesitant, held back by lingering social stigma.

“I often pick up and put down a parasol when shopping, still feeling a little self-conscious,” said Jung, 33. “My friends and I jokingly say that we wish a celebrity like G-Dragon would use a parasol to truly lead a trend for us.”