What Are Korean-Style Glasses and Should You Get Some?

With the rising popularity of K-pop and K-dramas, Korean-style glasses are no longer reserved only for Koreans. That said, stars from South Korea — like Son Ye Jin, Nam Joo Hyuk, and Jennie Kim — have done wonders for the now-worldwide glasses trend, pairing their eyewear with the latest Korean fashions.

So what exactly are Korean-style glasses? Let’s take a look at what gives glasses that Korean feel and how to choose the right ones for you. We’ll also give you some ideas for where to find Korean-style glasses so you can try out a pair.

What Makes Eyeglasses Korean-Style?

There’s no one type of glasses that can be called Korean style, although the Korean versions of the hipster look and vintage round, thin frames are currently very popular. Korean glasses can have acetate or metal frames, be rimless or full-rimmed, and they’re often unisex, so both men and women can wear them.

What separates Korean-style glasses from the crowd is their minimalist styling. There are few flourishes or look-at-me colors. Instead, neutral and understated colors like plain matte black, brown, white, clear, rose-gold, or tortoiseshell are the norm.

And although you may find a few embellished frames on the red carpet, for everyday wear you’re unlikely to see multicolored sparkles, tie-dyes, or frames sporting baseball team logos. Korean spectacle frames are simply designed to let the natural features of their wearer shine through.

You might also find that the fit of Korean-style glasses is designed slightly differently to accommodate a shallower nose bridge or high cheekbones. These glasses often have a narrower or low nose bridge, taller nose pads, adjusted curvature in the frame and temple arms, and slightly angled face fronts. They may work well for you If other glasses feel too tight around the temples, sit on your cheeks, or keep slipping down your nose.

Their very simplicity means you can pair Korean-style glasses with a variety of outfits. Whether you’re wearing something with a similarly minimalist look or a bold combination of colors, your Korean glasses will complement it, rather than clash.

Different Types of Korean-Style Glasses Frames

If you fancy a pair of Korean-style glasses, there’s a wide range of choices available — which you can keep as minimalist as you choose. What’s important is that you go with eyeglasses frames that suit your face shape. That usually means choosing a shape that contrasts with the shape of your face, instead of matching it.

For example:

• If you have a round face, you’ll probably look good in rectangular or square frames or cat-eyes for a retro look.

• If you have a more angular face, you’ll likely do well with oval or round eyeglasses, or cat-eyes.

• And if you have an oval face, you can wear almost anything. Try round glasses, square or rectangular eyewear frames, or cat-eyes.

Remember that when it comes to Korean-style glasses, it’s more about minimalist styling than the shape itself.

Where to Find Trendy Korean-Style Eyewear

Whether you need prescription glasses to correct for myopia (nearsightedness) or hyperopia (farsightedness), or reading glasses to make sense of the messages on your phone, you’ll find a Korean style that suits you at Pair Eyewear. You may even decide on non-prescription glasses as a fashion accessory to complement your personality and add flair to your look.

• If you’re looking for round glasses, try The Soto as a classic round lens, The Twain or The Reese for narrower, more petite faces, or The Otis for a wider round-lens style.

• For cat-eyes, try The Ella for a dainty look or The Wanda for that trendy, oversized look. If your face is small and narrow though, be wary of going too oversized or your glasses may overwhelm your face.

• For rectangular or square frames, try The Kirby, The Larkin, The Finley, or The Casper.

If you’re in the market for high-quality sunglasses, start by trying on our sunglasses frames. Oversized or cat-eye sunglasses might just give you the Korean style you’re looking for. And because those styles tend to be bigger, they also provide more protection from the sun. All Pair sunglasses are polarized too, to help cut the glare even further.

Pair Eyewear frames are made from cellulose acetate in a variety of different colors and styles including metal temples. Our standard lenses are crafted from high-quality polycarbonate, featuring scratch-resistant and anti-reflective coatings. We offer a variety of lens materials available to suit your lifestyle and budget.

How to Find the Right Korean-Style Glasses for You

Use our Virtual Try-On feature to experiment with different looks to see what works best for your face shape. It’s really easy to use:

1. Start by choosing the appropriate Base Frame for men’s eyeglasses or women’s eyeglasses.

2. Select one of the styles and click Virtual Try-On.

3. You’ll need to agree to the Terms and Conditions and give permission for Pair Eyewear to access the camera on the device you’re using.

4. Select your Base Frame color, and in a few moments, you’ll see what you look like in those frames.

5. To save that view so you can refer to it again later, select Take Photo.

6. To keep trying on different frames, select a new frame and you’ll see an updated image.

When you’ve settled on the best frame for you, you can choose a Top Frame for your new stylish glasses. Pair Top Frames attach to the Base Frames magnetically and they’re just 2 mm thick, so they’re ultralight. Or, because Korean-style glasses have a minimalist look, you may decide to keep your Base Frames plain and unadorned.

Before you go to checkout, you can enter your prescription and choose to add other features to your new Korean glasses. For example, if you’re ordering computer glasses, you’ll probably want to add an anti-blue light filter. Blue light-blocking glasses protect your eyes when you’re working on a device for many hours a day. Or you may want to add a light-responsive filter, which darkens to protect your eyes as you go outside into the sun.

Are Korean Glasses for You?

Korean-style glasses come in a range of styles to suit different face shapes — and yes, anyone can wear them. Their key feature is a minimalist look that flatters the wearer’s face and adds an extra dash of style to any outfit.

Choose your Korean-style glasses from Pair Eyewear’s range of Base Frame options. You can leave the Base Frame plain or add a minimalist Top Frame to complete the Korean look. Before you know it, you may even have K-pop or K-drama fans asking for your autograph.