Korelimited Review – Korean Cultural Streetwear
If you are looking for some Korean fashion (which is, let’s admit, some of the best fashion in the world), make sure to check out Korelimited.
Korelimited is a Korean streetwear brand that is focused on keeping Korean history and culture relevant throughout its clothing line. It’s all in the name ‘Kore’ – Keepin Our Roots Eternal.
I’m not much of a fashionable person myself, so when Kore reached out to me, I was quite surprised. However, once listening to what they had to offer, I was very interested. Most companies in fashion look only towards new trends and what’s popular currently. On the other hand, Kore had the unique idea of blending these modern trends with traditional and culturally significant aspects of Korea.
Since working with Kore for the first time over a year ago, I’ve had the pleasure of working with them across multiple of their seasonal catalogues. Their clothes never cease to impress and somehow they always manage to better their own designs.
The clothing sticks to its core (or should I say… Kore), and that is bringing the roots of modern-day Korea into contemporary culture through streetwear. It was this value that appealed to me. As a primarily Korean blog, I’ve always tried to share not only travel advice for the country but also aspects of the lifestyle and culture.
With that being said, today I would like to bring you a review of the clothing from Korelimited – a Korean streetwear brand that has a unique and historical twist. If you are interested in trying Korean fashion with a deeper meaning, I highly recommend looking into their clothing.
Looking for the best place to buy Korean clothes online? All sites offer international shipping.
This post contains affiliate links. For more information, please refer to my affiliate disclaimer. Further, I received free clothing from Korelimited. However, please note that all opinions shared in this post are my own, true, views.
What Is Korelimited?
KoreLimited Hat on the streets of Seoul. Modelled by BerryLoveFashion.
As I mentioned above, Korelimited is an American-based Korean streetwear company that is focused on bringing Korean history and culture into modern-day fashion.
In this respect, it stands apart from other streetwear. Many of the pieces of clothing offered by Korelimited are highly symbolic of Korea, and as such, they are ideal for anyone who loves Korea and its culture.
They offer many different types of clothing in many different forms. It’s possible to buy a complete outfit (including accessories) from them alone!
There is one thing that I can say about Kore clothing from my experience, however, and that is that you will stand out. The clothing is eye-catching, unique, and fashionable.
Although I am not the most fashionable person myself, my girlfriend is, and she has enjoyed wearing Kore clothing. She’s received a lot of compliments while wearing Kore clothing – especially for the hats.
Kore Limited Cultural Symbols
The Korean Flag – Taegukgi.
In order to explain some of the symbols and elements used in Kore’s clothing, I wanted to briefly introduce some elements that you will notice on a range of their products.
The first symbol that you will notice a lot throughout the clothing in this article is the Korean flag. The flag represents a wide variety of different elements of Korean culture and society. On the corners of the flag, you will see four trigrams. Each of these represents a different season, direction, element, and more. For example, the trigram in the top left (geon – 건) represents heaven, spring, east, and more.
In the centre of the flag, you will find the Taeguk. This symbol will already be familiar to many people as it is also very important for a range of other cultures. It represents balance in the universe with one half (red) representing positive forces and the other half (blue) representing negative forces.
Another very important element of KoreLimited’s clothing is the mugunghwa. This flower goes by a range of different names around the world – rose of Sharon and rose mallow to name two. This flower is Korea’s national flower and it’s so important that it’s even mentioned in the national anthem.
The name, 무궁화 is also very interesting. The stem of the word, 무궁 (mugung) means ‘eternity’ and it is considered to be a symbol of both the Korean people and culture. In the 16th century, the flower began to be introduced in other parts of the world and now it’s visible in many gardens around the world.
The third element that I want to introduce is the written alphabet of the Korean language – Hangul. While it’s easy to see why these characters appear on a lot of KoreLimited’s clothing (it is the language after all!) there’s a lot of importance and cultural significance behind Hangul that many people might not realise.
Hangul was first created by King Sejong in 1443. While some characters have been removed and some added since the initial creating of the language, it’s largely the same as it was almost 600 years ago. What makes Hangul so special is that it is one of the easiest written languages to understand.
This was Sejong’s intention. At the time, Chinese characters were used in Korea and becoming fluent in these characters could take years of studying. For this reason, a large majority of Korean people were Illiterate. Hangul was created with the intention of being easier to learn in order to greatly increase the literacy rate of Korean society.
Hangul achieved this goal and have proven itself to be very capable over the centuries. It is still in use today and many Korean people have a lot of pride in this system of writing. There are very few written languages in the world that you can understand in less than an hour of study yet that have the capability of handling even the most complex academic language.
For this reason, Hangul is more than just the written alphabet. It has extreme cultural significance and there is a lot of pride among Korean people in the language.
While KoreLimited’s clothing features a lot more symbolism than just these three elements, I wanted to provide a brief overview of the cultural significance of some of the more common features you will see in their clothing catalogue. Hopefully, this section has also helped show how meaningful many of these pieces of clothing are.
Korelimited Catalogue
Korelimited has a large variety of different types of clothing. They offer everything from basics such as T-shirts and pants, all the way to hats, bags, and facemasks. All of these products represent Korea in some form, and they manage to do so in a fashionable way.
They also have many different collaborations with celebrities and even idols, and these often result in limited edition clothing. On top of this, Kore Limited releases seasonal items every 3/4 months and therefore you shouldn’t wait if you see an item you like – it will likely be sold out before you know it.
For this reason, it’s likely that the items I feature below are already sold out. However, I want this section to be more of a showcase of what Kore offers rather than a look at their current catalogue… That changes too fast for me to keep up!
Tiger Box Tee
The first piece of clothing that I want to introduce is the Tiger Box Tee. This particular shirt is very special because it features a traditional Korean art form called Minwha. This art style is the same that you will see on a lot of Korean artwork and it has been around for centuries.
The Tiger Box Tee, as the name suggests, features a tiger at the forefront of its design. The tiger is Korea’s national animal and in many ways, it also symbolises Korea. Tigers were one of the most common animals to feature in Minwha artworks, and as such, this shirt is a great nod to this traditional art form.
Down the left-hand side of the box, the Kore Limited logo makes an appearance. However, the logo is rather subtle and doesn’t take away from the stunning artwork.
This shirt also represents another reason as to why I like Kore Limited clothing so much – nearly the whole range of clothing is created for everyone. That is to say, anyone can wear this shirt. I find myself sharing nearly every piece of Kore Limited clothing with my girlfriend!
Seoul Angeles Tee
The second piece of clothing on this list is also the item that I was most excited about. That is the Seoul Angeles Tee!
This shirt comes in three different colours – Carolina blue, light pink, and white heather. This is one of the brighter shirts offered by Korelimited and for that reason, it is an ideal shirt for spring and summer.
The front of the shirt is minimalist, with only the words ‘Seoul Angeles’ being shown. However, the back of the shirt is where the real appeal is.
The back of the shirt features a circle in the design of the Taeguk – Korea’s national symbol and that which can be seen on the flag. The symbol represents balance in the universe, and it is used in Buddhism and Confucianism.
In front of the Taeguk is a skyline of Seoul which most notably features Namsan Tower. The tower is flanked by seagulls and palm trees, and that is where the Angeles part of Seoul Angeles comes in.
I love the design of this shirt because it feels like it brings summer vibes to Seoul. This is definitely a shirt meant for the warmer months, and I look forward to going to the beach with this T-shirt.
Jindo Dog T-Shirt
This cute green T-shirt is one of my girlfriend’s favourites. You really can’t find many shirts cuter than this one! Why? Well, it features one of Korea’s dog breeds on the left breast. That dog is the Jindo, Korea’s most famous dog. Also, along with Pungsan, it’s definitely one of the cutest dog breeds!
The Jindo dog is also wearing a gat. Gats are traditional Korean hats that were normally worn together with hanbok by men during the Joseon Dynasty. Both the gat and Jindo dog are very symbolic of Korea and have a far deeper meaning than their cuteness would suggest.
Jindo dogs are loyal, brave, and smart. They were used as hunting companions throughout Korean history, as such, they are still much loved today. While you may not see many Jindo dogs outside of Korea, they are very common in the country.
If you’re looking for a cute way to express your love of Korean culture then this shirt is a great choice!
March 1st Tee
The March 1st Tee is perhaps the most culturally important shirt that Korelimited offers. If you don’t know what March 1st is, I highly recommend reading more about it.
However, in short, the March 1st Movement was a Korean resistance movement that took place on March 1st 1919, when Korea was still under Japanese rule.
This was a bleak time in Korean history, and it has had a very strong impact on the culture of Korea today. Independence leaders during that period are often considered national heroes, and the March 1st Movement was the most famous resistance movement against the military rule of Japan.
This shirt is in honour of that day. It remembers the significance of what happened and shows it in a newspaper-like way. The names and pictures of independence fighters are shown in a form of memorials.
The front of the shirt is bare, with only a small date shown on the right breast.
This shirt is an interesting twist on one of Korea’s most important historical moments. Korelimited has done a fantastic job of bringing Korea’s roots into a fashionable shirt.
It is also made from quite heavy cotton, so this shirt is a good idea in fall and spring. For this reason, I wouldn’t call it a summer shirt. It is also far bigger than the other shirts even though it is the same size. An S of this shirt is the size of an L on the other shirts.
Dokdo Long Sleeve
The Dokdo Long Sleeve is another very unique design. This long-sleeved shirt is very simple on the front, but the back is a totally different story. This shirt is based all around Dokdo, an island off the east coast of Korea.
The island is very controversial and is often a catalyst for conflicts between Japan and Korea. Both claim the island as their own, and there have been tensions over the island for decades. I’m not here to comment on who’s right or wrong. However, I do love this design.
Due to the conflict over Dokdo, the island has become largely symbolic of Korea’s independence. With the history that exists between Korea and Japan (the March 1st Tee shows just a bit of this history), it becomes obvious why this island is so important to Korea.
Besides the meaning of the islands, the design itself is eye-catching and colourful. The characters ‘ㄷ ㅗ ㄱ ㄷ ㅗ’ line the back of the shirt. These characters spell ‘Dokdo’ but are in a more artistic form than the traditional ‘독도’. The silhouette of the island stands against a stunning sunset above this lettering.
Imperial Seoul Tee
The next shirt on the list is the Imperial Seoul Tee from Korelimited. This shirt is another simple design that comes in light blue, mint, and black.
The front of the shirt shows the Kore logo in the top right, and underneath has the phrase ‘I am not a human being’. This may seem odd at first, however, that is actually the name of a famous Korean streetwear company.
Imperial Seoul Tee is one of the outcomes of Korelimited’s many collaborations, and many of these have limited edition shirts. Make sure to get them quickly if you are interested!
This shirt is made of good quality cotton and you will quickly realise this when wearing it!
Pink Tie-Dye Bucket Hat
Okay, this one isn’t so traditional. However, I wanted to feature this hat because I believe it exemplifies the style of Kore Limited. While Kore Limited focuses a lot on traditional aspects of its clothing, it’s also a streetwear brand. This bucket hat fits perfectly in their streetwear collection.
Tie-Dye has become very popular in Korea recently. In fact, it’s coming back all over the world. Fashion cycles tend to repeat every 20-30 years, and it’s tie-dyes time to shine! I’ve always loved this style, but I would get looks wearing it before. Nowadays, it’s the norm in Seoul!
While the hat comes in a few different colours, blue and pink blend fantastically. Somehow the two colours contrast each other yet compliment very well. Therefore, despite not being as culturally focused as many of Kore Limited’s other clothes, this hat fits right into Korean street fashion in 2021.
Taeguk Barcode Crewneck
The Taeguk Barcode Crewneck from Korelimited is another very symbolic piece of clothing that shows off Korean values in the form of streetwear.
This crewneck shows the taegukgi (the Korean national flag), in a barcode-like style. Each of the four pieces from the flag is displayed on a different piece of the shirt.
Each of the squares represents different values that can be interpreted differently. They represent the seasons – winter, fall, spring and summer, and can also represent heaven, fire, water and earth.
Coming in black, yellow and azalea colours, this crewneck can fit many different people. Although black is the most simple colour, there are also some brighter colours that will work well with summer outfits.
The outerwear is made to be oversized, and should generously fit. It is made from cotton and polyester and feels of good quality.
Butterfly Kore Hoodie
One of my favourite designs is this hoodie that features butterflies flying around and landing on Korea’s national flower – the mugunghwa. You will notice that mugunghwa features a lot throughout Kore Limited’s clothing and for good reason. It’s not only Korea’s national flower, but it’s also stunning!
Along with tigers, butterflies are another animal that features prominently in Korean traditional art. During the 18th century artwork featuring both butterflies and mugunghwa was especially popular due to the works of Nam Gye-u (also called ‘Butterfly Nam’).
The Kore Limited logo also features on the back of the hoodie in a cute wave-like fashion. I appreciate how the design was incorporated this way as it makes the logo feel like it’s part of the scene rather than something that was later added.
Suits Bucket Hat
The Suits Bucket Hat is the fifth and final piece of clothing that we received from Korelimited. After wearing this hat on the streets of Seoul for a few days, we have received a lot of compliments on it!
The hat comes in three different styles – navy, charcoal and grey. The hats are simple in style and show the Kore logo on the front.
Made from 100% cotton, the hat is of good quality and this is something that you will quickly realise after trying it on. The hat also features some sewn eyelets around the head.
I appreciate the simple style of the hat as it is neither too much nor too little. The hat stands out, but not overly. Although Korelimited has many different hats, this must be our favourite!
Overall Review
After trying over 10 items from Kore Limited I can attest to their quality. The products always feel high-quality and they use premium materials. The printing is also high-quality and these products will last through many washes. This is something that should be expected, however, as Kore’s clothing isn’t the cheapest.
In this case, I do believe that you get what you pay for. On top of the quality of the clothing is, of course, the design and style. All of these designs are very unique to Kore and you won’t find them elsewhere. You can also tell that a lot of love and time has gone into the creation of each product.
Kore clothing stands out – even in Korea, where fashion is key. The unique designs will ensure that the clothing you wear is special to you. A lot of the clothing will turn heads and get you compliments.
On top of this, these designs are not only culturally appropriate but also historically important. This is the most interesting aspect of Korelimited’s clothing and something which I haven’t seen done elsewhere. If you’re looking to sport some Korean fashion but also want to represent something a bit deeper, make sure to check out Kore.
Purchase Kore Limited Clothing
KoreLimited Final Words
In the end, seeing as this is a review, there is one question that needs to be asked – would I recommend Korelimited for Korean cultural streetwear?
Yes, I would. As I’ve said many times in this article, the clothing is totally unique while also being historically and culturally important.
As a blog that is based on Korean culture and lifestyle, this is something that I appreciate and something that I want to share with my readers.
Finally, the clothes are well made and you can expect quality. With this combination of traits, it’s easy to recommend Korelimited for anyone looking for some Korean streetwear!
Purchase Kore Limited Clothing
Korelimited FAQ
Where Does Korelimited Ship?
Korelimited offers international shipping. This means that no matter where in the world you are, you should be able to purchase clothing from Korelimited!
Where Can I Purchase Korelimited Clothing?
You can purchase Korelimited clothing from their official website.
What Clothing Does Korelimited Sell?
Korelimited sells everything from pants and shirts to accessories such as masks and hats. The majority of their selection is in shirts, jerseys and jackets, but they offer other items too.
What Makes Korelimited Clothing Unique?
Korelimited clothing is unique in that it incorporates parts of Korean culture into the clothing. There is no other brand that brings Korean culture and history into clothing such as Korelimited does.
What Are the Best Websites to Buy Korean Clothing Online?
I recently wrote an article about the best online shopping malls to buy Korean clothing from.