Unit Differences in Korea That Foreigners Should Know!

One of the most confusing aspects for foreigners visiting Korea for the first time is unit differences.

From length and weight to temperature and volume, Korea uses different measurement units than many other countries, especially the U.S. and the U.K.

For instance, Korea uses meters (m) for length, while the U.S. uses feet (ft). Korea measures temperature in Celsius (°C), but the U.S. uses Fahrenheit (°F).

In this guide, we'll go over the most commonly used units in Korea, compare them with international standards, and introduce easy ways to convert them.

Length & Distance: Meters (m) vs Feet (ft), Miles (mile)

✅ Korea: Meters (m), Kilometers (km)

• "It's just 500m from here." → Approx. 0.31 miles
• "This building is 100m tall." → Approx. 328 feet
• "The distance from Seoul to Busan is 400km." → Approx. 249 miles

Weight: Kilograms (kg) vs Pounds (lb)

✅ Korea: Kilograms (kg)

• "This luggage weighs 10kg." → Approx. 22 pounds (22 lbs)
• "My weight is 70kg." → Approx. 154 pounds (154 lbs)
• "This bag weighs over 5kg." → Approx. 11 pounds (11 lbs)

Temperature: Celsius (°C) vs Fahrenheit (°F)

✅ Korea: Celsius (°C)

• "Today's temperature is 30°C." → Approx. 86°F
• "Tomorrow will drop to -5°C." → Approx. 23°F
• "Summer temperatures can reach 35°C." → Approx. 95°F

Using the iPhone Calculator for Easy Conversions

If you're an iPhone user, you can easily convert units using the built-in calculator app.

📱 How to Use It

• Open the Calculator app on your iPhone.
• In portrait mode, it's just a basic calculator.
• Rotate your phone to landscape mode to access the unit conversion function.
• Select the unit type (length, weight, temperature, volume, etc.), enter the value, and it will convert automatically!

💡 If the calculator doesn’t rotate, check this setting:

• Go to Settings > Display & Brightness > Turn off "Portrait Orientation Lock"

🚀 Final Thoughts: Prepare for Korea!

Understanding Korea's measurement system will help you avoid confusion and make daily life easier.
Since Korea uses metric units, knowing how to convert between different systems can be extremely useful.

For quick conversions, use the iPhone calculator or Google search, and you'll have no trouble adapting to Korea! 😊

#Unit Differences  #Length & Distance  #Weight  #Temperature  #Speed  #Volume