Every year as the monsoon season looms, one item always pops up in shoppers’ carts: rain boots. They’re unbeatable in a downpour, but on dry days they’re often the last thing anyone wants to pull on.
These days, though, breathable Y2K‑inspired jelly shoes—not classic monsoon rain boots—are stealing the spotlight.
Asia Economy reported on the 4th that, from June 30 through July 6, fashion platform Ably saw jelly‑shoe transaction value surge 79% while searches jumped 69%. Musinsa also recorded a 73% year‑over‑year rise in search volume over the same period.
Suecomma Bonnie, the footwear brand under Kolon FnC, rolled out both rain boots and jelly sandals as this year’s monsoon picks—and jelly sandal sales have soared.
Between the 14th and 20th of last month, Suecomma Bonnie’s “ribbon jelly sandals” had a 77% sell‑through rate; black and gray jelly sandals sold out and had to be restocked.
The jelly‑shoe craze is being linked to a drier‑than‑usual monsoon. The seasonal front forms when the southern North Pacific air mass meets the northern Okhotsk air mass, typically bringing steady rain from late June through late July (average: June 25–July 26).
On average, the monsoon delivers precipitation on about 17.7 days and totals roughly 378.3 mm (about 15 inches). Over the past two years, rainfall tended to be longer and heavier than those averages.
But this year the monsoon front pushed north as far as North Korea’s Hamgyeong region, drying up the usual rains. With early heat waves arriving, analysts say shoppers are turning to jelly shoes instead of the season’s standard rain boots.
Fashion platform W Concept told Asia Economy that lightweight pieces people can wear regardless of weather are performing well. In particular, semi‑transparent, perforated (see‑through) jelly shoes offer better breathability, making them practical for hot, humid days and helping boost sales.
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