Rain or shine: Sun umbrella use picks up among men and women amid summer heat

In summer, umbrellas could be seen as an Asian cultural quirk — a symbol of being overly sun shy — but amid Seoul’s recent record-breaking heat, it might be wise to rethink the stigma.

A local holds a sun umbrella in Seongdong District, eastern Seoul, on July 9, 2025. [NEWS1]

In summer, umbrellas could be seen as an Asian cultural quirk — a symbol of being overly sun shy — but amid Seoul’s recent record-breaking heat, it might be wise to rethink the stigma.

Sun umbrellas can reduce the apparent temperature by up to 10 degrees Celsius and the actual temperature by 7 degrees Celsius. It is also much more effective than a hat, reducing approximately 17 percent more sweat according to a study by Japan’s Ministry of the Environment.

Responding to this summer’s relentless heat, the Korea Meteorological Administration (KMA) on Monday sent an official request to the Seoul Metropolitan Office of Education and the Gyeonggi Provincial Office of Education, urging schools to encourage students to carry sun umbrellas on their way home.

Some cities and districts are also encouraging residents to use sun umbrellas. In Seongnam, Gyeonggi, residents can borrow a sun umbrella, free of charge, for up to seven days at 54 locations through Sept. 30.

Designed to block ultraviolet rays almost entirely, sun umbrellas are not only effective at preventing heatstroke but also help protect against hair loss and skin conditions.

Locals are battling heat with sun umbreallas and handheld fans in Seoul on July 3, 2025 [NEWS1]

While the current boom may seem new, Korea’s use of sun umbrellas, known as yangsan, dates back to the early 19th century, a period often referred to as the country’s enlightenment era. According to the Encyclopedia of Korean Culture, the shades were introduced as part of Western women’s fashion, as carrying a sun umbrella was considered essential. Consequently, some of the earliest people to be seen with the umbrellas were wives of diplomats stationed abroad.

Earlier art records, however, also depict yangsan-like items, like large silk umbrellas, which were used by royals during the Three Kingdoms Period (57 B.C. to 668 A.D.).

The latest yangsan trends combine with the regular functionality of an umbrella, proving particularly useful for recent erratic weather patterns. These items are lined with a UV coating, blocking approximately 76 percent of sunlight, while also being water-repellent.

As more young people have begun to carry sun umbrellas, their designs have become more muted, more portable and lighter, diverging from the previously widespread, very floral, lacy and colorful versions that were associated mainly with middle-aged women.

Perhaps most notably, yangsan are no longer just for women.

According to online fashion retailer Musinsa, the number of men searching for “yangsan” between July 1 and 10 jumped 904 percent compared to the same period last year — more than a 10-fold increase. From Jan. 1 to July 10, searches rose 191 percent year-on-year.

Reflecting this cultural shift, the National Institute of the Korean Language updated its Standard Korean Dictionary in 2021, removing the phrase “mainly used by women” from its definition of yangsan.

A similar trend is underway in Japan. Since 2018, the Ministry of the Environment has run annual campaigns to normalize sun umbrella use among men, including Father’s Day ads encouraging people to gift sun umbrellas to dads on June 16. Promotional materials highlighting their shade benefits are also distributed at department stores nationwide.

A student holds a sun umbrealla at Jongno District, central Seoul on July 8, 2025 [NEWS1]

For those considering using a yangsan, experts recommend umbrellas with a light-colored outer surface to reflect sunlight and a dark or black inner lining to block the radiant heat rising from the ground.

A rain umbrella can also work in a pinch. Research from Emory University tested 23 umbrellas under midday sun and found all of them blocked at least 77 percent of UV radiation. Black umbrellas were the most effective, blocking more than 90 percent.

BY LEE JIAN [lee,jian@joongang.co.kr]