Lee Si-young and Chae Jung-an Put Jelly Shoes Back in the Y2K Spotlight

Jelly shoes, which were seen every summer in the early 2000s, are reappearing on the streets and SNS. As actress Lee Si-young was seen picking out three pairs at a jelly shoe store and Chae Jung-an was spotted adding jelly shoes to her summer outfit, these nostalgic shoes have once again become a 'trendy item.'

Decorating with Ribbons and Beads: 'Jel-kku'

The term describing the current jelly shoe trend is 'Jel-kku.' It is an abbreviation for 'Jelly shoe decorating,' where people take transparent or shiny PVC shoes and customize them to their taste by attaching ribbons, beads, alphabet charms, and character decorations. While jelly shoes in the past were practical footwear for water activities and the rainy season, they are now closer to using one's feet as a small accessory board.

Numbers are also rising online. As of early June, posts related to jelly shoes on Instagram were reported to exceed 54,000, and the number of young customers looking for ribbons and charms to attach to jelly shoes has increased at the Dongdaemun General Market and accessory shopping districts in Seoul. Rather than buying finished products, the process of choosing materials, combining them, and posting them on SNS has itself become a form of play.

Lee Si-young's 3 Pairs and Chae Jung-an's Summer Look

This is also why Lee Si-young's case stands out. She did not just consume jelly shoes as a single trendy product, but revealed the process of choosing and wearing them herself. Chae Jung-an also matched jelly shoes with a light summer style, demonstrating that these shoes do not remain stuck in childhood memories but can be used as everyday fashion for adult women.

In fashion, Y2K—the early 2000s style—has returned several times through low-rise pants, cargo pants, and mini bags. Jelly shoes are an example of that trend moving into footwear. However, rather than simply repeating the past, the domestic 'decorating' culture has merged with overseas cases where jelly material flats, mules, and even heels are introduced as summer footwear.

PVC Comfort and Rainy Season Demand

For jelly shoes to last, cute photos are not enough. Whether they have reduced the issues of sweat, friction, and comfort unique to PVC materials, and whether they are actually comfortable to walk in after decorations are attached, will determine repurchase rates.

Therefore, today's jelly shoes are transformed more vividly by the consumers' fingertips than by the finished products proposed by fashion brands. Even with the same shoes, they become entirely different items depending on which parts are attached, and that difference drives the next purchase on SNS. If the advantages of being water-resistant and lightweight align with seasonal demand during this summer's rainy season and vacation period, the trend could continue further. Conversely, if reviews claiming discomfort accumulate, they may end up being merely 'shoes for photos.' Jelly shoes have not simply returned this time; they are being sold again as shoes that people decorate and showcase themselves.