Objectives The goal of this review is to investigate clinical and experimental studies on external application treatment for atopic dermatitis in Korean literature and to propose for the better method of clinical studies in order to seek more effective treatment. Methods Electronic researches were performed with KTKP, OASIS, National Assembly Library, Korean Medicine Database, KISS, DBpia, and KISTI. Results and Conclusions In Twenty six studies, the numbers of clinical and experimental studies are respectively 10 (38.46%) and 16 (61.54%). The numbers of studies that used herbal complex were 20 (76.92%), and out of that, 6 studies had used a single herbal medicine (23.08%). The external application with oriental medicine for the atopic dermatitis used with Phellodendri Cortex (7), Sophorae Radix (6), Scutellariae Radix (6), Lonicerae Flos (5), Coptidis Rhizoma (5) and so on. Among the clinical studies, the 5 studies were double-blind and randomized-controlled study (50%). The numbers of studies that used Hanifin and Rajka Diagnostic Criteria (1980) were 6 (60%), and that used the Diagnostic Criteria in Korean Atopic Dermatitis (2005) were 4 (40%). Among the clinical studies, categories to evaluate of atopic dermatitis are respectively SCORAD Index (80%), Total IgE (80%), Eosinophil count (70%) and so on. All of the clinical studies (100%) showed a statistically significant decline in atopic dermatitis according to the SCORAD Index, Modified SCORAD Index, the Clinic index score. Among the experimental studies, the numbers of studies that used NC/Nga mice were 9 (56.25%), and out of that 5 studies used BALB/c mice (31.25%). Most of the studies (68.75%) used DNCB as allergy inducing materials. The scales for evaluation of atopic dermatitis were Clinical skin severity score, Histopathologic examination, Immunohematologic examination, safety test and so on. In 12 cases (75%) of experimental studies, the IgE level of experimental group showed a statistically significant decline after using external application. In 8 study cases (50%), Clinical skin severity score of experimental group showed a statistically significant decline after using external application.