Austenitic stainless steels excellent in flexibility are provided. The austenitic stainless steel excellent in flexibility includes, by weight percent, 0.1 to 0.65% of Si, 1.0 to 3.0% of Mn, 6.5 to 10.0% of Ni, 16.5 to 18.5% of Cr, 6.0% or less of Cu (excluding 0), 0.13% or less of (C+N) (excluding 0), and the remainder including Fe and unavoidable impurities, wherein the work hardening formula H1 defined by the following formula is 300 or less. H1=−459+79.8Si−10.2Mn−8.16Ni+48.0Cr−13.2Cu+623(C+N).