SEOUL, May 21 (AJP) - South Korea’s largest celebration of K-beauty opened Wednesday at Nodeul Island in Seoul, as CJ Olive Young launched its annual Olive Young Festa, showcasing 108 brands across 84 booths in a sprawling five-day outdoor festival.
Now in its latest iteration, the 2025 Olive Young Festa represents a significant expansion of the event, which has traditionally been held indoors.
"This is more than a beauty exhibition — it’s a space for connection and participation,” said Lee Sang-ju, Olive Young’s communications director, at Wednesday’s opening ceremony. “We wanted to move beyond passive product sampling to create an immersive, interactive environment.”
The festival is divided into five thematic zones — skincare, makeup, personal care, healthy lifestyle, and a curated “luxury edit.” Organizers have given special attention to emerging indie brands, while still featuring long-established names recognized in the industry.
During a media briefing, Lee Eun-jung, director of Olive Young’s Brand Creative Center, described the festival as a leap toward what the company calls “themed beauty-tainment.”
“This is not just about viewing beauty — it’s about feeling, remembering, and evolving with it,” she said.
A centerpiece of this year’s event is its “treasure island” concept, which positions Nodeul Island as a site of discovery for beauty and wellness innovation. In addition to product showcases, the festival offers curated trend exhibits, one-day classes, and outdoor busking performances by indie musicians, aiming to engage visitors’ senses on multiple levels.
The festival also serves as an industry forum. Olive Young is hosting about 200 brand executives for its “Future Connect” program, focused on global market strategies and networking.
Around 400 representatives from international distribution platforms — including those from the United States, Japan, Hong Kong, and Southeast Asia — were invited to explore Korean beauty’s export potential.
Early bird tickets, released in April to Olive Young’s 16 million members, sold out immediately, a signal of robust consumer appetite for the company’s evolving blend of beauty and entertainment.
reporter
Candice Kim
candicekim1121@ajupress.com
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