SEOUL, November 03 (AJP) - At the Olive Young flagship store in Myeongdong, the aisles are crowded not just with locals but with visitors from Tokyo, Bangkok and Los Angeles, filling baskets with sheet masks, toners and serums.
What began as a domestic health and beauty chain has quietly become one of South Korea’s most popular tourist destinations — and a symbol of how K-beauty has gone global.
From Seoul’s bustling shopping districts of Myeongdong, Hongdae and Gangnam to stores in Busan and Jeju, CJ Olive Young has emerged as a key stop for international travelers. The influx has buoyed both in-store and online sales, reflecting the powerful pull of Korean skincare and cosmetics abroad.
Industry data show that from January to September, Olive Young’s offline foreign sales jumped more than 50 percent from a year earlier. Foreign purchases, which accounted for single digits in early 2023, climbed to 26.4 percent this year, surpassing 30 percent in the second quarter alone.
According to data from the Korea Tourism Data Lab, roughly 7.2 million people visited South Korea between January and May, and about 5.96 million — or 80 percent — shopped at Olive Young.
The brand’s international reach has even found its way into diplomatic circles. During the 2025 APEC Summit in Gyeongju, White House Press Secretary Karoline Leavitt was seen browsing the shelves of an Olive Young branch, later posting her haul of 13 skincare products on Instagram. Last year, the wives of Los Angeles Dodgers players shared their own visits online, helping to amplify Olive Young’s global profile.
Much of the retailer’s success lies in its deliberate courting of foreign shoppers. Olive Young has designated over 110 stores nationwide as “global tourist zones,” equipped with multilingual staff and signage in English, Japanese and Chinese. Product displays highlight bestsellers favored by foreign customers, while promotions are tailored to shopping behaviors by region.
The company’s global e-commerce platform, launched in 2019, has further extended its reach. Many travelers who discover Olive Young in Korea continue to shop from their home countries. From January to August, sales rose 230 percent in Britain and 140 percent in Japan, according to company figures.
“K-beauty is no longer just a trend — it’s becoming a lifestyle,” an Olive Young spokesperson said. “As more travelers experience our products firsthand, they’re helping expand Korea’s beauty culture worldwide.”
During the APEC Summit, Olive Young presented curated K-beauty gift packages to world leaders, featuring 17 products spanning skincare, makeup and personal care. The gesture symbolized both national pride and the growing cultural weight of Korean brands.
* This article, published by Aju Business Daily, was translated by AI and edited by AJP.
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