At 2 p.m. on May 26, CJ Olive Young Myeong-dong Global Town branch , located at the busy Myeong-dong intersection in central Seoul, was crowded with foreign tourists scanning products with their smartphones. Korean shoppers were few and far between. A digital display above the checkout counters read, “Have your passport ready for tax refunds,” in English, Chinese, and Japanese. On the second floor, a dedicated “Tax Refund Zone” allowed for on-the-spot reimbursements. “I bought multiple units of the same item because my friends asked me to pick up a few things,” said an American tourist, who had purchased sunscreen and face masks. “Korean cosmetics have a great reputation, so there’s a lot I want to try.”
With “K-beauty shopping” gaining momentum among international travelers, street-level retailers such as CJ Olive Young and Daiso have become essential stops on the tourist itinerary. In some cases, foot traffic to these outlets has even outpaced that of nearby department stores.
According to a May 26 analysis by Hana Card of foreign card transactions in South Korea between January and April, several Olive Young branches ranked among the top locations in transaction volume by international visitors. The most visited site was The Hyundai Seoul, known for its cultural attractions such as idol pop-up stores, followed closely Olive Young Myeong-dong Global Town branch branch. The Myeong-dong Town location recorded nearly 10% more foreign card transactions than the nearby Lotte Department Store’s main branch and approximately twice as many as Shinsegae Department Store’s main location. While total spending was more than double at Lotte and 1.5 times higher at Shinsegae, the number of individual users was significantly greater at Olive Young—indicating that more foreign tourists chose to shop there than at the area’s major department stores.
Among the top 10 retail locations by foreign transaction volume, four were Olive Young outlets: the Myeong-dong Town, Seongsu, Hongdae Town, and Myeong-dong branches. During a recent appearance at the Asian Leadership Conference (ALC) hosted by the Chosunilbo, former British Prime Minister Rishi Sunak shared a personal anecdote, saying, “When my daughters heard I was coming to Korea, they handed me a shopping list for Olive Young.”
Capitalizing on the surge in popularity, CJ Olive Young opened a new location—the Myeong-dong Street branch—on May 27. There are now seven Olive Young locations in the district with “Myeong-dong” in their names.
As K-beauty remains a key attraction for overseas visitors, online communities are abuzz with tips, including “plan your trip around Olive Young’s quarterly sales in March, June, September, and December,” and “look for pharmacy-based skincare products for better deals.” Beauty-themed tour packages are also on the rise, featuring experiences like “idol-style hair and makeup sessions” and “five-day K-beauty tours.”
