If there's one store nearly every tourist in Korea stops at, it's Olive Young. More than just a cosmetics store, it's where K-beauty trends are born, and the prices are far more affordable than you'd expect. But without the right strategy, it's easy to walk out with less-than-optimal purchases or miss out on some pretty significant discounts.
What Is Olive Young?
Olive Young (올리브영) is Korea's largest health and beauty retail chain, with over 1,200 stores nationwide. Think of it as a cross between Sephora, a pharmacy, and a beauty convenience store, selling skincare, makeup, hair care, supplements, snacks, and beauty accessories, all in one place.
How Tax Refund Works at Olive Young
Foreign tourists are entitled to a tax refund on purchases at Olive Young, and the good news is that many major branches offer an immediate tax refund, meaning the tax is deducted right at the register, no airport queuing required.
Here's how to claim it:
- Bring your physical passport when shopping, photos or photocopies are not accepted
- Minimum purchase of ₩15,000 per transaction at one store (as of 2026)
- At flagship stores like Myeongdong Town or Gangnam, show your passport at the register and the tax (~10%) is deducted directly from your total
- At smaller branches, you'll receive a tax refund voucher to claim at an airport kiosk before departure
The refund you receive is typically 5–8% of your total spend after administrative fees are deducted. On a ₩200,000 purchase, that's a saving of around ₩10,000–₩16,000 — enough for an extra sheet mask.
The Discount System You Need to Know
Olive Young is known for its rotating promotions throughout the year. Get familiar with these before you go:
Ol-Young Sale (올영세일) is a major sale held four times a year, typically in early March, June, September, and December. Discounts can reach up to 70%. If your trip happens to coincide with one of these periods, make the most of it.
1+1 and 2+1 promos are available almost year-round across rotating products. The labels are printed directly on the shelf or packaging. This is the most effective way to save when there's no major sale — buy one, get one free.
The "Best" or "Popular Ranking" shelf is usually near the entrance of every store, displaying the current bestsellers based on real purchase data. It's the fastest way to find out what's trending without having to research before your trip.
The Most Worth-It Products to Buy
Many products at Olive Young are significantly cheaper than buying outside Korea, especially in these categories:
Skincare
is Olive Young's strongest suit. A few products that consistently appeared in the Olive Young Awards 2025 based on real purchase data: ROUND LAB 1025 Dokdo Toner, Torriden DIVE-IN Serum, Aestura AtoBarrier365 Cream, and Anua Heartleaf Toner Pad. All four are difficult to find at comparable prices outside Korea.
Korean sunscreen
is the category with the biggest price gap, products like ROUND LAB Birch Juice Moisturizing Sunscreen or Beauty of Joseon Relief Sun can be 30–50% cheaper than buying through international resellers.
Sheet masks
almost always have bundling promos. Buying in packs of 5 or 10 is far better value, and brands like Mediheal, Torriden, and Dr. Jart+ frequently appear in 1+1 programs.
Makeup
cushion foundations from Jung Saem Mool, lip tints from Romand, and eyeliners from Clio all ranked at the top of the Olive Young Awards 2025, based on over 180 million purchase records.
How to Shop More Efficiently in Korea
A few practical tips specifically for shopping at Olive Young as a tourist:
- Download the Olive Young app before you go — you can scan product barcodes to check reviews, check stock at nearby branches, and see if there's a lower price on the online version
- Visit on weekdays or in the morning — weekends at Myeongdong can get very crowded, especially near the registers and tax refund counter
- Try the testers — Olive Young fully supports this, especially for cushions and lip tints. Don't hesitate to try before you buy
- Products cannot be returned once opened — unlike in some other countries, so make sure you're certain before breaking the seal
- International cards are accepted at all branches — Visa, Mastercard, and Apple Pay all work
Where to Find Olive Young: City-by-City Guide
Seoul
Olive Young Myeongdong Town is the largest Olive Young store in Korea — two full floors, multilingual signage (Korean, English, Chinese, Japanese), staff accustomed to serving foreign tourists, an in-store tax refund counter, and even baggage storage so you can shop hands-free. Address: Myeongdong-gil 53, open 10:00 AM–10:30 PM.
Beyond Myeongdong, Olive Young Gangnam (Gangnam-daero 429) is a good pick if you prefer a calmer atmosphere and a more premium product selection, while the Hongdae branch is known for restocking viral products quickly.
Busan
In Busan, the most popular branches among tourists are Olive Young Seomyeon Town near BIFF Square, and Olive Young Gwangbok Flagship in the Gwangbok-ro area. Both are open late and carry a solid range of products.
Jeju
Olive Young has multiple locations across Jeju, including near the airport and major tourist areas. Notably, some Jeju branches carry an exclusive skincare line made with local Jeju ingredients, green tea, camellia oil, and tangerine extract, that isn't always available at Seoul branches.
One Thing Most Tourists Miss
Many tourists buy the same products across every Olive Young, assuming stock is identical everywhere. In reality, each branch carries slightly different inventory, the large flagships have the most complete selection, but smaller neighborhood branches sometimes stock products that have sold out at the bigger stores. If there's a specific product you're after, check the Olive Young app before making the trip to any one branch.
This article references guidelines from the Korea Tourism Organization (visitkorea.or.kr), HaniSeoul, KoreaPeek, and Creatrip. Tax refund terms and promotions are subject to change, check directly in-store or on the Olive Young app for the latest information.
