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Your support makes all the difference.<\/strong><\/div>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\nRead more<\/span><\/svg><\/span><\/button><\/div>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n<\/aside>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\nS<\/span>outh Korean health and beauty retail giant Olive Young announced that it is opening its first US store in May next year, marking its entry into the world\u2019s largest beauty market amid rising American interest in Korean skincare.<\/p>\nFounded in Seoul in 1999 and part of the CJ Group, Olive Young runs more than 1,300 outlets in South Korea and boasts a mix of trendy skincare, cosmetics, and wellness offerings. The news of the physical store comes nine months after the company established its US subsidiary, CJ Olive Young USA in February as part of preparations for overseas expansion.<\/p>\n
The new store will be located in Pasadena, California, about 18km from central Los Angeles, which will position it to draw from both the city\u2019s consumer base and the wider West Coast beauty market. Olive Young is expected to stock more than 200 brands, including popular Korean names such as Anua, Sungboon Editor, Dr Althea, Mediheal and Purito, alongside its own in-house ranges like Colorgram, Bringgreen and Bioheal Boh.<\/p>\n
According to the Korea Times<\/em>, the Pasadena outlet will be designed as a full \u201cK-beauty showcase\u201d, combining products, skincare assessments, and experiential services based on data from its Korean stores and its global e-commerce platform. <\/p>\nThe company is reportedly in discussions with more than 400 Korean and global brands for potential placement and is establishing a local logistics centre, sourcing operations, and marketing infrastructure to support the expansion. <\/p>\n
Over time, Olive Young has plans to link US stores with its international online mall to create a full omni-channel experience.<\/p>\n
\u201cWe want to expand K-beauty\u2019s reach to more consumers worldwide and provide a platform that helps Korean brands grow overseas,\u201d an Olive Young official told the Korea Herald<\/em>. \u201cOur goal is to evolve into a global beauty and wellness platform that spans both Korean and international brands.\u201d<\/p>\nAs Olive Young embarks on this US debut, it is joining a wave of Korean cosmetics and skincare companies deepening their presence in the American market. <\/p>\n
According to South Korea\u2019s ministry of food and drug safety, the country surpassed the US to become the world\u2019s second-largest cosmetics exporter, after France, in the first half of 2025, generating $10.28bn in cosmetics exports last year, a 20.3 per cent jump from 2023. <\/p>\n
A Reuters report stated that South Korea overtook France as the biggest cosmetics exporter to the US in 2025, with online sales of the top five Korean brands in America rising 71 per cent over two years.<\/p>\n
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open image in gallery<\/span><\/button><\/p>\n<\/div>South Korea overtook France as the biggest cosmetics exporter to the US, with online sales of the top five Korean brands in America rising 71 per cent over two years (Getty Images)<\/span><\/figcaption><\/figure>\n<\/div>\nSome Korean brands have even become more successful abroad than at home. \u201cOur biggest market is the US. We\u2019re not really popular in Korea, I have to admit,\u201d Sumin Lee, co-founder of Beauty of Joseon, told the Glossy Beauty <\/em>podcast.<\/p>\nOlive Young\u2019s largest-ever international activation at KCON LA 2025 captured the scale of K-beauty\u2019s rise. Its 430-square-metre booth showcased 66 brands and 164 products to 125,000 attendees, drawing long queues for skin-analysis stations, sunscreen demo zones, and beginner-friendly routines. <\/p>\n
The company\u2019s global online mall has also reported strong growth, with overseas sales rising 70 per cent year-on-year in the first half of 2025 and order volumes up 60 per cent, according to Korea Times<\/em>. <\/p>\nOlive Young is also a major destination for foreign visitors in South Korea. International tourists accounted for 26 per cent of offline sales in the first half of this year, rising above 30 per cent in the second quarter, according to Korea Economic Daily<\/em>.<\/p>\nOf the 7.2 million tourists who visited the country from January to May, nearly six million made purchases at Olive Young stores, and found its multilingual services, tax-refund counters, colour-analysis consultations, and personal shopping programmes specifically designed for customers unfamiliar with local brands very helpful.<\/p>\n