What Is Olive Young?
Olive Young is a Korean-style drugstore similar to Shoppers Drug Mart in Canada or Donki in Japan. However, unlike Western drugstores, Olive Young does not sell prescription medicine. In Korea, medicine can only be sold at pharmacies with licensed pharmacists. Instead, Olive Young focuses on beauty, health supplements, vitamins, and wellness products. This makes the store very accessible and comfortable for casual shopping.
What Products Does it Sell?
The main products are cosmetics and health supplements. Many people describe it as a “multi-brand beauty store”. Prices are positioned between supermarkets and department stores, offering good quality at reasonable prices. Products are neatly organized by brand and category, similar to online shopping. There is also a dedicated men’s care zone, which is very popular among Korean male customers.
Product Testing & Hair Styling Bar
One of the best features is product testing. Most cosmetic items have “TRY ME” or “Tester” labels, allowing customers to freely test them. Makeup removers and cotton pads are always provided nearby.
If you want to buy a product after testing and cannot find a new one, simply ask the staff. In most cases, only testers are displayed, and unopened new products are safely kept in drawers or storage rooms.’
In some locations, you can even try hair styling devices. While most locations do not have a dedicated hair device testing area, larger stores offer a hair styling bar where customers can test hair dryers, curling irons, and other styling tools (see the 4th photo above).
Today Dream (Same-Day Delivery) Service
Today Dream service allows customers to receive their orders on the same day if they place an order before 8 PM. On average, delivery arrives within 55 minutes and is guaranteed within a maximum of three hours. This service is available when the nearby Olive Young store has the item in stock, and products labeled ‘Today Dream’ on the online mall are eligible for same-day delivery.
It also offers a pickup service, which lets you add items to your cart through the online mall or store app, complete the payment, and simply visit the store to pick them up. This option is especially convenient because you can apply online-only discounts and avoid searching for products in-store. After completing the payment in the app, a pickup barcode is sent to your phone, which you can scan at the designated ‘Pickup Zone’ in your selected store.’
Koreans Real Shopping Tips, Sale Tips
For many Koreans—especially middle and high school students who are highly interested in beauty—It is not just a place to buy cosmetics. It also functions as an entertainment space where they can test products and spend time with friends. Even when I don’t plan to buy anything, I often find myself walking into Olive Young just because I passed by a store.
Since it runs sales so frequently, buying items outside of a discount period almost feels like a waste of money. That’s why I usually keep a list of products I need and stock up during sales.
While there are no officially fixed sale dates, discounts tend to follow a predictable pattern. The two main events are Olive Young Day, held every month from the 25th to the 27th, and the big quarterly sales held four times a year in March, June, September, and December.
During Olive Young Day, discounts can reach around 60%, while the quarterly big sales offer even deeper discounts of up to 70%, often combined with additional coupons. Personally, I always use the Today Dream service mentioned earlier and apply online-only coupons to get the best possible deals.
K-Beauty Popularity and Olive Young
As K-beauty continues to gain popularity worldwide, interest in Olive Young has also grown significantly. People are curious about which products K-pop idols and Korean social media influencers use, and they want to buy the same items. In addition, the popularity of Korean beauty YouTubers has a strong impact on product sales. Since most of these trending products can be found at Olive Young, a shopping culture has emerged where travelers stock up on cosmetics during their trips to Korea.
When I was living in Canada, I had a Filipino friend who loved the Korean idol group SEVENTEEN as well as Korean food and culture. Even while living in Canada, he enjoyed purchasing Korean beauty products through the Olive Young mobile mall, despite the high international shipping fees.
In fact, for many Chinese tourists visiting Korea, It is considered a must-visit destination, and it is common to see them buying large quantities of cosmetics during their trips.
How to Use Olive Young Global
Even if you are not in Korea, you can shop through the Global website.
Global Web Site : https://global.oliveyoung.com
Available Shipping Countries:
USA, Japan, United Kingdom, American Samoa, Australia(Oceania), Austria(Europe), Bahrain, Belgium, Bolivia, Bulgaria, Cambodia. Canada, Chile, Mainland(China), Colombia, Cyprus, Czech Republic, Denmark, Finland, France, Germany, Greece, Guam, Guernsey, Hong Kong Sar(China), Hungary, Iceland, Indonesia, Ireland, Israel, Italy, Kazakhstan, Korea(Republic of), Luxembourg, Macau Sar(China), Malaysia, Mexico, Mongolia, Netherlands, New Zealand, Norway, Oman, Philippines, Poland, Portugal, Puerto Rico, Qatar, Romania, Saudi Arabia, Singapore, Slovenia, Sri Lanka, Sweden, Switzerland, Taiwan Region, Tanzania, Thailand, United Arab Emirates, Uruguay, Venezuela, Vietnam, Virgin Islands(US), Northern Mariana Islands(Saipan)
International Shipping Fees:
Free Shipping : Orders over USD 60 / ¥3,900 (Japan)
Fees : USD 25 / ¥500 (Japan)
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