South Korean beauty retail giant Olive Young is entering the U.S. market with ambitions that extend beyond introducing a K-beauty destination.
With its first American brick-and-mortar store set to open Friday in Pasadena, Calif., as first reported by WWD, Olive Young sees the launch as the start of a broader U.S. retail and e-commerce expansion.
The 8,647-square-foot U.S. flagship at 58 West Colorado Boulevard will stock about 400 brands and 5,000 products across skin care, makeup, hair care, wellness and lifestyle categories.
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“The U.S. is the biggest market in terms of trend and influence,” said Gaeun Kwon, chief executive officer of Olive Young USA, speaking through a translator ahead of the opening. “Over the years, K-beauty has become more than just a niche or a specific interest. It’s become more like a trending culture.”
The retailer’s timing is heavily informed by consumer data. Olive Young first tested the U.S. market through its global e-commerce business and found that more than 50 percent of sales came from American consumers. That demand, along with the rise of K-beauty trends on TikTok and other social platforms, convinced the company it was the right time to open physical stores in the U.S.
Kwon said Olive Young found that American consumers are already highly knowledgeable about K-beauty products and ingredients.
The strong response from American consumers is helping drive Olive Young’s broader U.S. expansion plans. The company generated about $4.2 billion in annual sales in Korea in 2025 and operates more than 1,380 stores there. In the U.S., Olive Young expects to open at least five more California locations by the first half of 2027 before eventually expanding into additional markets, including New York.
Pasadena and greater Los Angeles were the natural place to start, according to Kwon, who said the area’s diversity, influence on trends and openness to try new things made it an attractive market: “L.A. is a leading area in terms of fashion, wellness and beauty. Customers are more willing to accept and try something new.”
The company’s strategy in the U.S. differs significantly from its Korean retail model. While Olive Young stores in South Korea tend to merchandise heavily by brand, the Pasadena store has been built around routines and skin concerns.
“We’re really homing in on effectiveness and results-oriented visuals,” Kwon said. “In Korea, consumers are already experts, and they already have a lot of knowledge about what products and ingredients are needed for specific purposes. In the U.S., we’re trying to send out a message in a very friendly tone that’s easy and approachable for everybody.”
The strategy is reflected in the store layout, which groups products by concerns such as brightening, hydration or dark spots rather than strictly by brand. The store will also feature free skin scanner consultations, testing stations and educational “Beauty Lab” programming.
The retailer believes the service-oriented approach will help it stand out in the competitive U.S. beauty market.
“The concept that we’re putting behind that is that it’s essentially a playground, an open platform for shoppers, where they don’t have to walk through the door to buy anything,” Kwon continued. “We aim for our store to be a very, very fun and experiential platform. On top of that, it’s also educational.”
Olive Young’s U.S. assortment combines Korean beauty brands like Anua, Biodance, Fwee, Mise-en-scène, Rom&nd, Torriden, Unove and Mediheal with ones already familiar to American shoppers, including CeraVe, Kiehl’s, Lancôme, La Roche-Posay, Sol de Janeiro, Supergoop!, The Ordinary, Touchland and Urban Decay. The retailer will roll out a three-tier loyalty program in the U.S., offering rewards and exclusive promotions across stores and online.
“Although we’re most widely known as a leading K-beauty retailer, ultimately we do aim to be a beauty wellness platform,” Kwon said. “We’re not only focusing on K-beauty brands, but also really curate and host local trending brands.”
Alongside the Pasadena opening, Olive Young is launching a dedicated U.S. e-commerce platform with domestic shipping and free shipping on orders over $35. The site will also eliminate the additional tariff fees American customers previously faced when ordering through Olive Young’s global e-commerce business.
“Tariffs were actually a key part in why we decided to open up this local dot-com,” Kwon said. “Because of the current system, customers were responsible for paying the tariff fee. However, with the new dot-com, because it’ll be sourced and shipped domestically, customers are no longer held liable and subject to pay the additional fee.”
Staffing and training have been another major focus for the company. Olive Young sent store managers and assistant managers to South Korea for immersive retail training at company headquarters and stores, while more than 100 retail employees underwent “Olive Young fundamental training.”
As doors prepare to open in Pasadena, Kwon said Olive Young’s immediate focus is building brand awareness in the U.S. market.
“Our first priority is just really establishing a brand awareness in the U.S.,” Kwon said. “Are customers satisfied with our offerings? Did they really experience what we envision as a beauty playground?”