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K-Beauty

Why Buy at Olive Young in Korea? Three Reasons: Selection, Price and Tax Refunds

Kim Taechoul, ReporterPublished KST
✓ Verified 2026-09-06 · against official sourcesOriginal source ↗A daily paper for first-time visitors to Korea · every morning · Korean · English · Japanese · Chinese · Vietnamese · Indonesian
사진: 올리브영 명동거리점 · 한국관광공사(공공누리)

You can now buy K-beauty from abroad through the Olive Young Global Mall - so why do travelers still flock to the stores in Korea? Three reasons. First, selection: the Global Mall carries only part of the domestic lineup, and private-label brands, small emerging brands and just-launched products are often available only in Korean stores. Second, price: the same item is often listed higher on the Global Mall than in Korea, with international shipping on top, and in-store sales and gift-with-purchase promotions run deeper at home.

Third, tax refunds: foreign travelers who meet the requirements can claim a tax refund, lowering the effective price further. Testing products in person and getting advice at the counter is also something online cannot replace. And after you fly home, the Global Mall becomes your reorder channel: find what suits your skin during your trip to Korea, and you can keep using the same product afterward. That is why shopping here does not end when the trip does.

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