Olive Young Myeongdong 2026: Which Store Is Biggest, and Why You Need Your Passport for Tax Refund

Bottom line: If you're hunting for Olive Young in Myeongdong, go to "Central Myeongdong Town" (27 Myeongdong 8-gil, Jung-gu, inside M Plaza). There are 9 Olive Young branches packed into Myeongdong alone, and this is the biggest one with the most English-speaking staff. To get the instant tax refund, show your passport to the cashier before you pay — not after.

If you didn't know: without a passport, you can't get the instant refund at the register. On a 100,000-won purchase, about 9,090 won of that is VAT — if you don't deduct it before paying, you pay the full price and have to line up again at the airport refund counter on your way out. A photo of your passport on your phone may not be accepted at every counter; bring the real thing or a government mobile ID.

Central Myeongdong Town dwarfs the older Myeongdong branches. Across three floors it stocks roughly 1,000 brands and 15,000 products, the widest range in the chain. With 22 registers, lines move faster even on weekends, and staff are posted specifically to help in English and other languages. If a smaller branch is sold out of what you want, this is the store most likely to have it. The instant refund only applies if you ask before the final payment — once the receipt is printed, that store transaction can't be refunded again; you'd need the airport counter instead. Also worth knowing: once you've opened a cosmetic's packaging, most stores won't take it back unless it's defective.

Journey stage: During the trip · Verified 2026-11-07