OLIVE YOUNG

What OLIVE YOUNG does

OLIVE YOUNG is the dominant health and beauty retail chain in South Korea, established in 1999 and wholly owned by CJ Group. The company operates more than 1,390 physical stores domestically and runs a brand incubation model that has produced over 100 brands each generating more than 10 billion won in annual sales, supported by the data-driven Olive Young Awards. The product assortment spans skincare, makeup, hair care, bath and body, beauty accessories, health and wellness, and food and beverages, anchored by partner brands (Purito Seoul, THOME, medicube, Centallian24) and private-label brands (Bioheal Boh, Bringgreen, Colorgram). The company also operates the O.Y MEMBERS loyalty program, a global mobile app, a US e-commerce storefront, and an affiliate program.

The technology stack centers on a retail platform integrating loyalty (O.Y MEMBERS), mobile commerce, and in-store digital experiences such as skin analysis and glow bars. Distribution is multi-channel: owned retail in Korea, an expanding US brick-and-mortar footprint (Pasadena and Westfield Century City, both opened 2026), a North American distribution center in Bloomington, California (3,600 sqm), a K-Beauty Zone partnership with LVMH's Sephora across 650+ North American stores, and a European wholesale agreement with Poland-based Gabona. The company has also been integrated as a partner in Kakao's Kakao Tools AI agent service within ChatGPT for Kakao.

Revenue is generated primarily through one-time retail product sales across owned physical and digital channels, supplemented by marketplace/commission income from brand incubation and partner brands, professional services from international distribution and logistics support for Korean brands entering new markets, and transaction-fee style revenue from platform integrations. Pricing varies by product category with promotional mechanics including flash sales (e.g., up to 30% off via code FLASH30) and membership-based benefits. FY2024-2025 annual sales were 4.79 trillion won (~$3.3B USD), with Q3 2025 revenue of approximately $1.07B; foreign tourist spending exceeded 1 trillion won.

Name

OLIVE YOUNG

Legal name

CJ Olive Young USA Inc.

Website

https://www.oliveyoung.com

Company type

Private

Operating status

Operating

Headcount range

51–100 employees

Short description

OLIVE YOUNG is South Korea's dominant health and beauty retailer, operating 1,390+ stores domestically and expanding into the US and Europe through owned retail, a Sephora partnership, and a California distribution center, serving consumers of Korean beauty and wellness products.

Ownership category

akta.pro rank

Product category

Specialty Beauty Retail

NAICS

Cosmetics, Beauty Supplies, and Perfume Retailers (456120), Health and Personal Care Retailers (4561)

SIC

Retail-Grocery Stores (5411)

akta.pro primary industry

K-Beauty/J-Beauty & Imported Beauty Distribution (CRAOAEAN)

akta.pro secondary industry

Health Food & Supplement Stores (CRAHAEAC)

Keywords

• K-beauty retail
• Skincare products
• Cosmetics retail
• Beauty e-commerce
• Health and wellness

Headquarters

HQ city

Yongsan

HQ country

South Korea

HQ region

Asia

Offices5 records

Markets served

GTM type

B2C

Offering type

Services

Cost components

Operations, Supply Chain, Personnel, Marketing or Sales, Infrastructure, Technology or R&D

Revenue model

1. Retail Product Sales: Core retail revenue from selling K-beauty and lifestyle products through owned brick-and-mortar stores and e-commerce platforms. Company operates over 1,390 stores in South Korea with expansion to US market.
2. Brand Incubation & Commission: Revenue model centered on developing and incubating Korean beauty brands, with over 100 brands achieving annual sales exceeding 10 billion won each. Generates commission from private-label and partner brands.
3. Platform Partnership Revenue: Revenue from integration partnerships such as Kakao Tools AI agent service, where Olive Young services are accessible through third-party platforms.
4. International Distribution Services: Logistics and distribution services for Korean beauty brands entering the American market, including customs handling, inventory management, and delivery support from the Bloomington, California distribution center.

Pricing tiers

Go-to-market motion4 records

Distribution channels6 records

Marketing channels7 records

Core offering

OLIVE YOUNG is South Korea's dominant specialty beauty retailer, selling K-beauty skincare, makeup, hair care, bath and body, beauty accessories, health and wellness, and food and beverages through more than 1,390 owned stores in South Korea, an expanding U.S. store and e-commerce footprint, and a mobile app. The company curates 100+ third-party brands with annual sales exceeding 10 billion won each and operates private-label brands (Bioheal Boh, Bringgreen, Colorgram), in-store skin analysis and glow bar experiences, and the O.Y MEMBERS loyalty program. International expansion is executed through owned retail (Pasadena, Westfield Century City), wholesale via Sephora's 650+ North American stores, and the Gabona partnership in Europe.

Product overview

Olive Young is a South Korean beauty and lifestyle retailer offering a comprehensive omnichannel platform consisting of physical retail stores (over 1,380 stores in South Korea and expanding U.S. presence), a dedicated e-commerce platform (us.oliveyoung.com), and a mobile application. The product portfolio includes diverse categories spanning Skincare, Makeup, Hair Care, Bath & Body, Beauty Accessories, Health & Wellness, and Food & Beverages. The company operates private-label brands including Bioheal Boh, Bringgreen, and Colorgram, while also featuring partner brands like THOME, medicube, Centallian24, Purito Seoul, Unove, Labo-H, and Mis-en-scene. In-store services include skin analysis and glow bars, complemented by loyalty programs (O.Y MEMBERS) and an affiliate program. The company has partnered with Sephora to launch K-Beauty Zones in 650 North American stores and integrates with Kakao Tools for AI-powered service access.

Differentiator

Problem solved

Functional benefit

Products and services

• O.Y MEMBERS Loyalty Program
• Olive Young Global App Mobile application for iOS and Android that lets customers browse and purchase K-beauty products, manage O.Y MEMBERS membership, and access exclusive promotional offers across global markets.
• In-Store Skin Analysis Service Interactive in-store skin analysis service available at U.S. Olive Young retail locations that helps customers identify their skin type and receive personalized skincare product recommendations.
• Glow Bars Interactive in-store discovery experience that lets customers try and sample products hands-on as part of Olive Young's experiential shopping format.
• Olive Young US E-commerce Platform Direct-to-consumer online storefront at us.oliveyoung.com offering K-beauty products with online-exclusive deals, promotional campaigns, and O.Y MEMBERS benefits.
• Olive Young Affiliate Program Affiliate marketing program that allows third-party partners to earn commissions on sales referred through tracked links to Olive Young's e-commerce platform.

Quantifiable outcome

• Annual sales of 4.79 trillion won in fiscal 2024-2025
• +3 more outcomes

Named customers3 records

Segments3 records

Ideal customer profiles2 records

Technology focussed No

API detail

Has API

No

API docs

API detail

Core technology

AI maturity

App detail

Integration2 records

Feature3 records

Partnerships

Four partnerships are on record, tiered minor and core.

• Chamberlain CoffeeminorGTM or Marketing Partner · 13 June 2026Limited-time collaboration with Chamberlain Coffee for opening promotions at the Westfield Century City store launch. Partnership drove foot traffic and media attention during the grand opening event.
• Purito SeoulcoreChannel Partner/ Reseller/ Distributor · 29 May 2026Korean skincare brand entry into OLIVE YOUNG US retail with new store opening in Pasadena. Products like Mighty Bamboo Panthenol Cream (2025 Olive Young Awards Rookie Category winner) placed in physical retail for shoppers to test before purchasing.
• Sephora (LVMH)coreChannel Partner/ Reseller/ Distributor · 4 March 2026Strategic partnership with LVMH's Sephora to launch a K-Beauty Zone on Sephora's global channels. Products will be placed in 650 North American stores, providing Olive Young brands access to established beauty retail distribution network and broad consumer base.
• GabonacoreChannel Partner/ Reseller/ Distributor · 10 February 2026Partnership with Poland-based Gabona to distribute private-label K-beauty brands (Bioheal Boh, Bringgreen, Colorgram) across European markets, beginning in Poland before expanding further. Supports Olive Young's globalization strategy.

Scale indicators10 records

Recent moves12 records

Expansion highlights6 records

Direct peers

• Sephora: LVMH-owned global beauty retailer and Olive Young's primary North American distribution partner through the K-Beauty Zone. Directly comparable as a multi-brand beauty specialty retailer with curated assortments, loyalty programs, and experiential in-store services.
• Ulta Beauty: Largest US beauty specialty retailer operating 1,400+ stores. Direct competitor for US beauty consumer wallet share, with a comparable multi-category model (skincare, makeup, hair, wellness) and strong loyalty program that Olive Young's US expansion must contend with.
• Soko Glam: US-based K-Beauty specialty retailer and content platform founded by Charlotte Cho. Directly comparable as a curated K-Beauty discovery-to-purchase destination targeting American consumers interested in Korean skincare routines.
• Stylevana: Online Asian beauty and K-Beauty e-commerce retailer. Directly comparable as a multi-brand Asian beauty marketplace serving international consumers seeking Korean and Japanese skincare products.
• Glossier: US-based digitally-native beauty brand and retailer with experiential physical stores. Comparable as a cult beauty brand retailer with discovery-led merchandising, though Olive Young operates across hundreds of partner brands rather than owned labels.
• YesStyle: Hong Kong-based online retailer specializing in Asian beauty and K-Beauty products. Directly comparable as an international K-Beauty multi-brand destination competing for the same global Korean beauty consumer.
• Aritaum: Amorepacific's multi-brand K-Beauty retail chain in South Korea, Olive Young's principal domestic competitor. Operates a similar multi-brand beauty specialty store model featuring both private-label and partner brands.

Emerging players

• Birchbox: US-based beauty discovery retailer with subscription and e-commerce offerings. Comparable as a multi-brand beauty discovery platform, though smaller in scale and focused on subscription-led sampling.

Broad incumbents

• Amazon Beauty: Amazon's broad beauty storefront selling K-Beauty and other beauty brands at scale. Comparable as a large incumbent channel for K-Beauty product discovery and purchase, though without the curated experiential retail focus of Olive Young.

Regional players

• Musinsa: South Korea's largest fashion and lifestyle platform, also integrated into Kakao Tools alongside Olive Young. Comparable as a leading Korean consumer platform with marketplace and brand incubation capabilities, though primarily in fashion rather than beauty.

Market position

Strengths5 records

Weaknesses5 records

Competitive moat5 records

Key risks6 records

Key highlights7 records

Customer concentration

Revenue estimate

Valuation estimate

Number of profiles

Profiles1 record

Subsidiaries1 record

Funding overview

Funding rounds

Investors

Funding detail is available on the Subscription and Enterprise plan.Contact sales →

M&A

Investments

M&A and investment is available on the Subscription and Enterprise plan.Contact sales →

Frequently asked questions about OLIVE YOUNG