Korean beauty shops emerge as most preferred tourist destination

At 1 p.m. on Thursday, the Olive Young store in Myeongdong, Seoul, known for its global focus, was bustling with activity. "About 80% of our customers are foreigners," said an employee, noting that while English is frequently used, many foreign customers also speak Korean well. According to industry reports, Olive Young, a leading health and beauty store, saw a 263% increase in sales to foreign customers in the first quarter of this year compared to the same period last year. Chinese tourists led the surge with a 673% increase in sales, followed by Japan (285%), the U.S. (230%), and Taiwan (229%). These countries represent the most significant portion of tourists visiting South Korea.

Throughout the day, the Myeongdong Olive Young store was a testament to the global appeal of Korean beauty products, with foreign tourists flocking to load their baskets with these sought-after items. One Chinese tourist, in particular, browsed Instagram on their phone to find recommended products before purchasing, showcasing the global reach of Korean beauty trends. Tourists from various regions, including Southeast Asia and Europe, were also seen shopping, further highlighting the international popularity of these products.

Daiso, known for its affordability, is emerging as another popular K-beauty destination for foreign tourists. In the first quarter of this year, sales from foreign credit cards and the number of transactions at all Daiso stores increased by 76% and 61%, respectively, compared to the previous year. The stores with the highest foreign sales were the Myeongdong Station and Myeongdong Main branches. The most purchased item by foreigners at the Myeongdong Station store in March and April was the VT Riddle Shot 300, a basic skincare product. Cosmetic items, including face masks, dominated the top four spots in sales.

Unlike the past when foreign tourists primarily shopped at duty-free stores, there is now a significant shift in preferences, reflecting the evolving trends in the Korean beauty market. More and more tourists are now seeking reasonably priced K-beauty and fashion items at road shops, a trend that is gaining momentum. According to a report ‘Tentative Statistics on Foreign Tourists in Q1’ released last month by the Korea Culture and Tourism Institute, 48.4% of foreign tourists chose road shops as their preferred shopping locations in South Korea, up 4.8 percentage points from 43.6% in the same period last year. Meanwhile, the preference for department stores decreased from 39.4% to 35.9%, indicating a clear shift in shopping habits.


이민아 기자 omg@donga.com