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Illuminated Olive Young health and beauty store front at night

How to Shop at Olive Young in Korea: Tax-Free and Packing (2026)

Photo: Pkccccj, CC BY-SA 4.0 · OliveYoung store.png

Checked against official sources on October 20, 2026

Summary

Olive Young is a health and beauty chain with more than 1,360 stores in Korea (company figures, October 2026). Show your passport at checkout to get the instant tax refund on purchases from ₩15,000 to under ₩1,000,000, up to ₩5,000,000 per trip (VisitKorea, October 2025). For the flight home, carry-on liquids must be 100 ml or less per container in one 1 L bag (Incheon Airport).

At a glance

Stores
More than 1,360 in Korea
Tax refund
₩15,000 to under ₩1,000,000
Per trip
Up to ₩5,000,000
Bring
Passport
Leave Korea
Within 3 months of purchase
Carry-on liquids
100 ml or less, one 1 L bag

Korean for this

  • 택스 리펀드 돼요?

    taekseu ripeondeu dwaeyo?

    Can I get a tax refund?

  • 할인돼요?

    harindwaeyo?

    Is there a discount?

All Korean phrases

Details

Olive Young (올리브영OllibeuyeongOlive Young) is a multi-brand health and beauty chain, so one store holds many brands of skincare, makeup, hair care and wellness products. This guide explains how a visit works: finding the right store, reading the tags, paying tax-free, and packing what you bought. It does not recommend products. KoreaStep is not affiliated with Olive Young.

Before you start

  • Your passport. You need the physical passport for the instant tax refund at checkout.
  • A payment card. Olive Young says its stores offer international payment options and instant tax refunds for international customers (CJ OLIVE YOUNG, July 2026). See money, cash and cards.
  • A plan for liquids. Decide what goes in your carry-on and what goes in your checked bag before you buy large bottles. The rules are in Step 5.
  • A map app. Store hours vary by branch. Check the branch page in Naver Map or KakaoMap. See map apps.

Step by step

Step 1 — Choose a store

Olive Young reports more than 1,360 stores in Korea, including 20 large "Town" stores and specialized stores in tourist areas (CJ OLIVE YOUNG). Small neighborhood stores carry a narrower range. Large stores in areas such as Myeongdong, Hongdae and Gangnam carry more brands and have more staff who speak English, Chinese or Japanese. At its large Myeongdong store, staff who speak those languages wear flag badges (CJ OLIVE YOUNG).

Some stores have translation devices and an in-store assistant service in several languages (CJ OLIVE YOUNG). Ask staff if you cannot find something.

Step 2 — Read the shelves and tags

Products are grouped by category, with brand corners along the walls. Useful labels:

  • 테스터teseuteoTester: a sample you can try on your hand.
  • 1+1won peulleoseu wonBuy one, get one free and 2+1tu peulleoseu wonBuy two, get one free: the free item is usually the same product.
  • 증정jeungjeongFree gift: a gift attached to or given with the product.
  • 세일seilSale and 할인harinDiscount: a reduced price, with the old price crossed out.
  • 품절pumjeolSold out: out of stock. Ask staff if another branch has it.

Ranking or "best" displays are chosen by the store. Treat them as a starting point, not a neutral list.

Step 3 — Check the sale calendar

Olive Young runs a week-long store-wide sale, O.Y SALE, every March, June, September and December (CJ OLIVE YOUNG, September 2026). Stores in tourist areas get busier during these weeks. If you want a calm visit, go on a weekday morning outside the sale.

The same page describes OLIVE DAY, a member promotion from the 25th to the 27th of each month for OLIVE Members. You do not need to be a member to shop or to get a tax refund.

Step 4 — Pay with the instant tax refund

At the checkout, 계산대gyesandaeCheckout, say "tax free" and hand over your passport (여권yeogwonPassport) before staff scan your items. The VAT is taken off at the till. This is the instant tax refund, 즉시환급jeuksi hwangeupInstant tax refund.

The limits set for the instant refund, as listed by the Korea Tourism Organization (VisitKorea, updated October 2025):

  • Each payment must be at least ₩15,000 and less than ₩1,000,000.
  • Your instant-refund purchases across the whole trip must stay at or under ₩5,000,000.
  • Goods must be new and unused, and you must leave Korea within three months of purchase.

Above these limits, you pay the full price and claim the refund at the airport. The full process, including airport kiosks, is in the tax refund guide.

Keep the receipt. Ask about the exchange policy before you open anything, because opened cosmetics may not be exchangeable.

Step 5 — Pack for the flight home

These are Incheon Airport's rules for international flights (Incheon Airport, checked October 2026):

  • Carry-on: liquids, gels, sprays, creams and toiletries must be in containers of 100 ml or less, in one transparent resealable bag of about 1 L (20.5 × 20.5 cm or 15 × 25 cm), one bag per person.
  • Checked bag: non-flammable sprays, such as some sunscreen sprays and hair sprays, are allowed up to 500 ml per item and 2 L in total.
  • Duty-free liquids bought after security must stay in the sealed duty-free liquid bag. If you change planes abroad, that airport's rules apply and it may confiscate liquids (Incheon Airport).

The capacity printed on the container counts, not the amount left inside. A 150 ml tube that is half empty still cannot go in your carry-on.

Wrap bottles and jars in a plastic bag inside your checked luggage in case of leaks. Your home country may also limit how many cosmetics you can bring in duty-free, so check its customs rules.

Rules and numbers at a glance

Rule Limit Source (checked)
Instant tax refund per payment ₩15,000 to under ₩1,000,000 VisitKorea (Oct 2025)
Instant tax refund per trip Up to ₩5,000,000 VisitKorea (Oct 2025)
Leave Korea after purchase Within 3 months VisitKorea (Oct 2025)
Carry-on liquid container 100 ml or less, in one 1 L bag Incheon Airport (Oct 2026)
Checked non-flammable sprays 500 ml per item, 2 L total Incheon Airport (Oct 2026)
O.Y SALE March, June, September, December CJ OLIVE YOUNG (Sep 2026)

Common problems

  • Staff did not apply the tax refund. It must be done at the time of payment. Ask before they scan; an already-finished payment may need to be cancelled and redone.
  • One payment of ₩1,000,000 or more. It does not qualify for the instant refund. Pay the full price, keep the tax refund receipt, and claim the refund at the airport.
  • The 1+1 discount did not appear. Check that both items are the same product and shade.
  • Big bottle, carry-on only. You cannot take containers over 100 ml through security. Buy smaller sizes, check a bag, or use the online store below.
  • Long queues. Large stores in tourist areas get busy, especially in sale weeks. Go early on a weekday.

Questions and answers

Do I need an Olive Young membership?

No. You can shop and get the instant tax refund with your passport. The OLIVE Members program and app coupons are optional.

Can I buy online and have it shipped home?

Olive Young runs an online Global Mall that ships to more than 150 countries (CJ OLIVE YOUNG). Prices, stock and shipping fees differ from the stores.

Is Olive Young the same as duty-free?

No. Duty-free shops sell goods with tax already removed. At Olive Young you pay the shelf price, and the instant refund takes the VAT off at checkout if you qualify (VisitKorea).

Can I put sunscreen in my carry-on?

Yes, if the container is 100 ml or less and it fits in your 1 L bag with your other liquids. Larger tubes go in the checked bag.

Next, plan a shopping day in Myeongdong.

Official sources (9)

Last checked October 20, 2026Next check due April 18, 2027

Rules can change. Confirm on the official site before you travel.

Next stepHow to Shop in Myeongdong: Stations, Tax-Free and Street Food (2026)

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