'Coming to Korea for Olling Sales'... Foreign repeat visitors increase 11-fold in 3 years

The global K-beauty phenomenon is reshaping South Korea's tourism and shopping landscape, with foreign visitors increasingly incorporating Olive Young's major discount events, known as 'Olling Sales,' into their itineraries. This trend has led to a significant rise in repeat visits by international shoppers eager to experience the popular K-beauty destination.

CJ Olive Young reported that the number of foreign customers who visited South Korea for the Olling Sales in March and June of this year surged elevenfold compared to three years ago. The rate of repeat visits is steadily climbing, with the number of foreign tourists visiting South Korea more than twice a year increasing by an average of 100% annually since 2023. Notably, over 6,200 foreign tourists made three or more repeat visits during sales periods last year.

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The increasing number of foreign visitors returning to Korea during Olling Sales signifies that Olive Young has become more than just a representative K-beauty brand; it has evolved into a form of content itself.

Company officials attribute this sustained interest to the K-beauty curation and shopping convenience experienced in-store, coupled with the proven effectiveness of K-beauty products experienced back home. This creates a cycle of repeat visits timed with subsequent sales events. The appeal of Olling Sales is also expanding beyond the Seoul metropolitan area, with non-capital region stores seeing a 72% year-on-year increase in foreign customer sales during the June sale, significantly outpacing the national average of 45%.

Olive Young plans to further strengthen its K-beauty curation and enhance convenience services at its global tourism-focused stores, including the introduction of shopping assistance devices. The company aims to contribute not only to K-beauty but also to the broader K-tourism industry. An Olive Young representative stated, "The increasing number of foreign visitors returning to Korea during Olling Sales signifies that Olive Young has become more than just a representative K-beauty brand; it has evolved into a form of content itself." The company intends to leverage its unique capabilities to improve foreign tourist satisfaction and expand opportunities for K-beauty brands to connect with global customers.

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Moving forward, we will continue to enhance foreign tourist satisfaction and expand touchpoints for K-beauty brands to meet global customers through Olive Young's differentiated capabilities.