Is Olive Young Cheaper in Korea? 2026 Prices vs US & Amazon
Every time a friend visits Seoul, I get the same question before they land: "Should I just buy everything at Olive Young, or is it the same price back home?" So I picked 14 bestsellers that are also sold in the US, checked the Korean price online and on the shelf, and lined them up against Olive Young US and Amazon US on the same day.
Yes, mostly. During Olive Young's October promotions, all 14 products were cheaper in Seoul, by 15% to 46%. At regular (non-sale) prices, 12 of 14 were still cheaper in Seoul, but two serums were cheaper in the US. If you shop in Seoul, shop during a sale and compare per ml, not per bottle.
1How I compared prices
Same day, same size, cheapest US option.
All prices were checked on October 5, 2026. For Korea I used Olive Young's own online store, then walked into the Olive Young near Isu Station in Seoul and photographed the shelf tags for four of the products. All four shelf prices matched the online prices exactly, which is a good sign that the online price is what you will pay in a store.
For the US I took the lower of two options: Olive Young US (Olive Young's own American store, which opened on May 29, 2026) and Amazon US, using the brand's official store where there was one. I converted won to dollars at ₩1,343 per dollar, the market rate that day. Your card will give you a slightly worse rate.
2The full price table
Seoul prices are October sale prices unless the regular price is the same. "US best" is the cheaper of Olive Young US and Amazon US.
| Product (Seoul size) | Seoul sale | Seoul regular | US best | Seoul cheaper by |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Torriden Dive-In Soothing Cream 100ml | $12.51 | $17.87 | $22.99 | 46% |
| Round Lab 1025 Dokdo Toner 200ml | $10.05 | $11.17 | $17.00 | 41% |
| Torriden Dive-In HA Serum 50ml | $12.29 | $16.38 | $20.49 | 40% |
| rom&nd Juicy Lasting Tint 5.5g | $7.37 | $9.68 | $11.91 | 38% |
| Anua Heartleaf 77 Toner 350ml (per ml vs 250ml) | $16.98 | $22.71 | $19.69 | 38% per ml |
| Anua Pore Control Cleansing Oil 200ml | $11.17 | $14.89 | $17.00 | 34% |
| Round Lab 1025 Dokdo Cleanser 150ml | $8.71 | $9.68 | $12.59 | 31% |
| medicube Zero Pore Pad 2.0, 70 pads | $13.33 | $18.24 | $18.90 | 29% |
| Biodance Real Deep Mask, 4 sheets | $14.07 | $14.89 | $19.00 | 26% |
| COSRX Snail 96 Mucin Essence 100ml | $14.64 | $17.13 | $18.50 | 21% |
| Dr.Althea 345 Relief Cream 50ml | $21.59 | $21.59 | $27.00 | 20% |
| VT Reedle Shot 100, 50ml | $15.56 | $23.83 | $19.50 | 20% |
| numbuzin No.5 Glutathione C Ampoule 30ml | $13.78 | $20.85 | $17.00 | 19% |
| SKIN1004 Water-Fit Sun Serum 50ml | $13.10 | $14.89 | $15.49 | 15% |
One product I planned to include, the AESTURA Atobarrier365 Cream, wasn't sold as a single 80ml tube on Olive Young Korea's online store that day, only as a three-pack, so I left it out rather than guess.
Prices abroad carry extra layers: the importer's and distributor's margins, US duty and shipping, and marketplace fees. In Korea, brands supply Olive Young directly, and during the big sales the brand pays for the discount to keep its spot on the shelf. That's why the gap gets even wider during a sale.
3When the US is actually cheaper
Without a sale, two of the 14 were cheaper in the US.
At regular price, the VT Reedle Shot 100 (50ml) costs about $23.83 in Seoul but $19.50 on Amazon US, and the numbuzin No.5 ampoule costs about $20.85 in Seoul against $17.00 on Amazon. Two caveats: the numbuzin listing on Amazon was from a third-party seller and may be an older version of the formula, and the medicube pads were almost the same price either way at regular price (3% apart).
Don't fill a suitcase with serums bought at full price "because Korea is cheaper." Outside a sale, the gap on some items is small or reversed. Buy those at home and save your luggage space for toners, cleansers and pads, where the gap stayed large even at regular price.
4Four traps that make Seoul look cheaper than it is
1. Bundle sets. Many Seoul prices are for a "기획" (gift set) with a mini or a refill attached. That is real extra value, but compare the main product's size, not the box.
2. Different sizes. The same product can come in different sizes in each country. The Anua toner is 350ml in Seoul and 250ml on Amazon US, and rom&nd tints are 3.5g at Olive Young US but 5.5g in Seoul. Compare the price per ml or per gram.
3. Different formulas. Some sunscreens are reformulated for the US market, where sunscreen is regulated as an over-the-counter drug. The SKIN1004 sun serum sold in the US is listed as a different formula from the Korean one, so a lower price isn't always for the same thing.
4. Sold-out bestsellers. Two of the four products I looked for on the shelf, the Round Lab toner and the single SKIN1004 sun serum, were marked SOLD OUT at the Isu store. The bundle versions were still there. If you want a specific item, check the Olive Young app for stock before you go.
Read the small print on Olive Young's electronic shelf tags. The dates in brackets show how long the sale price lasts, and the line underneath gives the price per ml, pad or sheet, which makes size comparisons easy without a calculator.
5Tax refund: the extra saving tourists forget
₩15,000 or more on one receipt, passport in hand.
Korean shelf prices include 10% VAT. Visitors can get part of it back on purchases of at least ₩15,000 on one receipt at participating stores. Many stores offer an instant refund at the till for a single purchase between ₩15,000 and just under ₩1,000,000, up to ₩5,000,000 per trip. Keep the products unopened and leave Korea within three months. The amount you get back is less than the full 10% after the refund operator's fee, so treat it as a bonus rather than a sure 10% off.
Back home, keep in mind that Olive Young Global reportedly stopped shipping to the US when Olive Young US opened in May 2026, and ordering small parcels from Korea now usually means paying US import duty. Prices on Olive Young US and Amazon US already include that.
Final thoughts
If you are in Seoul during an Olive Young sale, buying your K-beauty basics there is clearly worth it, often by a third or more. Outside a sale, check the two or three items you care about before you shop. Which products are on your list? Tell me in the comments and I'll check the gap.
FAQ
Is everything at Olive Young cheaper in Korea?
No. In my October 5, 2026 check, all 14 products were cheaper in Seoul at sale prices, but two serums were cheaper in the US at regular prices.
Are Olive Young store prices the same as online?
For the four products I checked on the shelf at the Isu Station store, the store price matched the online price exactly.
When is the best time to shop?
During Olive Young's big seasonal sales and monthly promotions. My Olive Young sale calendar lists the dates.
Can I still order from Olive Young Global to the US?
US shoppers are now served by Olive Young US, which opened in May 2026. Check Olive Young US for current prices and shipping.
- Olive Young Korea online store and shelf tags at the Olive Young store near Isu Station, Seoul
- Olive Young US (us.oliveyoung.com) and Amazon US product pages
- Olive Young US launch announcement, PR Newswire, May 29, 2026
- VisitKorea tax refund guide (english.visitkorea.or.kr)
- USD/KRW market rate, Yahoo Finance, October 5, 2026
Prices change often. Spotted something outdated? Tell me.
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