Olive Young best sellers change every week, and the 1+1 deals on the shelf change even faster, so it is easy to walk out with twice what you planned. This guide is for first-time visitors to Korea who want a short list before they go. The ranking and prices below come from Olive Young Global, the online store that ships abroad, because that is the ranking published in English with fixed prices; Korean stores carry the same brands, priced in won. Everything here is as of November 2026.
What are the Olive Young best sellers right now?
Sheet masks, sunscreens and serums sit at the top of the Olive Young Global ranking, with body care close behind. These are the top items by category as of November 2026.
| Category | Product | Olive Young Global price | Good for |
|---|---|---|---|
| Sheet masks | Mediheal Essential Mask Sheet, 10 + 1 set | US$13.50 (list US$27) | Gifts, daily hydration on the trip |
| Sunscreen | Purito Seoul Daily Soft Touch Sunscreen, 60 ml x 2 | US$26.43 | Daily wear under makeup |
| Sunscreen | ROUND LAB Birch Juice Moisturizing Sunscreen, 50 ml x 3 | US$41.60 | Dry skin, sharing with family |
| Serum | Anua PDRN Hyaluronic Capsule 100 Serum, 30 ml x 2 | US$46.55 | Dry or dull skin |
| Body care | ILLIYOON Ceramide Ato Concentrate Cream 150 ml set | US$19.72 | Dry skin in autumn and winter |
These are Olive Young Global online prices, which is what our product pages link to. In won, the Mediheal set at US$13.50 is roughly ₩18,000 (at ₩1,338 per US dollar, November 2026), but store prices in Korea are set separately and change with in-store deals, so treat the table as a guide to what is popular, not a store price list.
Use the product pages to check ingredients and sizes before you go, then look for the same item on the shelf in Seoul. If you run out at home, the same page links to Olive Young Global to reorder. The full ranking by category is on our beauty page.
Sheet masks or sunscreen: which is worth the suitcase space?
Sheet masks if you are buying gifts, sunscreen if you are buying for yourself. A box of 10 masks is light and easy to split between friends. Sunscreen textures vary a lot between brands, from watery to creamy, so test two or three on the back of your hand in store and buy the one you would actually wear every day.
Large body creams like ILLIYOON are good value but heavy. Buy them on your last day so you are not carrying them around Seoul.
How does the Olive Young tax refund work?
In stores marked Tax Free, one receipt of ₩15,000 or more and your original passport get the tax removed at the till.
- Bring your original passport. A photo on your phone does not work.
- Keep each receipt at ₩15,000 or more.
- Say "Tax Free" at the till and hand over your passport.
According to VISITKOREA (Korea Tourism Organization), the instant refund at the till covers purchases under ₩1,000,000 each and ₩5,000,000 per trip. Anything above that is refunded at the airport kiosk or counter before you check in, with the goods, the receipt and your passport. Keep your receipts until you are home.
When is Olive Young least crowded?
Shortly after opening; opening hours differ by branch, so check the store on Naver Map before you go. In Myeongdong and Hongdae, the big stores fill up from late afternoon and the checkout line gets long in the evening. Large stores have several floors, so check the floor guide by the entrance first instead of wandering.
- Leave space in your suitcase. 1+1 sets and boxed items take more room than you expect.
- Liquids go in checked baggage. Carry-on liquid limits apply to toner, lotion and sunscreen.
- Set a budget per category. Skincare, masks and gifts as separate amounts keeps one aisle from eating the whole budget.
- Keep your passport on you. You need the original for the tax refund on every receipt, not only the first one.
Where should you stay to shop at Olive Young?
Myeongdong, so you can drop bags at the hotel between stores. UH Suite The Myeongdong is one minute from Myeongdong Station on subway Line 4, two stops from Seoul Station.
For other areas, see where to stay in Seoul or compare prices on our stays page. If you also want a facial or laser on the same trip, our skin clinic guide explains how to book one.
Send your list on WhatsApp
Send us your skin type and budget on WhatsApp, and we send back a shopping list of 5–10 items from this week's ranking, split by category and checked against the ₩15,000-per-receipt tax-free rule. We reply within 24 hours and charge you no fee. If you also need a hotel near the Myeongdong stores, we add two or three options to the same trip plan.
