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Shopping

Olive Young, Daiso, duty free, markets and Dongdaemun. What to buy and where.

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  1. Question

    A suitcase full of Korean cosmetics: is there a limit on the way home?

    This Tripadvisor Seoul forum thread is older, but the question still comes up before every beauty-shopping trip. A traveller planning four or five days in Seoul asked two things: are there sale seasons for cosmetics, and

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  2. Chat

    The Korean habit of asking for lots of samples: what do you think?

    A short post on 82cook's free board said the writer couldn't understand why people at cosmetics counters ask for piles of samples no matter what they buy. What's the big deal about samples? What the replies said: The fir

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  3. Brands & OEMChat

    Rare in Korean neighbourhood stores, huge abroad: the Beauty of Joseon puzzle

    A post in r/KoreanBeauty from someone who has lived in Korea for close to ten years: they had never seen Beauty of Joseon on a shelf, even at Olive Young, and did not know a single Korean who used it. They understood it

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  4. Tips

    Olive Young N Seongsu: what's inside and how to shop it

    Olive Young N Seongsu is the chain's biggest single store and its test bed for what a K-beauty flagship can be, according to https://www.glowolive.net/ko/oliveyoung-n-seongsu/. Set inside the Factorial Seongsu building,

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  5. Chat

    What do foreign tourists buy most at Olive Young?

    When you visit Olive Young in Myeongdong or Seongsu, you can see foreign tourists putting similar things in their baskets. Some of them may be surprising from a Korean perspective. If a friend from overseas came to Korea

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  6. Tips

    Buying at Olive Young as a tourist: in-store, app, or ship it home?

    There are a few ways to shop Olive Young on a trip, and each has trade-offs. Store stock, promotions and tax refund options can differ, so it helps to decide before you go.

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  7. Plans & itinerariesQuestion

    Got skincare questions before your trip to Korea? Ask them here

    What to buy, where to shop, how to get a tax refund, how to book a dermatology clinic appointment… Ask in the comments, then turn on “Get Gloshell answers too” to get an answer right away.

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  8. Question

    First Trip to Korea: What Should I Keep in Mind When Buying Cosmetics?

    I often hear people say, “It’s my first time in Korea, and I don’t know what to buy.” Feel free to ask questions in the comments. You’ll get a quick answer.

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  9. Tips

    First time at Olive Young in Seoul: a no-panic shopping plan

    Olive Young is Korea’s biggest health & beauty chain, and the flagship-size stores in tourist areas can be overwhelming. A little plan saves you an hour and a lot of impulse buys.

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  10. Question

    Two days in Korea: which beauty buys paid off? 42 answers, mostly sheet masks

    In January 2026, someone posted on the @cosme Q&A board in Japan: "I'm off to Korea tomorrow for one night! Which cosmetics were you glad you bought?" It went up the day before departure and still drew 42 answers. What t

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  11. Makeup & colorReview

    In an Olive Young haul, the item everyone argued about was a setting spray

    On Taiwan's PTT forum (MakeUp board), someone shared an April haul from Olive Young in Korea: Espoir's glow foundation, Clio's snowflake highlighter, So Natural's setting spray, a Too Cool For School aegyo-sal pencil, Ba

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  12. Tips

    Nonfiction Seongsu: the fragrance flagship inside the K-beauty cluster

    Nonfiction is a lifestyle beauty brand built around fragrance and body care, and its Seongsu store sits inside what a 2026 shopping guide calls Seongsu's K-beauty cluster, alongside Olive Young N, Amore Seongsu and Tambu

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  13. Question

    Is Qoo10 safe? Worried about fakes, Japanese users say: stick to official shops

    In March 2025, a "How is Qoo10?" thread went up on Girls Channel, a large Japanese women's forum. The poster wanted a pair of shoes and was unsure about signing up. It drew over 90 comments. What the replies said Some ai

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  14. Tips

    Dior Seongsu concept store: what's showing and how to visit

    Dior Seongsu is the brand's Seoul outpost in Seongsu-dong, run less like a standard boutique and more like a space that gets a full thematic overhaul each season. As of August 2026, it was showing creative director Jonat

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  15. Tips

    Apgujeong Rodeo Street: how to shop Seoul's original luxury-fashion beauty district

    Across the street from Galleria Department Store's Luxury Hall runs an L-shaped strip about 422 meters long: Apgujeong Rodeo Street. It got its name from Beverly Hills' Rodeo Drive, and it became Korea's first real fashi

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  16. Tips

    Korean Trip Souvenir Cosmetics That Are Easy to Hand Out

    For “giveaway souvenirs” for coworkers or friends, lightweight, inexpensive items that are unlikely to divide opinions are convenient.

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  17. Picks & dupesQuestion

    First trip to Olive Young in Seoul: which sheet mask should you try first?

    On Dcard's makeup board in Taiwan, someone heading to Seoul the following week shared a long Olive Young shopping list, including several sheet masks that get recommended a lot online. With sensitive, dry skin, they worr

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  18. Tips

    Dosan Park street: walking the Tamburins, SINOON and Diptyque flagships

    Haus Nowhere Dosan isn't the only reason to walk around Dosan Park. Along the streets ringing the park, beauty and lifestyle concept stores are scattered: a standalone Tamburins flagship, a flagship for Korean skincare b

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  19. Tips

    Tamburins Hannam flagship: the fragrance store that plays with pumpkins and paper sculpture

    Tamburins started as a nail and beauty brand before turning into one of Korea's most talked-about fragrance and skincare labels, and its Hannam-dong flagship is the fourth standalone store after Sinsa, Samcheong and Seon

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  20. Tips

    Shinsegae Department Store Myeongdong Main: how to work the duty-free floors and food hall

    If you only have half a day and want a department store, a duty-free floor and a proper Korean food hall in one stop, Shinsegae's Myeongdong main building is the easy pick. It sits right by Myeongdong Station, and floors

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