Olive Young is expanding its retail footprint in the US, opening five additional stores across California by the end of the first half of 2027. The new locations will span Greater Los Angeles and San Diego, bringing the South Korean beauty retailer’s total US store count to seven as it capitalizes on the K-beauty boom in the US, which surged 48.1% in early 2026 to reach $2.8 billion annually, according to NielsonIQ.
Four stores will open in Greater Los Angeles shopping destinations: Irvine Spectrum Center, Del Amo Fashion Center, Bloom on Third, and Brea Mall; the company is also opening one store in San Diego at Fashion Valley shopping center. Three of the five locations will be operated by Simon Property Group, one of America’s largest retail real estate companies; Olive Young expects these high-traffic retail destinations to accelerate awareness of both its brand and K-beauty at large among mainstream US consumers.
The announcement follows the opening of Olive Young’s first two US stores in Pasadena and Westfield Century City this past May. The Pasadena location welcomes an average of 1,623 daily visitors, while Century City averages 955.
The strong consumer response reflects the importance of the US market for the retailer’s international growth strategy. Before Olive Young even opened a physical store in the US, American shoppers accounted for more than half of Olive Young Global’s sales in the first half of 2025 and contributed more than 40% of its sales growth during that period.
The expansion also represents an important opportunity for emerging Korean brands looking to enter the US market that may face limited distribution networks or low brand awareness. By leveraging the retailer’s curation expertise and established network, these brands gain the opportunity to build their name and reach local consumers.
"With K-beauty experiencing unprecedented growth worldwide, our goal is to help it evolve beyond a passing trend into an established part of the global beauty mainstream," said an Olive Young spokesperson in a press release. "We will continue working closely with our brand partners to build a foundation for sustainable global growth."
Olive Young's experiential retail format is designed to help US consumers discover new brands, products, and formats while developing a deeper understanding of K-beauty's offerings through education and hands-on experiences. Its stores offer curated selections of brands alongside uniquely Korean product formats that may be less familiar to US consumers, including sun sticks, sun cushions, and toner pads. Skin Scan, a skin analysis service, is also a key part of the in-store experience. It allows customers to better understand their skin and discover products tailored to their individual concerns; it has attracted approximately 27,000 users since May.
Olive Young's physical retail strategy in the US has also extended beyond its own brick-and-mortar stores. In August, the company partnered with Sephora to introduce a curated K-beauty assortment across more than 500 US stores and online. The initial launch featured 19 Korean beauty brands selected by Olive Young, helping Sephora better establish itself as a K-beauty destination.
Olive Young has also participated in and organized events designed to connect K-beauty with broader interest in Korean culture in the US. This summer, it held the first US edition of Olive Young Festa alongside KCON LA. The event featured 55 Korean beauty and lifestyle brands and attracted approximately 100,000 visitors, according to the company. It underscores how the popularity of Korean entertainment, music, and culture can help create additional opportunities for beauty discovery and product engagement.
As the retailer looks to introduce the latest K-beauty trends to international markets and help Korean brands grow their presence globally, its continued investment in the US and its accelerated expansion in the upcoming years will be an important test of its ability to turn the current consumer interest into a lasting position in the market.
