Olive Young to open first U.S. store in Los Angeles in first half of 2026

Olive Young is eyeing the opening of its inaugural U.S. store in Los Angeles by the end of 2026's first half, having already set up a subsidiary there in February in preparation for the overseas expansion.

A pedestrian walks by a Olive Young branch in Seoul on March 12. [YONHAP]

Olive Young is eyeing the opening of its inaugural U.S. store in Los Angeles by the end of 2026's first half, having already set up a subsidiary there in February in preparation for the overseas expansion.

The announcement was made in a press release about its title sponsorship for the KCON LA 2025 music event that ran from Aug. 1 to 3.

"This activation marks a major milestone in the brand's journey to bring its trusted K-beauty experience to North America, with its first U.S. store set to open in Los Angeles in late H1 2026," the statement read.

CJ Olive Young established CJ Olive Young USA in Los Angeles to expand its presence in the world's biggest beauty products market.

At KCON LA, Olive Young showcased 164 products from 64 brands, including three of its award-winning private labels — Bioheal Boh, Bringgreen and Colorgram. In total, the company highlighted 66 brands across interactive zones designed to spotlight skincare, color cosmetics and wellness.

One standout feature was the “Beauty Box” pop-up, a curated starter kit with products from six brands currently available in the United States, including Biodance, Dr.Althea, numbuzin and Round Lab. Visitors could explore the kit on-site and continue their experience online via the Olive Young Global app, where a limited-time offer tied to the event is live.

A separate area showed off the company’s core skincare lineup. The showcase focused on four categories — essence and serum, sun care, sheet masks and pads, as well as creams — offering a glimpse at products expected to hit shelves when the Los Angeles store opens next year.

Visitors enjoy "2025 Olive Young Festa" held on May 22 to 25 on Nodeul Island in Yongsan District, central Seoul. [OLIVE YOUNG]

Olive Young also created branded experience zones for its three house labels. Bioheal Boh Lab offered demonstrations of anti-aging and lifting treatments, while Bringgreen Nurse’s Office allowed guests to receive personalized skincare diagnoses. Colorgram Art Room invited attendees to test out its signature high-pigment color cosmetics.

“We’re excited to bring our ‘All Live Young’ philosophy to life at KCON LA 2025,” said Jin Se-hoon, executive vice president of Olive Young’s Global Platform Business. “This is a meaningful step in bringing Olive Young’s trusted and inclusive K-beauty experience to the U.S. market.”

Founded in 1999, Olive Young operates over 1,370 stores and is part of the CJ Group. It remains the leading K-beauty and wellness retailer in Korea.

BY YIM SEUNG-HYE [yim.seunghye@joongang.co.kr]