CJ Olive Young reports strong growth in foreign customer spending outside Seoul as K-beauty shopping spreads to regional cities. In Q1, foreign sales rose 95% in Busan and 73% in Jeonju. Over the past three years, the share of top 100 stores by foreign footfall located outside the capital grew from 27% (2023) to 52% (2025). Olive Young is shifting from simply increasing store count to building large, specialist stores in high-tourism regional hubs, with 43 of 78 new or renovated large stores (100 pyeong or larger) planned outside the capital. Regional large stores saw foreign sales up 47% and foreign visitors up 58% year-on-year. Notable spikes include Jeju and Gangneung (each +70% in Q1) and Yeosu (+493% Jan–May), helped by increased international cruise calls. Stores are adopting local themes—e.g., a hanok-style exterior in Gyeongju and dol hareubang (stone grandfather) decor in Jeju—to offer K-culture (K컬처) experiences alongside cosmetics. Government data show foreign arrivals via regional airports and rail each rose roughly 50% and 47% respectively in Q1, aligning with Olive Young’s regional strategy. The company says the approach boosts regional economies and youth jobs while building a K-beauty ecosystem through new openings, renewals, and logistics upgrades.
