Olive Young to expand US presence with five new California stores

CJ Olive Young said Monday it plans to expand its US operations by opening five additional stores in California by the first half of 2027.

The company aims to expand its physical store network across the greater Los Angeles area and San Diego, bringing its total number of US stores to seven, including two existing locations.

Four of the new stores will be located in the greater LA area. They will open at Spectrum Center in Irvine, Del Amo Fashion Center in the South Bay area, Bloom on 3rd near the Original Farmers Market in downtown LA, and Brea Mall in Orange County. The fifth location will be at Fashion Valley, a shopping mall in San Diego. Opening dates for individual stores have not yet been finalized.

Three of the planned locations, Del Amo Fashion Center, Brea Mall and Fashion Valley, are operated by Simon Property Group, a US-based retail real estate company. The locations are expected to help Olive Young and Korean beauty brands reach a wider audience by tapping into shopping destinations with high foot traffic.

In addition to selling K-beauty products, Olive Young's US stores offer skin analysis and product recommendation services. Its in-store Skin Scan service analyzes customers' skin conditions and recommends suitable products and skincare routines. The service attracted a cumulative 27,000 users as of the end of October, about five months after its launch.

The expansion is also expected to provide more opportunities for small and independent Korean beauty brands to enter the US market. Brands with limited overseas distribution networks or local recognition can use Olive Young's stores to introduce their products to American consumers.

“US stores serve as a channel for introducing K-beauty to local consumers and helping emerging brands enter the market,” an Olive Young official said. “We plan to continue expanding its global business in cooperation with brand partners.”