THE WHAT? CJ Olive Young has opened its first wellness-focused outlet, branded “Olive Better,” in Seoul as part of a broader strategy to expand beyond K-beauty into the growing K-wellness market.
THE DETAILS The inaugural Olive Better store, located in Gwanghwamun, central Seoul, offers more than 3,000 wellness products from around 500 brands under a “healthy beauty” concept that extends Olive Young’s traditional health category into the wider wellness sector. The company plans to open a second outlet in Seoul’s Gangnam district later this year and has also launched an Olive Better app-in-app service within its existing mobile platform to enhance customer engagement.
CJ Olive Young operates 1,394 stores nationwide as of end-September and currently sells overseas via online channels only. However, it plans to open its first U.S. brick-and-mortar store in California in May, with the United States and Japan identified as key expansion markets. The retailer posted net profit of 475.99 billion won (approximately US$329 million) in 2024, up 32% year on year.
THE WHY? With global wellness demand rising since the pandemic, CJ Olive Young aims to capture growth in the K-wellness segment by creating offline destinations that provide curated, experiential and personalised wellness retail—while supporting its international expansion ambitions.
Source: kodonews
