Before my Seoul sojourn, I asked Yang Hu, an analyst at the data analytics company Euromonitor International, about Olive Young’s rise.
Yang said Korean stores that only sell one brand have struggled in recent years, especially as e-commerce has exploded.
At the same time, social media channels allowed a slew of new brands to enter the market, Yang said, and customers were spoiled for choice.
“Olive Young gained traction as a ‘one-stop’ destination where shoppers could discover and experience a wide range of brands,” Yang told me. “By quickly onboarding trendy K-beauty labels across both online and offline channels, Olive Young successfully attracted consumers eager to explore new offerings.”
With that in mind, and a loose to-buy list in hand, it was time to shop.
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