K-Beauty Isn’t a Trend. It’s a Takeover.

When Sephora announced it was pulling out of Korea, the industry barely blinked. But it should have. Because while Western retailers have been trying to copy-paste their global playbooks into new markets, Olive Young has been quietly building the future of beauty retail—and now it’s heading to the U.S.

I just got back from Seoul, where a quick stop at Olive Young turned into an accidental three-hour pilgrimage. I also had an exclusive 1:1 meeting with the head of Olive Young's U.S. business—who is leading the charge on their U.S. expansion—and the global head of Olive Young's e-commerce platform, which is already generating billions in global sales. I also had the rare opportunity to sit down 1:1 with the Olive Young founding team and get a behind-the-scenes look at how they're planning to scale globally.

Here’s the thing: it wasn’t just a beauty store. It was a love letter to women. The Olive Young team shared their strategy to replicate this exact model in the U.S.—starting with three flagship locations in L.A.—anchored in a holistic approach to women's wellness, not just skincare.

Let me explain.