Olive Young Shopping Tips for Tourists: Tax Refund Rules & Smart Buying
Olive Young is Korea's biggest health & beauty store chain and a must-stop for K-beauty skincare and makeup. Here's how to shop smarter as a visitor.
Tax refunds for tourists (official rules)
- Eligible: foreigners staying in Korea for less than 6 months (and overseas Koreans meeting the KTO conditions).
- Minimum purchase: ₩15,000 at a store displaying "Tax Free" / "Tax Refund".
- Goods must be new and taken out of Korea within 3 months of purchase.
- Immediate tax refund (tax deducted at the till): each payment must be at least ₩15,000 and under ₩1,000,000, up to ₩5,000,000 total per trip. Show your passport when paying.
- Otherwise you pay the full price and claim the refund later at the airport, a downtown refund booth, a kiosk or via mobile.
- Cosmetics are explicitly listed by VisitKorea as tax-refund-eligible goods.
Practical tips
- Bring your physical passport — you need it for the tax refund.
- Combine items into one receipt to clear the ₩15,000 minimum.
- Pack liquids in checked luggage if you exceed carry-on liquid limits.
- Check each store's tax-free signage and ask staff — not every location offers immediate refunds.
Sources
Checked by the Fantagy Korea editorial team on 2026-10-31. Prices, timetables and rules change — confirm on the official site before you travel.