Olive Young Best Sellers (2026): Korea's Ranking and Awards Explained

By Gape · 7 min read · Published October 21, 2026

Quick answer: Olive Young (올리브영) publishes two kinds of best-seller lists: a live online ranking that changes daily, and the annual Olive Young Awards, which picked 166 products in 40 categories from about 170–180 million purchases (July 2024–June 2025). The 2025 category winners include Round Lab’s 1025 Dokdo Toner, Torriden’s Dive-In serum, Aestura’s Atobarrier 365 cream and Round Lab’s birch sunscreen. Foreign shoppers buy skincare first, then makeup, then hair care.

This guide uses Olive Young Korea’s own Korean pages, not the US online store or editor-picked lists, so you see what Korean customers actually buy. Korean product names are included so you can search them in the app or show them to staff.

Which Olive Young ranking should you trust?

Use the Olive Young Awards for proven products, and the live ranking to see what’s trending this week. They measure different things.

The live ranking is heavily shaped by promotions. On 10 October 2026, most of the top 30 were promotional sets (기획), 1+1 deals or “October Olive Young Pick” (10월 올영픽) items. A sale can push a product up for a few days.

What won the 2025 Olive Young Awards?

These are the products ranked No. 1 (1위) in each category of the 2025 awards, announced on 28 November 2025. They’re the closest thing to an official “best sellers” list.

Skincare

Makeup and tools

Hair, body and more: shampoo went to Labo-H (라보에이치 두피강화 샴푸), hair care to Unove (어노브 딥 데미지 트리트먼트 EX), body wash and body lotion to Illiyoon (일리윤 탑투토워시, 일리윤 세라아토로션), and hand care to Beyond (비욘드 클래식 핸드크림 딥 모이스처). The premium category winner was Hera’s Black Cushion Foundation (헤라 블랙 쿠션 파운데이션).

The full results, including runners-up, are on Olive Young’s awards page under the 1위, 정통 (classic) and 트렌드 (trend) tabs.

What do foreign shoppers buy at Olive Young?

Skincare comes first: Olive Young says foreign customers’ purchases ranked skincare, then makeup, then hair care in January–August 2026. Sales of dermatology-style “K-derma” skincare (K더모) to foreigners rose about 78% year on year.

The awards’ Global Trend tab, created for global customers and drawing on data that includes Olive Young’s global online mall, lists these products:

Three products appear in both lists: Round Lab’s birch sunscreen, Mediheal’s Madecassoside pads and Unove’s Deep Damage Treatment EX. Each won its Korean category and also made the global Best Performer group.

Some more context from Olive Young’s August 2026 figures: foreign customers’ purchases in Olive Young’s stores in Korea passed ₩1 trillion by August, three months earlier than in 2025. Foreigners made up 33% of offline store sales, up from 2% in 2022. Buyers came from 192 countries, led (in Korean alphabetical order) by the US, Singapore, Japan, China and Thailand.

How do you read the live ranking?

The live ranking lists the top 100 products on Olive Young’s Korean site, with tabs for skincare, masks, sun care, makeup, hair, body and more. Olive Young doesn’t explain on the page how it’s calculated.

On 10 October 2026, the top 10 were:

1. Mediheal Essential sheet mask bundle (메디힐 에센셜 마스크팩)
2. CNP Propolis Energy Active Ampoule (차앤박 프로폴리스 에너지 액티브 앰플)
3. Clinique moisturizing cream (크리니크 쏙보습크림)
4. AGE20’s foundation pact (에이지투웨니스 히든 프렙 파운데이션 팩트)
5. Unove Deep Damage Repair hair mask (어노브 딥 데미지 리페어 헤어 마스크)
6. Laneige x Matin Kim Neo Cushion (라네즈X마뗑킴 네오쿠션 뮤이)
7. La Roche-Posay Cicaplast Baume B5+ (라로슈포제 시카플라스트밤 B5+)
8. La Roche-Posay Cicaplast multi-repair cream (라로슈포제 시카플라스트 멀티 리페어 크림)
9. Mediheal Derma toner pads (메디힐 더마 토너패드)
10. Dove body scrub (도브 바디 스크럽)

Product names carry Korean labels that tell you what you’re buying:

• 기획 (gihoek): a promotional bundle, often with an extra refill or mini size.
• 1+1: buy one, get one free.
• 증정 (jeungjeong): a free gift comes with it.
• 올영픽 (Olive Young Pick): the month’s featured promotion, such as “10월 올영픽” for October.
• 단독 (dandok): an exclusive item or set.

Phrases like “15년 연속 1위” (No. 1 for 15 years) are the brand’s own claims in the product title. They aren’t part of the ranking itself.

How do you shop the best sellers in store?

Go in with Korean names saved and your passport in your bag.

1. Screenshot the Korean names from the tables above. Staff can find a product faster from the Korean name, and you can search it in the Olive Young app.
2. Check the shelf label for 1+1 deals and 기획 sets. Many sets in the ranking include an extra refill or mini size, so compare what’s in the box.
3. Bring your physical passport to the till. If your purchase in one store reaches ₩15,000, you can claim back the VAT. At stores offering immediate tax refund, purchases under ₩1,000,000 are rung up without the tax, up to ₩5,000,000 per trip. Not every branch offers it: smaller neighborhood branches may not be tax-free stores, so look for a Tax Free sign at the entrance or ask before you pay.
4. Pay once. The ₩15,000 minimum applies per purchase in one store, so splitting your basket into several small receipts can lose you the refund.

For the full rules, including airport refunds for bigger purchases, see our Korea tax refund guide.

FAQ

What is the No. 1 best seller at Olive Young?

There’s no single answer: the live ranking changes daily. On 10 October 2026, a Mediheal Essential sheet mask bundle was No. 1 on the overall ranking. In the 2025 awards, winners were chosen category by category, not as one overall No. 1.

Are Olive Young’s US and Korea best sellers the same?

No. The US online store has its own best-seller list. This guide uses Olive Young Korea’s ranking and awards, which reflect shopping in Korea.

When are the 2026 Olive Young Awards announced?

Olive Young hadn’t announced them as of 10 October 2026. The 2025 awards were announced on 28 November 2025 and went live on the online mall on 30 November, alongside an Olive Young sale.

Can I get a tax refund at Olive Young?

Generally yes, if you’re a visitor and spend at least ₩15,000 in one purchase. Olive Young counts its foreign buyers using Global Tax Free (GTF) refund data. Branches in tourist areas usually offer it, but smaller neighborhood branches may not. Look for a Tax Free sign at the entrance, then show your passport at the till and ask for the tax refund before you pay.

Are the award winners good for sensitive skin?

The awards are based on purchases and trends, not skin testing. Several winners are barrier or soothing products, such as Aestura’s Atobarrier 365 cream, but check the ingredients for your own skin.