K Beauty is entering a new scale up phase in prestige retail as Sephora and Olive Young announce a strategic partnership to bring a curated lineup of Korean beauty brands to millions of Sephora shoppers worldwide. Launching this fall, the collaboration will roll out across the United States, Canada, Hong Kong SAR, and Southeast Asia (Singapore, Malaysia, Thailand), with further expansion into the Middle East, the UK and Australia planned for 2027.
How the partnership will work
The partnership will create a dedicated Olive Young zone within Sephora stores and on Sephora’s digital platforms, spotlighting trend led Korean skincare, makeup, and wellness products. This curated space is designed to make it easier for beauty lovers to discover the “most popular” and “newest” K beauty launches in one destination, backed by Olive Young’s category expertise.
The model combines Sephora’s in store experience, anchored by its Beauty Advisors and omnichannel tools, with Olive Young’s curation and product scouting strengths. For shoppers, that means guided discovery, expert advice, and fast access to trend driven Korean brands in both physical and digital environments.
Why K beauty and why now
K beauty remains one of the fastest growing and most innovation led segments in global beauty, driven by multi step routines, skin first formulas, and social first storytelling. Priya Venkatesh, Global Chief Merchandising Officer at Sephora, said, “Korean beauty is one of the most innovative, fastest growing, and desirable categories in beauty right now,” noting that Sephora first introduced K beauty brands to North American shoppers in 2010.
What each retailer brings to the table
Sephora operates in 35 countries with about 3,400 points of sale and connects more than 80 million loyal beauty fans worldwide through its stores and digital channels. Its portfolio includes close to 500 brands plus Sephora Collection, covering fragrance, makeup, haircare, skincare, and more.
CJ Olive Young, founded in 1999, leads the beauty and health retail market in South Korea with over 1,390 stores and more than 20 years of category expertise. The retailer leverages data driven insights and strong brand partnerships to curate a wide K beauty and wellness offer and has been a key driver in globalizing K beauty trends.
Global expansion and K beauty reach
The fall debut in North America, Hong Kong SAR, and Southeast Asia positions the partnership squarely in regions where both K beauty and Sephora’s omnichannel model are already strong. From 2027, the collaboration will extend to the Middle East, the UK and Australia, opening new doors for Korean brands to reach prestige focused customers in these markets.
Youngah Lee, Chief Strategy Officer at CJ Olive Young, said, “we see this collaboration as a meaningful opportunity to work together in expanding the reach of Korean brands in key international markets.” to expand the reach of Korean brands as worldwide interest in K beauty continues to accelerate. Together, the two retailers are positioning K beauty not just as a trend, but as a long term growth engine in international beauty retail.
