Cover Inside Amore Seongsu in Seoul (Photo: Amore Pacific)
Inside Amore Seongsu in Seoul (Photo: Amore Pacific)
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Planning a Seoul beauty haul? From must-visit flagships to niche indie labels, this 2025 guide reveals the top Korean beauty stores, brands, and neighbourhoods to shop for skincare and make-up in South Korea’s capital
If you’ve ever stood in the middle of Myeongdong, Seoul with a suitcase full of beauty loot, wondering how it all added up, you’re not alone. The South Korean capital remains a pilgrimage site for beauty junkies worldwide, thanks to its world-class skincare innovation, unique ingredients and near-obsessive customer experience.
Seoul isn’t just the home of skincare innovation—it’s the epicentre of immersive beauty retail. With high-tech formulations, traditional ingredients and sleek stores that feel more like design spaces than shops, the city offers a beauty experience unlike anywhere else—as long as you know where to go.
Whether you’re a beauty maximalist or a curated minimalist, Seoul remains a top destination for discovering the very best in K-beauty. This 2025 guide reveals the essential stores, standout brands, and neighbourhoods to know for your next beauty haul in South Korea’s capital. From cult-favourite flagships to curated department store counters, here’s where to shop the best in Korean beauty—luxury included.
Read more: Heading to Seoul for a holiday... and an aesthetic treatment? Here’s how to care for your skin after
Must-visit multi-brand flagships
Above An Olive Young storefront in Seoul, South Korea. (Photo: Getty Images)
An Olive Young storefront in Seoul, South Korea. (Photo: Getty Images)
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Amore Seongsu (Seongsu-dong)
Amorepacific’s revolutionary flagship store in trendy Seongsu-dong, housed in a renovated car repair shop, offering monthly themed exhibitions, custom beauty services including personalised foundation and lipstick matching, and access to over 30 Amorepacific brands Flagship Store.
Olive Young (Flagship, Myeongdong)
A mainstay of the K-beauty landscape, Olive Young is a modern beauty bazaar, with everything from viral sheet masks to derm-backed acne patches. Its flagship stores now include curated sections spotlighting indie brands and ingredient-led skincare. Don’t miss: the "Trend Zone," which highlights the month’s most-searched items.
Chicor (Gangnam & Myeongdong)
Often described as South Korea’s answer to Sephora, Chicor blends domestic indie brands with prestige international players. It’s particularly strong on colour cosmetics, with expansive tester bars that invite hands-on play.
Lotte Department Store (Main Branch, Euljiro)
A long-standing beauty powerhouse, Lotte’s main store houses a sprawling beauty hall that includes both Korean prestige and global maisons. Travellers should look out for department-store exclusive sets and pre-launch items often released here first.
Unmissable luxury Korean beauty brands
Above The Sulwhasoo boutique in Dosan Park, Seoul
The Sulwhasoo boutique in Dosan Park, Seoul
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The Whoo
Inspired by royal court beauty rituals, this LG-owned prestige house uses traditional ingredients and decadent packaging. The Cheonyuldan collection is especially sought after for its firming, radiant finish.
Sum:37
This fermentation-focused label has a loyal fan base for its Secret Essence and Time Energy lines. Developed through natural aging processes, the formulas target stressed, dehydrated skin.
O Hui
Another luxury beauty brand by LG, O Hui combines dermatological R&D with indulgent textures. Its Prime Advancer De-Aging Ampoule Serum and The First Geniture range are bestsellers for their glow-enhancing effects.
Hera
A go-to for Seoul’s modern women, Hera fuses innovative sun protection, cushion compacts, and trend-led colour. Its Signia luxury skincare line is also well loved among beauty enthusiasts.
Sulwhasoo
The pioneer of modern hanbang beauty, Sulwhasoo’s hero products include the First Care Activating Serum and Ginseng Renewing Cream. Its mix of heritage, efficacy, and aspirational branding makes it an icon within the K-beauty sphere.
Fragrance finds: Korean scents to know
Above Inside the Granhand store in Bukchon, Seoul
Inside the Granhand store in Bukchon, Seoul
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Granhand
A Seoul-based perfumery that focuses on small-batch scents inspired by natural elements and Korean culture. Each boutique is styled like a minimalist studio and offers personalised engraving.
Nonfiction
Also featured later in this story, Nonfiction deserves double mention for pushing the boundaries of Korean perfumery. The brand’s scent names—such as Santal Cream and Forget Me Not—reflect quiet storytelling and emotional depth.
Tamburins
Beyond skincare, Tamburins has made a mark with its perfume balms and newly launched eau de parfums, blending artful fragrance composition with sensuous packaging.
Read more: The rise of Korean perfumes: 7 brands to explore on your next trip to Seoul, South Korea
Luxe beauty experiences
Above The Heritage room at Sulwhasoo’s flagship store in Seoul
The Heritage room at Sulwhasoo’s flagship store in Seoul
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The Shilla Duty Free (Jangchung-dong)
Located within the five-star Shilla Hotel, this upscale duty-free emporium is where you’ll find luxury Korean skincare giants like Sulwhasoo, The History of Whoo, and LG’s high-end brands under one roof. Expect exclusive gift sets, concierge-level service, and a tax-free shopping process tailored for international travellers.
Sulwhasoo Flagship Store (Dosan Park)
A destination in itself, the Sulwhasoo flagship in Apgujeong offers more than just product browsing—it houses an in-house spa, skincare consultations, and a traditional tea lounge. It’s an immersive beauty-meets-wellness stop for those looking to indulge. While you’re there, try the TUS Moon Jade Hand Service. It combines Sulwhasoo’s high-end TUS line with a moon-shaped jade applicator to deliver a fuss-free and holistic hand treatment service.
Shinsegae Department Store (Main Branch, Myeongdong)
This sprawling luxury department store blends Korean and international beauty in an opulent, well-lit setting. The beauty hall is particularly strong in premium K-beauty, including Hera, Sum:37 and O Hui.
Hyundai Seoul (Yeouido)
The city’s newest retail landmark, Hyundai Seoul is known for its futuristic design and experiential shopping. Its beauty floor carries cult brands like Amuse and Tamburins alongside global labels, making it a hotspot for discovering Seoul’s next wave of icons.
Indie brands and hidden gems
Above The Mixsoon flagship store in Myeongdong, Seoul
The Mixsoon flagship store in Myeongdong, Seoul
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Mixsoon (various boutiques)
With its minimalist packaging and single-ingredient ethos, Mixsoon has captured the interest of skincare purists. The Centella Asiatica Essence is a quiet cult hero—and much cheaper in Seoul than online.
Amuse (The Hyundai Seoul)
Playful but efficacious, Amuse is all about dewy textures and sheer pigments. Its lip tints and cushion compacts are TikTok favourites, and the store’s interactive displays make it fun to explore.
Millford (various locations)
An emerging name in Korea's clean beauty scene, Millford is gaining recognition for its gentle formulas and elegant aesthetic. Its Green Ampoule and Barrier Relief Cream are favourites among beauty insiders seeking sensitive-skin-friendly luxury.
Abib (various locations)
An up-and-coming Seoul brand recognised for its sheet masks and gentle cleansers, Abib has built a following for its focus on skin barrier care. Travellers should stock up on the Mild Acidic pH Sheet Masks, a cult classic that’s popular among locals and tourists in South Korea.
Conceptual beauty ateliers
Above The Tamburins boutique in Hannam, Seoul
The Tamburins boutique in Hannam, Seoul
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Tamburins (Garosu-gil)
Created by the team behind Gentle Monster, Tamburins’ flagship is part gallery, part fragrance lab. Known for its Tiger hand creams and sculptural packaging, the space evolves seasonally with immersive art installations. A must-visit for design-minded shoppers.
Hince (Seongsu-dong)
In a district known for creativity, Hince offers a gallery-like makeup space where colour is treated as creative expression. Its pigment-rich Mood Enhancer lipsticks are favourites, and the studio often hosts collaborations with artists and stylists.
Nonfiction (Garosu-gil)
This fragrance-focused brand has built a cult following for its literary approach to scent. Its flagship boutique functions as a mood-driven library of emotions. Try Gentle Night, inspired by Seoul’s twilight hours.
Neighbourhood shopping itinerary
Above The famous shopping streets of Myeongdong, Seoul
The famous shopping streets of Myeongdong, Seoul
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Myeongdong
Once overrun by tourist buses, this central district is enjoying a comeback. It’s ideal for big-name flagships (Innisfree, Etude House, Laneige), plus Olive Young’s biggest location. Tip: go in the morning to avoid the crowds.
Apgujeong-Cheongdam
The Apgujeong–Cheongdam area is home to the city’s most prestigious flagships such as Sulwhasoo, Hera Boutique Spa, and premium department stores like Galleria, as well as dermatology clinics, luxury salons, and high-end concept stores. The district creates an immersive beauty journey through the country’s most prestigious offerings.
Garosu-gil
This tree-lined street in Sinsa is perfect for curated, boutique-style shopping. Here, you’ll find Tamburins, Hince, and chic multi-brand concept stores. Expect influencer-style interiors and limited-edition exclusives.
Seongsu-dong
Often called the Brooklyn of Seoul, this hipster enclave is where the next wave of indie brands tends to launch. Look out for pop-ups, concept cafes, and hybrid retail spaces.
Bukchon Hanok Village
Known for its traditional architecture and artisanal culture, Bukchon has also become a haven for boutique fragrance houses like Granhand. Travellers should seek out exclusive, hand-labelled perfumes only sold at the Bukchon atelier.
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Andrea Saadan is the Senior Digital Editor of Tatler Singapore. She oversees all digital content for the website and currently leads the Beauty and Lifestyle verticals. As a child, she had always enjoyed reading and writing but it was only after she joined her college newspaper, The Spectrum, in Buffalo, New York, that she considered a career in journalism. Her love for all things beauty started from the age of two—when she was caught playing with (and damaging) her mother’s YSL lipstick. On top of her day job, she is also an unpaid beauty consultant for friends and family. Besides make-up, her obsessions include the wizarding world of Harry Potter, podcasts, ice-cream, her walking pad and watching endless re-runs of The Office (US).
