Olive Young’s U.S. debut draws 6,000 shoppers on opening weekend

According to CNBC, South Korean beauty retailer Olive Young said 6,000 customers visited its first U.S. store in Pasadena, California, during opening weekend, and the location now averages more than 1,600 visitors a day. The company has since opened a second U.S. store in Century City, California, and plans to open more locations. CNBC reported that U.S. demand for K-beauty has accelerated, with NielsenIQ saying sales reached $2.8 billion in early 2026, up about 48% from a year earlier. NielsenIQ beauty thought leader Anna Mayo said the category has entered a second wave of growth, while Morgan Stanley analyst Simeon Gutman forecast U.S. K-beauty sales could reach about $4 billion in 2026. Separately, Ulta Beauty said skincare and wellness delivered low-single-digit comparable sales growth in its latest earnings report, with Korean brand Medicube, Peach & Lily and Anua among the products contributing to performance.