CJ Olive Young opens largest Gyeongju store in hanok building with K-beauty experiences

CJ Olive Young opened a locally themed store, CJ Olive Young Gyeongju Silla, in Gyeongju, North Gyeongsang Province, the company announced Monday.

Spanning two floors and about 446 square meters of retail space, the store is the largest CJ Olive Young location in Gyeongju. Its exterior follows a hanok architectural style, while the interior draws on Silla-era artifacts as its design concept.

Rather than maximizing shelf space, the store incorporates benches and a terrace on both floors to provide ample rest areas. The first floor features a tea-scent sampling zone where customers can smell and purchase teas, along with a "worry guestbook" where visitors can freely write down their thoughts. A dedicated gua sha island lets customers try out a range of gua sha products.

The store also offers self-service beauty diagnostic devices, including three skin-scanning tools — one for facial skin, one for the scalp and one for personal color analysis — allowing customers to assess their own skin condition on the spot.

A merchandise zone on the first floor carries CJ Olive Young goods alongside Gyeongju Silla-exclusive items, including keychains and magnets featuring local cultural landmarks such as Seokguram Grotto and Cheomseongdae Observatory.

"We plan to elevate the in-store experience so that K-beauty becomes an appealing tourism draw," a company official said. "We will particularly expand stores that reflect the character of each region, growing alongside local communities."