Seongsu K-Beauty Living: Olive Young, Daiso, and Episode Seongsu 101
In Korea, Olive Young used to be synonymous with beauty. Over the past five years, however, Daiso has also emerged as a fast-growing channel for discovering K-beauty. While it was once seen primarily as a place to buy basic accessories like cotton pads, powder puffs, and cotton swabs, it has now transformed into an ultra-low-cost beauty destination offering skincare, color cosmetics, hair, and body products priced between 1,000 and 5,000 KRW.
I’ve been using several Daiso beauty products for a long time. Items like Kundal’s Collagen Hair Mist, IPKN’s Blur Pact, and TAG’s Powder Pact have quality far beyond expectations. In particular, TAG’s Powder Pact is one of their bestselling items, often selling out quickly due to high demand.
If you are deeply interested in trendy beauty products, living in Korea might have made you think at least once: “I want to live in Seongsu. Olive Young, Daiso, and beauty pop-up stores are all there.”
For those who dream of living in trendy Seongsu, here is a stylish residential space for you.
Seongsu, Ttukseom, and Seoul Forest: Where K-beauty Converges
According to Sweetspot’s 2025 Pop-Up Store Trend Report, approximately 1,100 pop-up stores opened in Seongsu through November of last year, with about 220 dedicated to beauty. Notably, COSRX hosted its Derma Lab Pop-Up Store, featuring an AI laboratory concept that analyzed skin data to recommend customized derma solutions. The store also offered English support, making it accessible for international visitors.
Seongsu features both Olive Young, known for its wide variety of brands, and Daiso, a household store rising fast as a hot spot for budget beauty. Both are conveniently located near subway stations. In fact, the Olive Young Ttukseom Station branch and the Daiso Ttukseom Station branch share the same building near the station, making it exceptionally convenient for shopping the latest beauty trends.
Then, you may be curious about how Daiso secured a position alongside Olive Young as the trendy beauty store. Let’s compare the characteristics of Olive Young and Daiso.
Differences Between Olive Young and Daiso
Olive Young is built for comparing options. With its broad selection of brands, clear reviews, rankings, and regular sales, you can easily plan out your purchases. It is ideal if you have specific skin concerns or want to invest in full-size products.
Daiso, on the other hand, is all about low-risk discovery. You can test out lip products, sheet masks, hair oils, beauty tools, and pouches without spending much. If a product doesn't work for you, you lose very little. But if you love it, you can easily upgrade to the brand’s main line.
Feature | Olive Young | Daiso |
|---|---|---|
Price Range | Primarily 10,000~50,000 KRW | Primarily 1,000~5,000 KRW |
Shopping Purpose | Comparative shopping | Low-risk trial shopping |
Key Strengths | Customer reviews, rankings, sales, official full-sized lines | Ultra-low prices, compact/mini sizes, fast new product releases |
Recommended Products | Full-size skincare, derma products, popular color cosmetics | Beauty tools, sheet masks, lip products, mini hair & body care |
Why Daiso Beauty Is Booming
The main reason Daiso cosmetics are drawing so much attention is that major beauty companies are introducing Daiso-exclusive brands and secondary lines, dramatically expanding customer choices. Although offered in smaller volumes, these secondary lines deliver high quality at low prices, providing exceptional value for money.
Famous Beauty Brand | Daiso Sub-Brand | Main Products |
|---|---|---|
Dr.G | Lab-It | Pore Soothing Cream, Pore Cleansing Foam |
CLIO | Twinkle Pop | Layering Mood Palette, Over Lip Pencil |
Etude | Play 101 | Water Glow Tint, Slim Layered Cushion |
Mamonde | Mimo by Mamonde | Rosy-Hyalon Glow Lip Serum |
too cool for school | TAG | Tone Correcting Blur Pact, Slim Brow Pencil |
Experience Olive Young and Daiso Beauty, All in Seongsu
Seongsu is the ideal neighborhood to experience K-beauty alongside modern lifestyle culture because pop-up stores, brand showrooms, cafes, select shops, and beauty stores all gathered in one area. So, it is natural to browse, compare, buy and try products on the spot.
Daily Lifestyle Flow | What can I do? |
|---|---|
After-Work Beauty Shopping | Easily explore K-beauty products right in your neighborhood |
Weekend Stroll in Seongsu | Experience pop-ups, cafes, showrooms, and beauty shops all in one go |
Seongsu Expats | Grab affordable daily necessities and beauty essentials close to home |
Solo Dwellers | Pick up compact-sized products and daily supplies hassle-free |
If you want Olive Young, Daiso, and pop-up stores to be part of your daily routine, living in the center of Seongsu is the best option. For a residential space that offers plenty of storage for your beauty shopping and personal belongings, Episode Seongsu 101 is recommended.
Located at 341 Ttukseom-ro, Seongdong-gu, Seoul, Episode Seongsu 101 is an 8-minute walk from Seoul Forest Station and a 10-minute walk from Ttukseom Station, offering convenient access to both transit lines. From Ttukseom Station, both Daiso and Olive Young are less than a 1-minute walk away, making shopping exceptionally convenient.
Trendy Living at Episode Seongsu 101
If you are drawn to the sleek, sophisticated, and modern side of K-beauty, we recommend IKEA-inspired room. Designed around an IKEA-inspired concept, this room features a chic black color scheme and comes fully furnished with a bed, mattress, storage cabinet, and sofa.
If you prefer the clean, fresh, and trendy aesthetic of K-beauty, a room with built-in storage is the perfect fit with its generous storage space. With storage cabinets, tables, and wall shelves placed throughout the room, you can easily organize all your shopping finds just the way you like.
💬 Editor's Comment
A stylish lifestyle starts at home. Waking up in the morning, putting on trendy makeup, and picking an outfit that fits your mood all happen inside your space. Living in a home you truly love sets the tone for your entire day.