CJ Olive Young's Global Expansion: What to Expect from the 2026 Olive Young Festa in Japan and the USA

CJ Olive Young is taking its beauty celebration global this year with its first in-person, experiential event—Olive Young Festa—in Japan and the United States. Chairman Lee Jay-hyun has been making a point of visiting Olive Young stores, signaling the company’s growing importance to CJ Group. With some core affiliates still under earnings pressure, Olive Young—already surpassing 5 trillion KRW (approximately 3.75 billion USD) in annual sales—has emerged as a key growth engine, and the chairman is getting hands-on.

Industry sources say Olive Young is busily preparing Festa events set for May in Chiba Prefecture, Japan, and August in Los Angeles. This marks the retailer’s first overseas Festa and is meant to serve as a springboard for small and mid-sized K-beauty brands looking to expand abroad.

At both the Japan and U.S. Festas, Olive Young will offer brand-specific booths and combined pavilions so local shoppers can test major categories—think color cosmetics and sun care—firsthand.

The overseas Festa and the company’s U.S. push highlight Olive Young’s international ambitions. The chain plans to open its first U.S. store in Pasadena, California, in the first half of the year.

A company spokesperson said the U.S. rollout starts this year in the first half, and in the second half Olive Young will sequentially introduce curated K-Beauty Zones across six regions, including Sephora’s North America footprint (U.S. and Canada) and parts of Asia. The goal: broaden K-beauty’s global touchpoints and speed up growth across the industry.

As Olive Young expands through global retail channels, its influence within CJ Group is rising. Chairman Lee’s two store visits this year are a visible sign of the company’s strategic importance.

Lee recently toured Olive Young Central Myeongdong in Jung District, Seoul, to review store operations. He was joined by his eldest son, Lee Seon-ho, head of CJ Group’s Future Planning Group. This was Lee’s first Olive Young store visit since his January tour of Olive Better—the chain’s wellness-concept store in Gwanghwamun.

Industry observers say these visits demonstrate the chairman’s commitment to nurturing Olive Young. The chain now plays a larger role in the group’s revenue and growth outlook. CJ CheilJedang, the group’s founding company, has faced shrinking profitability amid various headwinds and posted an annual net loss last year, while Olive Young recorded a record year with sales topping 5.8 trillion KRW (approximately 4.35 billion USD). Some analysts even see the potential for 7 trillion KRW (approximately 5.25 billion USD) in sales this year.

The Myeongdong shopping district Lee visited is being treated as a proving ground for Olive Young’s global strategy, since roughly 95% of purchases there come from foreign shoppers. The Central Myeongdong location offers services in three languages—English, Chinese, and Japanese—and links to a global mall via QR code. The company plans to apply Myeongdong’s operating know-how to its Pasadena flagship. Lee Jay-hyun emphasized that this same innovation DNA must be embedded in U.S. stores and that Olive Young should help build a sustainable K-beauty ecosystem in the American market.