๐ Seongsu K-Beauty Pharmacy Guide โ The Pharmacy Shopping Trend Foreign Visitors Love
โ ๏ธ Please Note
Prices, foreign-language support, opening hours, and closing days vary by store and branch and change often. These specialty pharmacies open and relocate frequently, so before visiting, always check the location and hours on a map app (Google Maps, Naver Map) or the store's official channel. Popular stores can get crowded on weekends and evenings, so expect possible waits. Also, medicines are pharmaceutical products โ before taking or using anything, it's safest to tell the pharmacist about your condition (pregnancy, medications you're taking, allergies, etc.) and get their advice.
โฑ๏ธ 30-Second Summary โ Just Remember This!
๐ Concept โ Specialty pharmacies styled like beauty shops, selling supplements, ointments, and skincare
๐ Area โ Along Seongsu Station Exits 3 & 4 (around Olive Young N Seongsu, within ~300m)
๐ For foreigners โ Japanese/Chinese-speaking staff, with languages shown on name tags
๐๏ธ Popular items โ Derma skincare (ampoules, creams), beauty devices, wound ointments, artificial tears, supplements
๐ฐ Prices โ Vary by product; prescription drugs require a prescription (reference only, subject to change)
๐ธ Tax refund โ Some stores offer tax refunds (check per store)
๐ฃ๏ธ English โ Varies by branch; a translation app helps
1. ๐ช What Is a "Seongsu K-Beauty Pharmacy"?
Unlike an ordinary neighborhood pharmacy, these are decorated like beauty shops and put skincare and wellness products front and center.
Inside, there are English-labeled sections like "K-PHARMACY BEST" (top-selling Korean remedies) and "K-PHARMACY Skin Care."
A white-coated pharmacist handles checkout and consultations, while staff in blue uniforms wear name tags marked with the languages they support (e.g., "ๆฅๆฌ่ช" for Japanese, "ไธญๅ่ช" for Chinese) to assist foreign customers closely.
Some stores have devices where you can self-check your skin type, so you can pick products that suit you after a quick diagnosis.
If a general beauty shop like Olive Young is "mainstream K-beauty shopping," these specialty pharmacies lean a bit more toward "pharmacy-based functional beauty and skin-concern solutions." They may look like competitors, but in practice they help visitors experience K-beauty more broadly.
2. ๐ฅ Why Did They Get So Popular?
There are roughly four reasons.
Short-form boom: "Korean pharmacy shopping" videos spread on social media and became a must-do for foreign visitors.
Expertise: Foreign visitors interviewed in stores cited "expertise" as the appeal. You can find derma products (dermocosmetics) and quasi-drugs that are hard to find in ordinary beauty shops.
The rise of dermocosmetics: As the "dermocosmetics (cosmeceuticals)" market โ sitting on the border between cosmetics and pharmaceuticals โ grows, functional cosmetics built around specific ingredients are using pharmacies as a new stage. The industry increasingly sees pharmacies not just as dispensing channels but as specialty retail where over-the-counter drugs, quasi-drugs, health functional foods, and derma cosmetics are chosen in one space โ and sometimes describes them as competitors to Olive Young and Daiso.
"Get the procedure at the clinic, shop at the pharmacy": As dermatological procedures have become common in Korea, a pattern has emerged of buying at-home care products at the pharmacy afterward. Treating the pharmacist as a "beauty expert who knows the ingredients" and getting their advice is also part of the appeal, so clinic visits/procedures and pharmacy shopping connect naturally.
Rapid growth: According to the Korea Tourism Data Lab and related reporting, foreigners' spending on medical and wellness in Korea is rising fast. Foreigners' medical-tourism spending grew from about KRW 56.2 billion in 2020 to about KRW 561.8 billion in 2025, and the pharmacy share of medical-consumption transactions grew from about 38% in 2021 to about 59% in 2025. Note, however, that these figures do not mean pharmacy sales alone, so treat them as reference only. A separate report noted that foreigners' pharmacy spending in 2025 was about KRW 141.4 billion, up 142.2% year-on-year. Also, per Korea Tourism Organization card-spending big data, inbound foreign card spending in May 2026 topped KRW 2 trillion, and with pharmacy spending growth standing out among categories, pharmacies are drawing attention as a K-beauty/wellness shopping space. (Figures may vary by source, methodology, and timing.)
3. ๐ Where Are They Clustered?
Within about 300m of Seongsu Station, several specialty pharmacies are clustered together, making them easy to browse in one trip. In particular, the line along Seongsu Station Exits 3 & 4 is a "golden route" where foot traffic heading to landmarks like Musinsa and Dior Seongsu and to pop-up stores intersects โ and K-beauty pharmacies have set up along this path. Some of them are "chain" pharmacies with branches across multiple districts.
Seongsu ReadyYoung Pharmacy (READY YOUNG) โ A flagship "K-beauty specialty pharmacy" right across from Olive Young N Seongsu near Seongsu Station (reported to have opened in early 2026). It positions itself as a "specialty pharmacy channel" handling pharmaceuticals, health functional foods, and cosmetics in one place, and offering skin consultations. Since Olive Young N Seongsu has become a hub of Seongsu K-beauty shopping, a natural route forms to browse it together with ReadyYoung across the street โ checking mainstream K-beauty at Olive Young and pharmacy-based functional/skincare products at ReadyYoung. ReadyYoung is a chain that started in Hongdae and expanded to major districts like Gangnam, Seongsu, and Myeongdong; its Myeongdong branch sits right next to the Olive Young Myeongdong Street store, reflecting an "adjacent-to-Olive-Young" location strategy.
Atmosphere: Glass walls give a clear view inside, and the bright, clean interior catches the eye as you pass. Unlike an ordinary pharmacy where you pick up prescriptions, it feels more like a "shopping-style pharmacy" where you browse and compare products directly, organized by category with skin-concern products up front โ easy even on a first visit. White-coated pharmacists and blue-uniformed multilingual staff are on hand. You'll also spot the capybara-concept mascot ("Yakguk-bara") around the store.
For foreigners: A signature logo song plays out into the street, Japanese/Chinese/English-speaking staff are on hand, and some locations offer tax-refund (Tax-Free) guidance for foreign visitors.
Seongsu VeryNew Pharmacy (VeryNew) โ A beauty specialty pharmacy chain with stores in Myeongdong, Hongdae, and more; in Seongsu it sits alongside ReadyYoung in front of Olive Young (near Exit 4). It targets foreign tourists with pharmacist consultations, a range from prescription drugs to high-function dermocosmetics, and a tax-refund (Tax Refund) counter.
Optima Wellness Museum Seongsu (OWM Seongsu ยท 321-39 Seongsu-dong 2-ga) โ A "downtown curated large-format pharmacy" planned by Lifestyle Project, which runs the "OPTIMA" pharmacy chain. Housed in a standalone building in Seongsu's main commercial area (near Yeonmujang-gil), it's large in scale and cited as a prime example of a pharmacy expanding into a beauty/wellness platform. Many describe it as a pretty, stylish space, completely different from a warehouse-style pharmacy.
Floor layout: You shop for supplements and beauty products across the three lower floors and can rest on the top-floor rooftop. Floors 1โ2 are a "curated pharmacy" (care & trust) with resident pharmacists; the 3rd floor is a sensory, experiential space (discovery); and the rooftop is a wellness lounge with a view over Seongsu. If you get tired shopping across floors 1โ3, the 4th-floor rooftop is a nice place to rest before continuing.
Curation & multilingual display: The 1st floor curates supplements by purpose (fatigue, immunity, skin, gut health, etc.), and over-the-counter drugs are divided into symptom-based sections (M01 headache/pain, M02 muscle pain/menstrual pain, M03 cold/body aches, M04 cough/phlegm, M05 rhinitis/stuffy nose, M06 motion sickness/nausea, M07 indigestion, M08 heartburn/stomach ache). Signage is in Korean, English, Chinese, and Japanese, so it's easy for foreigners to navigate.
Health checks & consultation: On the 1st floor you can do simple health measurements like blood pressure and body composition, then consult a pharmacist about what you need based on the results. Some locations also run a "portioning" consultation service that divides health functional foods into the amounts you need.
Seongsu Station PVRE Pharmacy (PVRE ยท 3, Seongsuiro 20-gil, 1F) โ A prime-location K-beauty pharmacy about a 10-second walk from Seongsu Station Exit 3. Not only the sign but the side of the building is finished in yellow, so it stands out from afar. For a prime-location spot near the station, the interior is spacious, giving it a "beauty lounge" feel where you can linger; strengths include English/Chinese/Japanese-speaking staff and instant in-store Tax Free (tax refund) service. Beyond tourists, it also serves nearby office workers with OTC sales, prescription dispensing, and one-on-one pharmacist consultations.
Green Apple Pharmacy โ Another specialty pharmacy often mentioned near Seongsu Station.
Yeonmujang-gil large-format pharmacy (in preparation) โ On Yeonmujang-gil, known for Seongsu's highest rents, a pharmacy even larger than the recently opened ones is reportedly in the works. You'll also see large pharmacies around Seongsu with prominent English-language signage or multilingual best-seller displays. (Opening dates and locations for new stores can change, so check before visiting.)
For reference, riding this wave, pharmaceutical companies and brands are strengthening derma lines centered on the pharmacy channel. For example, Dongkook Pharmaceutical created "Pharmacy Beauty Solution" beauty zones in about 200 pharmacies nationwide and placed "Luoncell" and "Madeca Pharmacia" there; PharmaResearch's "Rejuran Cosmetic" and Dong Wha Pharm's "Fusid Cream" are also expanding on pharmacy shelves. The derma skincare brand Dr.Dip entered ReadyYoung's nationwide branches, extending distribution to about 200 pharmacies nationwide. (These products may also be sold online or at other stores.)
Chain pharmacies vary somewhat by branch in products and services. Locations, hours, and tax-refund availability can change per store, so check a map app or the store's channel before visiting.
4. ๐๏ธ What's Worth Buying? โ Popular Categories
Specialty-pharmacy shelves are generally organized by "skin concern," so it helps to start with the section that matches yours. In fact, beauty specialty pharmacies get a large share of sales (industry-estimated 70โ80%) from functional cosmetics, so skincare is a big part of the mix. (Product info is for reference; consult a pharmacist before use.)
By skin concern: Displays are divided into categories people commonly worry about โ trouble care, skin-barrier care, soothing, moisturizing, tone care. You can start with pharmacy-familiar skin products like the Acnon, Noscarna, and panthenol lines. (Uses and ingredients differ by product, so a pharmacist consultation is recommended.)
Derma skincare, ampoules, serums: Tone-care ampoules, soothing creams, and moisturizers are the mainstay of the shelves. Creams and serums built around specific ingredients like PDRN are also especially common in the pharmacy channel. (Even the same ingredient or product may be sold at other stores or online.)
Beauty devices: Home beauty devices touting ultrasound, water-droplet technology, and the like are also on display. Some come as store-exclusive collaborations (e.g., Dualsonic x READY YOUNG), and some stores set them up so you can try them at a mirror.
Beauty brands made by pharmaceutical companies: Korean pharmaceutical firms have been launching derma cosmetic brands one after another โ for example, Dongkook Pharmaceutical's Centellian24, Dong-A Pharmaceutical's Fation, and Daewoong Pharmaceutical's Easydew โ and you can see these lines together at pharmacies.
Wound-care ointments: There are classic ointments used for wound care, like Madecassol and Fucidin. Because ingredients and uses differ by product, it's safest to describe your wound to the pharmacist and get a recommendation.
Artificial tears: Eye drops for dry eyes, an item foreign visitors often pick up.
Pain patches & liquid pain relief: Stick-on and roll-on products for muscle aches and insect bites โ light, souvenir-style favorites.
Supplements & health functional foods: Demand for wellness products like vitamins and inner-beauty items is growing especially fast.
5. ๐ก Tips to Make the Most of It
Bring your prescription if you have one: Many people get seen at a nearby dermatology or plastic surgery clinic, bring the prescription, and buy prescription medicine and beauty products in one go.
Use the skin-diagnosis device: At stores with a self-diagnosis device, checking your skin type first leads to fewer misses when choosing products.
Try health checks & portioning consultations: At large wellness pharmacies (e.g., OWM Seongsu), you can consult a pharmacist after a blood-pressure or body-composition check, or use a service that portions health functional foods into the amounts you need.
Use the floors & rooftop: Large pharmacies differ by floor. If you get tired shopping, resting at the rooftop/lounge before continuing makes it easier.
Ease language worries: Look at the languages on staff name tags (ๆฅๆฌ่ช = Japanese, ไธญๅ่ช = Chinese) and ask for help. A translation app makes it easy to check ingredients and usage.
Claim your tax refund: If you're a foreign visitor, ask whether the store offers a tax refund. By Korea's tourism guidance, you can get a refund at a designated "Tax Free" store when you spend above a set amount and present your passport. (Eligible stores, minimum amounts, and refund methods vary by store and by system.)
Check ingredients & usage: Drug regulations differ by country. It's wise to check in advance whether you can bring items into your home country and any per-person quantity limits.
6. ๐งด Know Before You Buy
Medicines are pharmaceuticals, not cosmetics. If you're pregnant or breastfeeding, taking medication, or have allergies, be sure to tell the pharmacist first.
Products with the same name can differ in ingredients and use by type ("ointment / gel / care," etc.). If you're unsure what to buy, tell the pharmacist the intended use and ask for a recommendation.
โ Frequently Asked Questions (FAQ)
Q. Is English spoken? It varies by store. Many have Japanese/Chinese-speaking staff; English varies by branch. Bringing a translation app is reassuring.
Q. Can I buy without a prescription? Over-the-counter (OTC) items like ointments, artificial tears, supplements, and skincare, as well as cosmetics, can be bought without a prescription. Prescription-only medicines require a doctor's prescription.
Q. How is it different from Olive Young? Olive Young is a cosmetics-focused beauty store; here it's a "pharmacy," so there's a pharmacist and you can buy pharmaceuticals, quasi-drugs, and derma products together. The key difference is being able to get a pharmacist's advice. (Some products may also be sold at other stores or online.)
Q. Are prices fixed? Most products have set prices, but they can vary by store and promotion. Treat prices as reference only.
Q. Can I take the medicine back to my country? Import rules and quantity limits for medicines differ by country. Check your home country's rules before departure and arrival.
Q. Can I pay by card? Most accept cards and easy-pay, but it can vary by store, so check.
Q. Can I get a tax refund? Some stores offer tax refunds for foreign visitors' convenience. However, you must spend above a set amount at a designated "Tax Free" store to be eligible, and not every store or product qualifies. Have your passport ready before checkout and ask the store.
Q. Why are there so many cosmetics for a pharmacy? These specialty pharmacies have a large skincare/derma-cosmetics share, and much of their sales reportedly come from functional cosmetics. That's why you can buy medicine and cosmetics together in one place.
Q. I got a dermatology procedure โ can I buy at-home care products here too? The "get the procedure at the clinic, shop at the pharmacy" pattern has taken hold, and many people consult a pharmacist about post-procedure home-care products. That said, post-procedure care varies by individual, so it's safest to confirm what suits you with the clinic that performed the procedure or with the pharmacist.
Q. This pharmacy is huge, like a cafรฉ, with several floors โ is that normal? Some of Seongsu's specialty pharmacies are "large wellness pharmacies" with multiple floors and even a rooftop. OWM (Optima Wellness Museum) Seongsu is a prime example, with different concepts per floor plus health checks/consultations and a rooftop rest area, so you can enjoy both shopping and experience.
๐ฃ๏ธ Handy English Phrases for the Store
"Do you have anything for blemishes?"
"Can I buy this without a prescription?"
"Which one do you recommend for dry skin?"
โ Quick Checklist
Did you check the location and hours on a map app before visiting?
Did you check whether the item you want is OTC or prescription-only?
Are you ready to tell the pharmacist about your condition (pregnancy, medications, allergies)?
Did you bring a translation app?
Did you check whether the store offers a tax refund, and did you bring your passport?
Did you check import rules and quantity limits for medicines when returning home?
๐ฆ A guide compiled by the CultureHub team.
๐ As of: 2026 ยท โ ๏ธ Prices, foreign-language support, information, and operations may vary by season, store, and branch.
This article is for shopping and travel information purposes and does not guarantee the efficacy of any specific medicine or recommend its use. Always consult a pharmacist before buying or using pharmaceuticals.
CultureHub does not endorse any specific business. Before visiting, check the latest information such as location and hours on each store's channel or a map app.
