Methodology

What this site is

KoreansBuyThis tracks what Korean consumers are actually purchasing at Olive Young — Korea's largest beauty retailer with over 1,300 stores nationwide and a dominant online presence. Rankings are updated weekly and reflect real sales volume, not editorial picks, sponsorships, or influencer promotions.

Data source

Rankings are derived from publicly available Korean retail sales data, captured weekly across both overall and category-specific charts — Sunscreen, Serum, Toner, Moisturizer, and Cleanser.

KoreansBuyThis score

Raw sales rank alone doesn't tell the full story. A product that has held a top-5 position for three months means something different from a debut at the same spot — one is a cultural staple, the other might be a promotion spike.

Our score weighs each product's current sales position alongside how long it has sustained that position and whether its rank is rising or falling. Products that endure score higher than products that flash briefly. Products gaining ground score higher than products sliding back.

The formula will evolve as we incorporate additional signals — consumer review data, industry awards, and cross-channel sales — but the underlying principle stays the same: reflect what Koreans are consistently choosing, not just what sold well this one week.

Update schedule

Rankings are updated monthly. Historical rankings are preserved in the archive.

Affiliate links

Buy links point to international retailers (Stylevana, YesStyle, Amazon, iHerb) where available. These are affiliate links — we earn a small commission if you purchase, at no extra cost to you. See our affiliate disclosure.