"You Can Access the VIP Lounge with Just 700,000 Won Spent"... Olive Young Lounge Draws 20s and 30s [Luxury World]

Lounge Exclusively for Gold and Black Members
Average of 120 Visitors Daily... Over Two-Hour Wait on Weekends
Atmosphere Inspired by Department Store VIP Lounges
Unique Experiences with Sweet Desserts and More
"Strengthening Offline St

The lounge located on the 4th floor of Olive Young N Seongsu. Lush green plants add vitality to the space. Photo by Minji Lee.

At the end of the third-floor hallway in the Olive Young N Seongsu store, located in Seongsu-dong, Seongdong-gu, Seoul, a secret staircase appears on the left. Climbing up one more floor reveals a lounge where a harmonious blend of vibrant colors unfolds. Dozens of plant pots, reminiscent of a botanical garden, immediately catch the eye with their lively energy. Upon entering, a staff member checks your membership tier and assists with entry. Next to the entrance is a bar serving drinks and desserts, closely resembling a hotel cafe or a department store VIP lounge.

This space is dedicated to Olive Young's VIP customers. If you need a break while shopping in the store, you can comfortably relax in the fourth-floor lounge. Olive Young Gold members (who spend over 1 million won in six months) and Black members (who spend between 700,000 and 1 million won in six months) can enjoy all drinks and snacks for free. Membership tiers are adjusted monthly, and the lounge can be used once per month.

The Olive Young N Seongsu store, with a total area of 4,600 square meters, not only brings together domestic indie beauty brands but also offers products such as albums and stationery that appeal to consumers in their 20s and 30s, all in one space. Beauty enthusiasts, often referred to as "Byudeok" (cosmetics aficionados), are known to stay for more than two hours due to the wide variety of products available.

As befits a VIP lounge, the tables are spaced generously apart. Plush sofas are provided, making it perfect for recharging your energy. Photo by Minji Lee.

The lounge exudes the atmosphere of a department store VIP lounge. Department store VIP lounges, which require spending hundreds of millions of won to access, are praised for their separate shopping spaces that allow for comfortable relaxation and for providing differentiated experiences from other customers. The Olive Young VIP lounge incorporates all these elements as well.

The lounge features a spacious open kitchen, about 16 tables, and sofas. The sofas are large and plush enough to lie down on, and the wide spacing between tables ensures privacy and comfort. The allotted usage time is also generous at two hours.

The most eye-catching aspect is the desserts, which are visually pleasing. Olive Young has infused its dessert menu with the essence of a beauty company. For example, the "Foundation Cake" is served on a palette-shaped plate with three different colored creams, and an Earl Grey pound cake shaped like a rectangular sponge (puff) is placed on top, mimicking the act of applying foundation with a puff.

The "Mango Tart" is designed in the shape of a basket to give customers the feeling of going on a picnic in the lounge. The tiramisu cake features summer fruits like peach and plum. While department store lounges differentiate themselves with "premium" snacks, Olive Young offers "unique" desserts, providing customers with experiences they cannot find elsewhere.

Seasonal desserts include "Peach Plum Tiramisu" and "Mango Basket Tart," along with a collagen drink. The tiramisu harmoniously blends the flavors of cream cheese, plum, and peach. The drink is also available for purchase at the first-floor cafe. Photo by Minji Lee.

Orders can be placed by scanning the QR code and using a mobile phone. Each person can order one dessert and one drink. Photo by Minji Lee.

On weekdays, this lounge sees an average of about 120 visitors per day. On weekends, the number rises to 140. After lunchtime, couples and friends visit the lounge in small groups. According to Olive Young, on weekdays, there is typically a 40-minute to one-hour wait in the late afternoon, while on weekends, the wait can be as long as two to four hours due to the influx of visitors. A customer in her 30s, Ms. Park, said, "This is my first visit, and it feels like I've come to a trendy Seongsu-dong cafe. It's cozy and satisfying. The two-hour usage time is generous, and since I can bring a friend, I plan to come again with another friend who has VIP status."

Olive Young also operates a VIP lounge at its Gangnam branch. Although it is smaller than the N Seongsu lounge, it offers simple snacks and drinks. Olive Young introduced VIP lounges in its offline stores to create more touchpoints with customers. While more customers now experience Olive Young online rather than offline, offline stores serve as a direct and quick channel to understand customers' preferences and needs.

This is also why Olive Young is increasing experiential content in its offline stores. At the N Seongsu store, Olive Young offers a "Makeup Studio," "Skin, Scalp, and Personal Color Consulting Services," "Beauty Device Experiences," "Makeup Experiences," and even "Home Care Classes." This is Olive Young's unique offline customer attraction strategy.

As these services have gained word-of-mouth popularity overseas, Olive Young's offline stores now see an average of 8,000 to 10,000 visitors per day. An Olive Young representative said, "There are limits to understanding what products customers want and what they're curious about solely online. We will continue to roll out differentiated offline strategies so that the brand and customers can connect within the Olive Young space." Olive Young is also considering establishing VIP lounges in regions outside the Seoul metropolitan area.

A foreigner trying out makeup at the N Seongsu store. The store's popular content attracts not only domestic customers but also foreign customers who are willing to endure long waits. Photo by Minji Lee.

A space for beverage preparation. The wood texture and green color are used as accent colors, giving a luxurious yet fresh feeling. Photo by Minji Lee.