You walk in and a staff member says something as you pass. You nod and keep walking, not sure what was said.
It was an offer to help. And you probably needed it.
The exchange
도움 필요하시면 말씀해 주세요 do-um pil-yo-ha-si-myeon mal-sseum-hae ju-se-yo "Let me know if you need any help"
This is the standard greeting at Olive Young and most Korean beauty stores. You don't need to respond — a nod is fine. But if you do need something, this is your cue.
저기, 혹시 컬러 립밤 어디 있어요? jeo-gi, hok-si keol-leo rip-bam eo-di it-eo-yo? "Excuse me, where can I find the tinted lip balms?"
저기 (jeo-gi) gets someone's attention — the equivalent of "excuse me" when approaching staff. 혹시 (hok-si) softens the question, like "by any chance" — it makes the ask feel less abrupt.
립밤 코너는 이쪽 안쪽에 있어요 rip-bam ko-neo-neun i-jjok an-jjok-e it-eo-yo "The lip balm section is right over here inside"
안쪽 (an-jjok) means "the inner area" or "further back." Korean stores often keep smaller or specialty items deeper inside, away from the entrance displays.
아, 안쪽에 있었네요. 감사합니다! a, an-jjok-e it-eot-ne-yo. gam-sa-ham-ni-da! "Ah, it was in the back. Thank you!"
The most useful pattern in any store
[item] 어디 있어요? — "Where is [item]?"
Put whatever you're looking for in front of 어디 있어요? and you have a complete question.
| What you want | How to ask |
|---|---|
| 선크림 (sunscreen) | 선크림 어디 있어요? |
| 마스크팩 (sheet mask) | 마스크팩 어디 있어요? |
| 쿠션 파운데이션 (cushion foundation) | 쿠션 파운데이션 어디 있어요? |
| 클렌징 오일 (cleansing oil) | 클렌징 오일 어디 있어요? |
| 토너 (toner) | 토너 어디 있어요? |
The product names are mostly the same as English, just said with Korean pronunciation. 선크림 is the one exception — Koreans say it instead of "sunscreen."
Words to know
| Korean | Romanization | Meaning |
|---|---|---|
| 저기요 | jeo-gi-yo | Excuse me (to get attention) |
| 혹시 | hok-si | By any chance, perhaps |
| 어디 있어요? | eo-di it-eo-yo? | Where is it? |
| 안쪽 | an-jjok | The back, inner area |
| 이쪽 | i-jjok | This way, over here |
| 코너 | ko-neo | Section, corner |
Other things you'll be asked
피부 타입이 어떻게 되세요? — "What's your skin type?" pi-bu ta-ip-i eo-tteo-ke doe-se-yo?
Staff at Olive Young often ask this before recommending a product. Useful answers: 건성 (geon-seong, dry), 지성 (ji-seong, oily), 복합성 (bok-hap-seong, combination), 민감성 (min-gam-seong, sensitive).
샘플 드릴까요? — "Would you like a sample?" saem-peul deu-ril-kka-yo?
Say 네, 주세요 and you'll get a small packet to try. Olive Young is generous with samples.
멤버십 있으세요? — "Do you have a membership?" 괜찮아요 if you don't — no pressure.
What to actually do
- When staff greet you, a nod is enough — no need to respond in Korean
- To find something, say 저기요 to get attention, then [item] 어디 있어요?
- 안쪽 means go further into the store — follow the direction they point
- If asked about skin type, pick the closest one from the four above
- Say 네, 주세요 when offered samples — they're free and useful
One phrase — [item] 어디 있어요? — gets you through any beauty store in Korea.
Olive Young has over a thousand locations across Korea, and the same phrases work in every one of them. K-PATTO teaches 300+ phrases like these through a webtoon story set in Seoul, with native audio on every line. The first ten episodes are free.