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White House press secretary stocks up on K-beauty items at Gyeongju Olive Young

Published: 30 Oct. 2025, 16:52

White House press secretary Karoline Leavitt, right, shakes hands with President Lee Jae Myung at the Korea-U.S. summit at the Gyeongju National Museum in Gyeongju, North Gyeongsang, on Oct. 29. [JOINT PRESS CORPS]

White House Press Secretary Karoline Leavitt, who accompanied U.S. President Donald Trump on his state visit to Korea, bought beauty products at Olive Young's store on Hwangnidan Street, a tourist spot in Gyeongju, according to a company official.

She also visited an ice cream store and chatted briefly with locals, according to multiple accounts.

“Leavitt visited the Hwangnam branch the previous afternoon and purchased beauty products. The visit was not scheduled in advance,” an Olive Young spokesperson told the JoongAng Ilbo on Thursday.

Leavitt reportedly stayed in the store for about 20 minutes, quickly selected her items, and received help from an English-speaking staff member.

White House press secretary Karoline Leavitt, third from left, is spotted in front of Olive Young's store on Hwangnidan Street in Gyeongju, North Gyeongsang, on Oct. 29, as captured in a video uploaded to YouTube. [SCREEN CAPTURE]

On Wednesday, Leavitt posted a photo on social media showing 13 Korean beauty products lined up with the caption “South Korea skincare finds” along with a heart eyes emoji.

The Olive Young Hwangnam branch is located in Hwangnidan Street, one of Gyeongju’s most popular tourist destinations, and is housed in a traditional hanok-style building that attracts many foreign visitors.

“Since the APEC summit began, we’ve seen many delegates visiting our stores,” an Olive Young spokesperson said.

The products Leavitt bought included Beauty of Joseon’s Ginseng Cleansing Oil; Revive Eye Serum with ginseng and retinal; Glow Serum with propolis and niacinamide and Green Plum Refreshing Cleanser, as well as Medicube’s Zero Pore Pad and PDRN Pink Tone Up Sun Cream. All are among the most popular Korean beauty products in the United States.

White House Press Secretary Karoline Leavitt posted this image of skincare items she bought during her stay in Gyeongju, North Gyeongsang, to social media on Oct. 29. [SCREEN CAPTURE]

“As the brand grows in the U.S. market, moments like this — when prominent international figures speak positively about K-beauty — are encouraging for the entire industry,” said a spokesperson from Gudai Global, which owns Beauty of Joseon.

APR, the parent company of Medicube, added, “It shows the stature of K-beauty brands that already enjoy strong recognition and word-of-mouth in the United States.”

Foreign media outlets also covered Leavitt’s post. Britain's Daily Mail detailed the types of products she purchased.

Born in 1997, Leavitt became the youngest White House press secretary in U.S. history when she was appointed at age 27 in November last year. She currently has 2.58 million followers on Instagram.

White House Press Secretary Karoline Leavitt speaks at a press briefing in the James Brady Press Briefing room at the White House on Oct. 6 in Washington. [AP/YONHAP]

The beauty industry has been running a “K-Beauty Pavilion” at the Hwang Nyong Won center in Gyeongju, North Gyeongsang, from Tuesday to Friday, coinciding with the Asia-Pacific Economic Cooperation (APEC) summit.

Amorepacific, which is operating an experience booth for global CEOs and their spouses attending the APEC CEO Summit, said, “Many people are visiting even without reservations. There’s particularly strong interest in ginseng-based brands such as Sulwhasoo.”

Meanwhile, Leavitt and her entourage were also seen at a gelato shop on Hwangnidan Street on Wednesday, waiting for their order. A YouTuber livestreamed Leavitt’s visit to the popular shop known for its character-shaped gelato. Leavitt exchanged brief greetings and a few words with the YouTuber during the visit.

This article was originally written in Korean and translated by a bilingual reporter with the help of generative AI tools. It was then edited by a native English-speaking editor. All AI-assisted translations are reviewed and refined by our newsroom.
BY LIM SUN-YOUNG [[email protected]]