By Daniel de Bomford, Quentin Lange and Frank Pattiasina

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Jeju, South Korea is an island of picturesque landscapes and natural wonders, a place where nature and civilization coexist. It was at that time Osulloc’s founder, Sungwhan Suh, set foot on the island. He knew it would be the ideal place to nurture Korean tea culture. Today, Osulloc represents Korean tea and leads the pack with its holistic approach to green tea, matcha and blended teas from Jeju Island. It has kept the entire process in-house, operating a full value chain, from cultivation to delivery.

 

The rebirth of Korean Tea Culture rooted from Jeju Island

Before founding Osulloc, Suh founded Amorepacific, a beauty company. From the start, he was driven by a vision to make people and the world more beautiful. During his international business trips, he was deeply inspired by traditional tea cultures. He was saddened that Korean tea culture had faded during the post-modern era, an intangible component of Korean culture languishing in obscurity.

Initially, people around Suh were dismissive of his plan, arguing that it would be unprofitable to grow and blend his own tea. Despite this, he searched thoroughly for the perfect location, settling in the Hallasan Mountain region of Jeju and worked tirelessly to transform the barren land into tea-cultivating farmland. This effort was succeeded by Chairman & CEO of Amorepacific Group Kyungbae Suh, who has been honoring his father’s dreams to this day, supporting and continuing investment in the business. Now, 45 years later, Osulloc exports its Korean tea worldwide and brings the flavor of Jeju Island to the world.

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Osulloc’s founder, Sungwhan Suh, at the fields

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Osulloc’s Unique Flavors

Osulloc’s Sejak green tea has a unique flavor, earthy and smooth, which sets it apart from other varieties. “We adjusted the tea processing method to have a more vibrant green color and savory taste,” Osulloc President Hyuck Jae Seo says. Osulloc’s Korean tea offers a blend of local Jeju ingredients to make its flagship blended teas. The Honey Pear Tea, blended with the traditional Korean ingredient pear, and Samda Tangerine Tea, which holds floral and fruity ingredients from Jeju Island, have been well received in the global market for their distinctive and appealing flavors.

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Sejak, Osulloc’s most-loved classic green tea

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Osulloc maintains a close relationship with both the people of Jeju and the island itself. Its Jeju Tea Museum, which opened in 2001, serves over 2 million visitors each year. Visitors can enjoy the full tea experience, from discovering the fields to drinking blends brewed on-site. It employs local people on its farms and in its tea houses, further supporting the local economy. “By hiring Jeju natives and sourcing locally—such as the Jeju-grown Hallabong and local bakery goods—we maintain strong relationships with local farmers, creating a win-win ecosystem,” Seo says.

The tea itself is farmed on the approximately 3.3-square-kilometer farm, which acts as a carbon dioxide sink, removing about 110,000 tons, or the equivalent of 100,000 round-trip flights from Seoul to Jeju Island, worth of emissions from the atmosphere. Osulloc remains committed to environmental sustainability and produces its tea organically.

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A tea room inside Osulloc’s Bukchon Tea House, Seoul

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Korean Tea Now Accessible in the US

Entering the U.S. market is a bold step for Osulloc, opening doors to global expansion while sharing the rich heritage of Korean tea culture with a wider audience in the momentum of the K-wave. “Osulloc is a lifestyle brand that blends wellness, sustainability and Korean culture, and we aim to capture both health-conscious consumers and tea enthusiasts who appreciate high-quality and unique flavors,” Seo explains.

The U.S. is the ideal place to trial new products due to its broad and diverse culture, from green tea to blended teas. While Osulloc’s primary focus is on building a strong digital presence on Amazon and other wellness and lifestyle platforms, they are also making strategic offline expansions. Consumers have a chance to taste Osulloc firsthand at premium retailers like Metropolitan Market in Seattle and Erewhon in the Los Angeles area. By blending e-commerce convenience with rich in-person experiences, Osulloc is bringing the flavor of Jeju Island one cup at a time to the global audience.

Today’s commitment to spreading Korean tea heritage echoes the original vision of Suh, who faced considerable skepticism about the green tea business throughout his life. By focusing on the long-term—the holistic process of making tea, the cultural significance and integration, and the contribution to the Jeju Island community—Osulloc has continued to find global success. As Seo looks back, he says, “The founder’s aspiration to enrich humanity and nurture the inner beauty of individuals has been fulfilled in Osulloc’s journey towards becoming a globally recognized premium Korean tea brand.”

 

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For more details, explore the website at: https://us.osulloc.com/

This article was published on Newsweek.com: click here