CJ Olive Young is stepping up its intellectual property (IP) collaboration strategy, beginning the year with a partnership featuring the popular Korean character Mang-Gureojin Bear(or Mangomee). On January 27, the company announced that it will introduce a wide range of collaborative products and experiential content throughout February.
Olive Young has already proven the effectiveness of character-based collaborations through previous partnerships with Sanrio Characters and POP MART Korea. Brands participating in the Sanrio collaboration last July recorded a 60% year-on-year sales increase, while the related pop-up store attracted 33,000 visitors over three weeks—the highest footfall in Olive Young’s pop-up history. Additionally, during the POP MART pop-up held at Olive Young N Seongsu in December, foreign customers accounted for 70% of total sales, highlighting the strong global appeal of IP-driven campaigns.
Olive Young plans to expand collaborations with both domestic and international IPs in 2026.
By leveraging the storytelling power and fan bases of popular IPs, the company aims to enrich customer brand experiences while lowering participation barriers for partner brands through Olive Young-led collaboration frameworks.
The first collaboration of the year features Mang-Gureojin Bear, a character created by Korean artist Yurang. Known for its honest and relatable storytelling that reflects everyday emotions, Mang-Gureojin Bear has built a strong fan base, with over 700,000 followers across its official social media channels.
Through this collaboration, Olive Young will launch 119 products developed in partnership with 21 brands. The product lineup spans skincare and makeup, along with lifestyle items designed to seamlessly integrate the character’s universe into daily life. Gift items such as pouches and coin wallets will be offered, while lifestyle products including plush keyrings and tumblers will also be released.
Limited-edition merchandise has been prepared as well.
Customers who spend more than KRW 70,000 during the campaign will receive exclusive Mang-Gureojin Bear goods. Special giveaways—including a character-shaped cushion blanket set and a storage pouch—will be distributed on a first-come, first-served basis on February 1 and February 13.
Olive Young will host a pop-up space “Mang-Gureojin Bear’s Special Dream” from February 1st to 22nd.
In addition, Trendpot by Olive Young Hongdae will host a themed pop-up space titled “Mang-Gureojin Bear’s Special Dream” from February 1st to 22nd. Visitors who participate in on-site experiential content or make purchases will receive pop-up-exclusive merchandise. The campaign will also extend to digital platforms, featuring webtoon content and interactive events on Olive Young’s online mall.
An Olive Young official stated, “This campaign was designed to allow customers to experience Olive Young in a more immersive way through diverse online and offline touchpoints. Moving forward, we will continue to collaborate with a wide range of IPs to deliver new experiences to customers and further refine sustainable collaboration models that grow together with our partner brands.”
