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I have combination skin, and my biggest skin worry is pores. There are already way too many skincare decisions in my life. Toner, serum, cream, which pad, which mask. So with sunscreen, I just want to pick one and stop thinking about it.
That’s why I went to Olive Young, Korea’s biggest beauty store, and tried the sunscreens Koreans actually buy, on the back of my hand. Here’s what I actually think, which one I use every day, and how to find them online wherever you live.
About my skin (so you can compare)
| Who I am | Karen, a licensed esthetician living in Seoul |
|---|---|
| Skin type | Combination |
| Main concern | Pores |
| The sunscreen I like | Right in the middle, with just enough moisture. Too heavy and makeup is hard to layer on top. Too light and it feels like I’m wearing nothing. |
If you only read one part, read this:
- My daily pick: Dr.G R.E.D Blemish Soothing Up Sun. Not too thin, and it doesn’t feel like it’ll wipe off.
- Safe for almost anyone: ROUND LAB Birch Juice (the sunscreen or the sun serum).
- If you love light and fresh: Beauty of Joseon Relief Sun or Torriden Dive-In.
- All four are sold on Amazon. Check the full product name, since these brands make several similar sunscreens.
Jump to
- Why Korean sunscreen?
- Dr.G R.E.D Blemish Soothing Up Sun (my daily pick)
- ROUND LAB Birch Juice (the safe choice)
- Beauty of Joseon Relief Sun (light lovers)
- Torriden Dive-In (hydrated all day)
- Buying from abroad · FAQ
Why Korean sunscreen? Because it’s so light
If you’ve only used thick, greasy sunscreen, Korean sunscreen will surprise you. It’s light. Really light. Standing in front of the Olive Young sunscreen wall, it honestly feels like the brands are competing over who can make the lightest one.
That’s because in Korea, sunscreen isn’t a beach thing. People wear it every single day, under makeup, all year. So it has to feel like nothing, sink in fast, and not leave a white cast. That’s exactly why so many people abroad have switched to Korean sunscreen.
Funny enough, that’s also why my own pick is the “richest” one in this post. Next to the rest of the wall, a sunscreen that’s just normal-light already feels rich. So when I say something is heavy, keep in mind it’s heavy by Korean standards.
How I tested these
Nothing fancy. I went to a regular Olive Young in mid-October 2026, used the TRY ME testers on the back of my hand, and took photos of each one. For the ones I’ve used on my face for months, I’m telling you how they actually hold up day to day.
One thing I care about a lot: I don’t like sunscreen that’s too runny. Thin, watery sunscreens feel amazing in summer, but for a daily, four-seasons product, I always feel like they’ll wipe off or disappear by lunch. But I don’t want it too heavy either, because then it’s hard to put makeup on top. Keep that in mind when you read my opinions. If you love super light textures, you might rank these differently than me.
For each sunscreen you’ll find the same little box with my notes, so you can compare them quickly. The texture dots compare these sunscreens with each other: one dot is the lightest of the bunch, five is the richest.
1. Dr.G R.E.D Blemish Soothing Up Sun: what I use every day
This is the one I settled on. It’s my “stop thinking about sunscreen” sunscreen.
I moved to this one because the lighter sunscreens I used before felt too thin for me. This one isn’t watery, so I don’t get that “is this going to wipe off by lunch?” feeling. For combination skin like mine, it’s the one I keep coming back to.
Right now it comes in a cute Pokémon tube (the one with Squirtle) as an Olive Young collaboration, which honestly makes it easy to find on the shelf. Outside Korea you’ll usually get the regular tube, which is the same sunscreen.
This is what’s actually on my vanity right now: the tube, plus the matching R.E.D Blemish Soothing Up Sun Stick from the same line. I use the cream in the morning. The stick is for reapplying over makeup. When I’m out and about all day, I can’t put cream sunscreen on top of my makeup, so I just swipe the stick over it. (More options here: Korean sunscreen sticks for reapplying over makeup.)
Karen’s notes
| Size | 50ml/td> |
|---|---|
| SPF | SPF50+ PA++++ |
| Texture | ●●●●● |
| How it feels | Richest of these four, but not heavy. Not watery, stays put |
| Best for | Combination skin, anyone who finds thin sunscreens don’t last |
| Would I buy it again? | Yes, it’s my daily one |
2. ROUND LAB Birch Juice: the safe choice
ROUND LAB makes two birch juice sunscreens that people mix up, so here’s both.
Birch Juice Moisturizing Sunscreen is the one I used before. It’s a little thicker than Beauty of Joseon but still on the light side. For me it was a bit too thin as an everyday product, which is why I switched. But it’s very easy to like. If someone asks me “which one is the safe choice,” this is usually my answer.
Birch Juice Moisturizing Sun Serum surprised me. First, the tube is different from every other sunscreen on the shelf. Nothing gets stuck around the opening, so it stays clean. Small thing, but I loved it. The texture is really good, almost as good as my Dr.G. If I ever switch, this would be the one.
Karen’s notes
| Size | 50ml each |
|---|---|
| SPF | SPF50+ PA++++ |
| Texture | Sunscreen ●●●○○ Sun Serum ●●●●○ |
| How it feels | Light and easy. The serum feels closest to my Dr.G |
| Best for | Anyone who wants an easy, no-drama daily sunscreen |
| Would I buy it again? | Sunscreen: I moved on (a bit thin for me) Sun Serum: yes, my next pick if I switch |
3. Beauty of Joseon Relief Sun: for people who love light
This is probably the most famous Korean sunscreen with foreign visitors, and I get why. It’s light, it’s comfortable, and the price is good.
For me, though, the whole Beauty of Joseon line was too thin. In summer, great. As my one sunscreen for every season, I didn’t reach for it. If you have oily skin or you just love a fresh, light feel, you’ll probably like it more than I did.
In October there were two versions next to each other: the original Relief Sun: Rice + Probiotics and the Aqua-fresh version, plus a Korea-only 2-pack with Kakao Friends packaging. Abroad, you’ll mostly see the regular tubes.
Karen’s notes
| Size | 50ml (+ 20ml mini in the set) |
|---|---|
| SPF | SPF50+ PA++++ |
| Texture | ●○○○○ |
| How it feels | Light, fresh, comfortable |
| Best for | Oily skin, light-texture lovers, summer |
| Would I buy it again? | Not for me (too thin as my all-year sunscreen) |
4. Torriden Dive-In Moisture Sun Cream: hydrated all day
Torriden does what the name says. Your skin stays moist all day. It’s light and fresh to put on, so I’d put it in the same group as Beauty of Joseon for people who like that feeling.
Two things to know. If you like a matte makeup look, this probably isn’t for you. And it leaves a thin watery film on the skin. The display at Olive Young literally calls it a “water-film sunscreen” (물막 선크림, mul-mak). On my hand it felt like that film sat on top instead of fully sinking in. Some people will love that dewy feel. I’m just not one of them.
Karen’s notes
| Size | 60ml/td> |
|---|---|
| SPF | SPF50+ PA++++ |
| Texture | ●●○○○ |
| How it feels | Moist all day, leaves a thin watery film |
| Best for | Dewy-skin fans, light-texture lovers. Skip if you wear matte makeup |
| Would I buy it again? | Not for me (I don’t like the film on top) |
Buying Korean sunscreen from abroad
- Match the full name. Beauty of Joseon, ROUND LAB and Torriden each sell several sunscreens. “Relief Sun: Rice + Probiotics” and “Aqua-fresh” are different products.
- Look for SPF50+ PA++++. That’s the highest rating on Korean sunscreens, and all four in this post have it.
- Texture is the whole decision. Use my texture dots above to pick: lighter if you’re oily or live somewhere hot, richer if thin sunscreens feel like they disappear on you.
- Prices are higher than in Korea. That’s normal for imported K-beauty. Buy from the brand’s official store when you can.
What about tone-up sunscreen?
You’ll see a whole wall of pink and purple “tone-up” sunscreens at Olive Young. They give your skin a soft, brighter tint, so they’re a different thing from regular sunscreen. Here’s my quick take on two I tried:
- Sikmulnara (식물나라) Rice Tone-Up: the lightest. Closest to what most people picture as a tone-up sunscreen.
- ROUND LAB Birch Tone-Up Sun Serum: a little richer than Sikmulnara. My favorite, because I don’t like things too light.
For pink vs purple vs beige, swatches and more on these two, see my Korean tone-up sunscreen guide.
More Korean sunscreens you can buy online
If you’re shopping from home, I put together a list of Korean sunscreens you can buy online: Korean sunscreens with no white cast.
Frequently asked questions
What’s the best sunscreen at Olive Young?
There’s no single best one. It depends on the texture you like. My daily pick is Dr.G R.E.D Blemish Soothing Up Sun. For an easy safe choice, ROUND LAB Birch Juice. For a light, fresh feel, Beauty of Joseon or Torriden.
Can I buy these Korean sunscreens outside Korea?
Yes. Dr.G, ROUND LAB, Beauty of Joseon and Torriden are all sold on Amazon. Check the full product name before you buy.
Visiting Korea?
At Olive Young, look for the TRY ME sticker on the display tube. That’s the tester, so you can feel the texture before you buy.
Which sunscreen is good for oily skin?
If you like light textures, Beauty of Joseon Relief Sun and Torriden Dive-In are the ones I’d point you to.
Which one is good for combination skin?
I have combination skin and I use Dr.G R.E.D Blemish Soothing Up Sun. ROUND LAB Birch Juice is also an easy choice.
I tested these at one Olive Young store in Seoul in October 2026. Availability on Amazon can change. These are my personal opinions on texture and feel. Everyone’s skin is different, so patch test if you have sensitive skin.