O’Sulloc Tea: Why It’s The Best Souvenir Or Gift From Korea
Ever wonder what the best souvenir in Korea is? It’s one of the top asked questions in expat groups. People are headed home and want to take a gift. Family is coming and want to take gifts back. While there are various options, I think O’Sulloc tea is the absolute best souvenir and gift from Korea. Not only is it from Korea and homegrown, but it’s also a premier product.
O’Sulloc Tea is one of those brands that can convert people I think. It’s just that good. Honestly, I’ve given a ton of Korean-centric gifts in the past decade while living in Korea from the metal chopstick sets with holsters to the silk table settings, handmade Hangeul stamps but I’m fairly certain every one of those things found its way into a drawer and so over the years I’ve gone back for O’Sulloc tea again and again.
At least with tea it’s something that people can use and it won’t end up in a drawer forever. This is the perfect gift from Korea for friends and family HOWEVER, if you’re looking specifically for a gift that is for the Korea loving person back home, then check out this awesome list that is super Korea-centric for the Korea beauty lovers, K-pop lovers, and Korean language learners too. Back to the topic at hand though…
I recently visited the Signiel Hotel here in Seoul and was reminded how much I enjoy a good cup of O’Sulloc tea. (I’ve been going through a ginger tea phase for a bit now.) Signiel actually has their own special blend that was produced via a collaboration between O’Sulloc and renowned chef Yannick Alleno. The exclusive brew makes my top ten list of teas and I was literally snagging the tea bags to take home with me whenever I could.
While that one may be super difficult to get unless you’re at Signiel, there are definitely plenty of other delicious blends to check out at the near O’Sulloc tea house.
Skip down to exactly what you’re looking for:
- Want to visit an O’Sulloc tea house in Seoul?
- What You Should Know About Green Tea
- Which tea should you buy from O’Sulloc?
(This post contains affiliate links, which means I receive a certain percentage of a sale if you purchase after clicking at no cost to you. Thank you for your support.)
Want To Visit An O’Sulloc Tea House In Seoul?
O’Sulloc has managed to make tea houses contemporary and cool and has a few spots around Korea that are worth finding. From the outside, many of them look rather industrial but head inside and you’ll find an elegant interior with wooden accents. There isn’t a tourist itinerary that’s complete if it doesn’t feature a stop into an O’Sulloc Tea House.
Of course, the best O’Sulloc tea house to visit is the O’Sulloc Tea House and tea fields on Jeju Island, the Hawai’i of Korea. But, if the itinerary to Korea doesn’t include a visit to Jeju, then there are some tea houses in Seoul that are easy to add to any itinerary or trip to Seoul. Here are a few of the easier to get to options.
Tea houses can have a pretty substantial list of tea options, but if you want to plan ahead, check out this guide to Korean teas to find the best one for you.
O’Sulloc Tea House Bukchon (오설록 티하우스 북촌점)
One of the newest O’Sulloc tea houses. The Bukchon tea house opened in 2022 and is not only beautiful but they also offer special signature dishes that you can only get here. Try their rice dessert plate with four dipping sauces or green tea waffles. This is the prettiest O’Sulloc tea house in Seoul if you ask me and has views out over the Hanok houses of the Bukchon Hanok Village.
- Address: 45 Bukchon-ro, Jongno-gu, Seoul (서울 종로구 북촌로 45)
- Hours: Every day: 11:00am ~ 9:00pm
O’Sulloc 1979 (오설록티하우스 1979점)
As the Osulloc brand is owned by the cosmetics giant Amore Pacific, it’s not surprising a premier tea room opened in their gorgeous headquarters in Yongsan in central Seoul. Osulloc 1979 is the brand’s first premium tea room and offers a special tea blending service by a tea sommelier as well as an afternoon tea set.
Why 1979? It was the year Amore Pacific founder Suh Sung Hwan began cultivating wasteland on Jeju Island near Hallasan mountain. The space is beautiful and combined with a visit to the Amore Pacific Museum downstairs is even better. Is O’Sulloc 1979 a bit more than you want? Just next to it in the same building is one of the more standard O’Sulloc Tea Houses with all of the regular drinks you would expect to find there. Go for the chic adventure at O’Sulloc 1979 or stop in quickly for a try at the tea house across from the entrance.
- Address: 100 Hangang-daero, Yongsan-gu, Seoul (서울 용산구 한강대로 100)
- Hours: Every day: 10:00am ~ 7:00pm
National Museum Of Contemporary Art Tea House
Another tea house that has a great location is the one in the National Museum of Contemporary Art which is just east of Gyeongbokgung Palace. The tea house is on the first floor and looks out into the courtyard of the art museum that features various architectural styles and has some wonderful exhibitions and installations throughout the year.
This tends to be a more calm atmosphere and is a great location to sip tea and peruse the gift options after you’ve visited the art in the museum.
- Address: 165 Sogyeok-dong (Samcheong-ro 30), Jongno-gu, Seoul (서울 종로구 삼청로 30)
- Hours: Tuesday – Sunday: 10:00am ~ 9:00pm; Closed Mondays
What You Should Know About Green Tea
- Green tea is known as a true tea because it uses the leaves from an actual tea plant.
- Green tea is considered milder than black tea and usually has a vegetal or earthy flavor.
- Green tea has tons of antioxidants which improve blood circulation and lower the risk of blood clots and heart attack.
- Green tea helps to lower cholesterol.
- Green tea can increase energy levels and speed up metabolism as well as improve liver function so it’s often sited in the weight loss industry for aiding in shedding some pounds.
- Green tea can slow memory regression and improve memory recall and has been shown to protect the brain from neurological diseases such as Alzheimer’s disease and Parkinson’s disease.
If you want to learn more about the health benefits and side effects of green tea, definitely check out The Ultimate Guide To Green Tea on Cup&Leaf. It’s got some great information.
Which tea should you buy from O’Sulloc?
Gift giving can be difficult if you’re not exactly sure what flavors people like, but that’s where the gift sets really come in handy. I, myself, am still learning which teas I do and do not prefer. I didn’t really begin drinking tea until I came to Korea but have consumed much in the past ten years.
I don’t tend to love the very floral ones but like the simpler deeper teas. I also really love the teas that are blended with a fruity flare in the afternoon. They are quite the pick-me-up.
What’s great about O’Sulloc is that even if you’re not sure which teas your friends or family prefer, you can still buy a lovely gift for them. Their box sets include ample variety and the packaging is gorgeous with lovely Korean designs and artwork on them. You really don’t even need to wrap them!
You can check out the O’Sulloc Amazon Storefront to find a great gift. Here are some of the box sets that I have gifted in the past.
The OSULLOC Lovely Tea Box
- How much is it? Around $40.00 online
- What does it include? 4 different teas, 3 of each
This set includes blended organic green teas including: Samdayeon Jeju Yong Tangerine, Moon Walk, Wedding Green Tea, and Jeju Orchid Green Tea. This is a great gift especially if you’re on a budget but want to give something that’s very lovely. There are three of each kind of tea so also perfect if you’re not quite sure what someone will like.
The OSULLOC Premium Tea Collection
- How much is it? Around $40.00
- What does it include? 8 different kinds of teas, 5 of each
This set is a bit larger and includes eight different kinds of teas and five of each one. This set includes: Pure Green Tea, Samdayeon Rich Tea, Samdayeon Yeonggyul Tea, Canola Flower & Honey Tea, Camellia Flower Tea, Orchid Flower Tea, Tropical Black Tea and Samdayeon Honey Pear Tea. The set comes in a beautiful gift box and every one of these teas is just delightful to sip.
The OSULLOC Master Blend Collection
- How much is it? Around $100.00 online
- What does it include? 8 different kinds of teas, 4 of each
This collection also includes eight different teas with four of each kind. The set includes: Sejak Green Tea, Tangerine Tea, Yuja Tea, Moon Walk, Camellia Flower Tea, Cherry Blossom Tea, Wedding Green Tea, and Jeju Orchid Tea. The Sejak green tea is definitely the one for the non-floral loving tea drinker and the yuja is for the citrus lover like myself. This set includes a few more floral varieties than the others.
The only tea I ever consumed when I was in the States was the English Breakfast tea so it’s been an exhilarating ride learning just how many teas there are, especially here in Korea, and which ones I like. While I now LOVE green tea, I also really enjoy some of the other local teas from Korea like sujeonggwa a cinnamon bark tea that really quenches the thirst when it’s hot in the winter and iced in the summer.
There’s much to enjoy in a cup of tea, so try some yourself or share it with a loved one or friend as a gift. It’s definitely the perfect thing to spread some joy.
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3 Comments
Amanda
Do you know if the Ossuloc Pear Honey tea has caffeine and what are the health benefits if there are any? I got it as a gift
David
Do you know what the name O’Sulloc means, and which language it’s from? It doesn’t look or sound Korean, but maybe a bit Irish, which wouldn’t make much sense. I haven’t been able to find any information.
I have recently found your blog and must say it’s one of the best ever.
Hallie Bradley
Hi David, thanks for comment. The O-apostrophe would definitely make it look Irish but it’s definitely not. In Korean, and the way that Korean is often romanized, it would be more like “Oh Seol Rok” these days. The only thing I could find in Korea says it means “‘an expression of admiration for the vitality of green tea that blooms in the snow'”. So, it could also have come from a Hanja (Chinese) character. Not sure if that helps at all.