O'Sulloc Tea
A South Korean tea brand built around Jeju-grown green tea, Korean tea culture, and experiential tea destinations.
Last updated October 14, 2026
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Overview
O'Sulloc Tea is a South Korean tea brand and producer associated with the cultivation, processing, retailing, and cultural presentation of tea. Its identity is closely tied to Jeju Island, where the company developed plantations on land that was originally rocky, uncultivated, and affected by volcanic terrain. The enterprise was started in 1979 by Suh Sung-hwan with the stated purpose of restoring Korea's tea tradition and creating a viable tea-growing ecosystem on Jeju. The first fields included Dolsongi, while later development extended to Seogwang and Hannam on Jeju and to Gangjin on the Korean mainland. The brand's early commercial development included the 1980 launch of the SULLOC-CHA line, beginning with the Mansu, Cheonsu, and Baeksu green teas. O'Sulloc subsequently broadened its range through loose-leaf teas, canned tea, powdered green tea, fermented products, blended teas, tea bags, and more recent functional or sparkling formats. Its portfolio includes Korean green teas such as Sejak and Woojeon, blended products such as Samdayeon Jeju tangerine tea, black and oolong teas, rooibos, omija-based products, and kombucha. The brand's production methods vary by style: green teas are steamed or roasted to limit oxidation, while fermented products undergo controlled microbial fermentation and aging. Jeju remains central to O'Sulloc's product story. The island's volcanic soils, humid subtropical climate, rainfall, sea and mountain winds, and elevation provide the environmental foundation for cultivation. The company's fields cover approximately 330 hectares in total, with about 180 hectares described as harvest area in the referenced material. Dolsongi is the original plantation developed in 1979; Seogwang, converted from infertile rocky land beginning in 1983, became the largest of the company's fields; and Hannam, developed in 1995, was associated with investment in organic farming and the cultivation of young tea plants with comparatively high amino-acid content. The company also operates or has operated a mainland field in Gangjin. O'Sulloc combines packaged tea with physical spaces designed to communicate Korean tea history and Jeju's agricultural landscape. The O'Sulloc Tea Museum at Seogwangdawon opened in 2001 and presents tea history, production, exhibitions, cafés, and views of nearby fields. The Tea Stone, opened in 2003, adds exhibition and tea-culture education functions, including instruction in traditional utensils and the preparation and interpretation of fermented tea. O'Sulloc has also developed tea houses in Seoul, including a location associated with the National Museum of Modern and Contemporary Art and the Bukchon Tea House, which opened in 2021 and offers tasting and blending experiences. The brand has pursued quality and international market recognition through food-safety and organic certifications. Its facilities became associated with HACCP certification in 2002, and organic products received USDA National Organic Program certification in 2010, alongside other international and local organic certifications. O'Sulloc teas have received recognition at tea competitions in China, Japan, and North America, particularly the Ilोhyang and Woojeon lines. The brand is also used in academic research concerning tea polyphenols, sensory description, and microorganisms isolated from green tea. Corporate control changed in September 2020, when O'Sulloc Corporation was established as an independently organized subsidiary wholly owned by Amorepacific Corporation. O'Sulloc therefore operates within the Amorepacific group while retaining a distinct tea, agriculture, hospitality, and cultural-tourism identity. Its positioning is premium Korean tea rooted in Jeju provenance, traditional culture, controlled cultivation, design-led retail, and visitor experiences. It has international reach in selected markets, although the available material does not establish a complete global distribution footprint or current sa…
History
O'Sulloc's history began in 1979, when Suh Sung-hwan initiated a project to revive Korean tea culture through cultivation on Jeju Island. The early work focused on Dolsongi, a tract characterized by volcanic rocks and hardened ash. Converting this land into a tea field established the agricultural and environmental foundation of the brand. Amorepacific later developed the Dosun field in 1980 and expanded cultivation to Seogwang, Hannam, and Gangjin. The first major branded products appeared in 1980 under the SULLOC-CHA name. Mansu, Cheonsu, and Baeksu introduced the company's first green teas. In 1983, O'Sulloc began manufacturing products from leaves harvested on Jeju. The company launched Ujeon Okro loose-leaf tea and its first canned tea in 1992, developed the Hannam field in 1995, and introduced powdered SULLOC Tea in 1997. That year, Suh Kyung-bae succeeded his father in the leadership succession described in the reference material. Suh Sung-hwan died in January 2003. O'Sulloc expanded beyond agricultural production into research, education, tourism, and retail. The O'Sulloc Tea Museum opened at Seogwangdawon in September 2001 as South Korea's first tea museum, presenting Korean tea history and the relationship between tea, landscape, and production. O'Sulloc factories became associated with HACCP certification in 2002. The Tea Stone opened in March 2003 with exhibitions, media art, fermented-tea experiences, and classes in Korean tea culture. A tea research institute was established near the Jeju fields in 2005 to support quality improvement and product development. Certification and recognition became important parts of the brand's development. In 2010, O'Sulloc received USDA National Organic Program certification for relevant organic tea, as well as certifications associated with IFOAM and other bodies. Ilohyang received international competition recognition, including a World Tea Prize at the China Tea Fair in 1999, gold awards at the Japan World Green Tea Contest in 2011 and 2014, and North American Tea Championship wins in 2009, 2011, 2012, and 2014. Woojeon later placed first in the mixed-tea category at the 2016 North American Tea Championship. The company continued to develop visitor destinations. A Jeju O'Sulloc Tea Store opened in 2013, and the brand opened a Tea House at the National Museum of Modern and Contemporary Art in 2015. The wider Jeju experience also includes Innisfree Jeju House, a related Amorepacific-group destination built around Jeju ingredients, green tea, cosmetics, food, and nature. The museum complex was expanded in 2020 with additional café and exhibition buildings. In Seoul, the Bukchon Tea House opened in November 2021 in a three-story setting designed to evoke a 1970s domestic home and offer tasting and blending classes. Production remains tied to the environmental characteristics of Jeju. Volcanic and basalt-derived soils provide drainage and mineral content, while the island's rainfall, humidity, sunlight, mist, and coastal and mountain winds shape the growing conditions. O'Sulloc describes mechanized planting, maintenance, collection, and harvesting. Green teas are steamed or roasted to limit oxidation; selected fermented teas undergo microbial processing followed by aging in cedar barrels. The company has also expanded its product architecture into kombucha, including two 2022 launches using a culture developed from microorganisms associated with Jeju organic green tea and other fermented-food sources. In September 2020, O'Sulloc Corporation was established as an independent subsidiary wholly owned by Amorepacific Corporation. This structure formalized O'Sulloc's position as a distinct tea business within the group. Today, the brand combines packaged tea, cafés, tea houses, museums, plantations, research, and tourism. It remains primarily associated with South Korea and Jeju while selling or receiving recognition in markets including China, Japan, and the United States.
- 2022
Kombucha range launches
[1]O'Sulloc introduced Peach Camellia Kombucha and Jeju Young Tangerine Kombucha.
- 2021
Bukchon Tea House opens
[1]The Seoul tea house opened with tea tasting and blending experiences.
- 2020
O'Sulloc Corporation becomes a separate wholly owned subsidiary
[1]Amorepacific established O'Sulloc Corporation as an independent subsidiary with full ownership.
- 2015
Tea House opens at the National Museum of Modern and Contemporary Art
[1]O'Sulloc expanded its cultural-retail presence with a museum tea house and received an iF Design Award.
- 2010
Organic certifications obtained
[1]Relevant organic teas received USDA NOP and other international and local organic certifications.
- 2005
Tea research institute established
[1]O'Sulloc established a research institute near its Jeju fields to support tea quality and development.
- 2001
O'Sulloc Tea Museum opens
[1]The museum opened at Seogwangdawon to present Korean tea history and culture.
- 1995
Hannam field developed
[1]The company established the Hannam plantation on Jeju.
- 1992
Loose-leaf and canned tea introduced
[1]O'Sulloc released Ujeon Okro loose-leaf tea and its first canned tea product.
- 1980
SULLOC-CHA launches
[1]The brand introduced Mansu, Cheonsu, and Baeksu as its first green teas.
Products and positioning
A premium Korean tea brand centered on Jeju terroir, green-tea expertise, traditional tea culture, organic cultivation, and destination-style retail and museum experiences.
Tea · 1980
Green tea
O'Sulloc's core category, produced primarily from Jeju-grown Camellia sinensis. The range includes traditional Korean styles such as Sejak, Woojeon, Ilohyang, and other branded green teas. Leaves are generally steamed or roasted to control oxidation, with products sold as loose leaf, bags, powder, or packaged specialty tea.
Tea
Black, oolong, and fermented teas
This group extends the brand beyond unoxidized green tea. Depending on the product, leaves may be fermented, semi-fermented, aged, or blended with other ingredients. The range supports both traditional tea consumption and more aromatic, contemporary flavor profiles.
Tea blends
Blended teas
O'Sulloc blends tea with botanical, fruit, and local flavor cues. Named examples include Moonlight Island, Coral Island, and Jeju Samdayeon Tangerine Tea. These products connect the brand's Korean and Jeju identity with accessible flavored-tea formats.
Herbal and fruit infusions
Rooibos and omija teas
The portfolio includes caffeine-free rooibos infusion and omija tea made from the dark red omija berry used in Korean and East Asian food and traditional medicine contexts. These products diversify the range beyond Camellia sinensis and offer fruit or herbal alternatives.
Fermented tea beverage · 2022
Kombucha
Introduced in two cited varieties in 2022, Peach Camellia Kombucha and Jeju Young Tangerine Kombucha is a carbonated tea beverage using a culture described by O'Sulloc as derived from microorganisms associated with Jeju organic green tea, native yeast, and acetic-acid bacteria. The products use honey rather than conventional sugar in the cited description.
Cultural and hospitality offering · 2001
O'Sulloc Tea Museum
The Seogwipo museum combines exhibitions on Korean tea history with cafés, tea service, views of the plantation, and opportunities to observe tea processing. It functions as both a cultural institution and a major brand-communication space.
Brand decisions
2022
Launch the Peach Camellia and Jeju Young Tangerine kombuchasProduct launchBackground
O'Sulloc expanded from conventional packaged tea into a carbonated fermented-tea format.
Action taken
The brand launched two kombuchas using a tea-derived culture and honey-based formulation described in the reference material.
Aftermath
The launches broadened O'Sulloc's beverage portfolio with fruit-forward, contemporary tea products.
2020
Separate O'Sulloc Corporation from the parent operating structureStrategyBackground
Amorepacific reorganized O'Sulloc as a separately established corporation while retaining complete ownership.
Action taken
O'Sulloc Corporation was established as an independent wholly owned subsidiary of Amorepacific Corporation.
Aftermath
The move gave the tea business a distinct corporate structure while keeping it within the Amorepacific group.
Sources1 sources
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