Green Tea from Jeju and Boseong in Beauty

Green tea has a long history in Korea both as a beverage and as a beauty ingredient, with Boseong and Jeju famous as growing regions.

Cultural origin

Tea cultivation has a long history in Korea, and the southern regions are especially associated with green tea. Boseong, in South Jeolla Province, is one of Korea's best-known tea-producing areas, and Jeju Island is also recognized for tea fields. Korean tea culture, including its ceremonial traditions, is well documented and gives green tea a respected place in Korean heritage that extends naturally into beauty marketing.

Traditional use

Green tea (nokcha, 녹차) was consumed as a beverage and valued in traditional contexts. As with many edible plants, infusions were also used in folk skin-soothing practices. The cultural prestige of Korean tea regions like Boseong and Jeju is frequently invoked in beauty branding to signal natural, place-based authenticity, and several Korean brands source green tea from these areas for their products.

Modern skincare use

Green tea extract is one of the most widely used botanical antioxidants in cosmetics worldwide. Its key polyphenols, catechins (notably EGCG), are studied for antioxidant activity, and green tea extract is commonly included in toners, serums, and moisturizers as a soothing, antioxidant ingredient. Korean brands often emphasize Jeju- or Boseong-grown green tea to highlight regional sourcing. Antioxidant benefits in cosmetics are supportive rather than curative.

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Sources

• Green tea (Wikipedia) ↗
• Boseong County (Wikipedia) ↗

✍️ Written & reviewed by the KoreaPlus Editorial team — dermatologist-informed, cosmetic-science researched & source-cited. Last reviewed: 2026-08-23.

General educational information using cosmetic structure-function wording — not medical advice. Always patch-test new actives. © KoreaPlus.