Supplements at Daiso: the current picture
On February 24, 2025, Daiso, Korea's best-known discount variety store, began selling about 30 health functional foods (Korea's regulated supplement category) from three drugmakers, Daewoong Pharmaceutical, Chong Kun Dang Health, and Ilyang Pharmaceutical, in about 200 stores nationwide. One-month packs priced at KRW 3,000–5,000 drew strong protests from pharmacist groups, and on February 28, just five days after launch, Ilyang decided to stop selling its nine products there. The Korea Fair Trade Commission was reported to be looking into whether that withdrawal raised any competition-law issues. Daewoong and Chong Kun Dang Health kept selling, and as more Korean pharmaceutical companies launched Daiso-exclusive brands, the range and the number of stores grew rapidly. The lineup now goes well beyond vitamins and probiotics to include diet aids and fitness supplements.
Which pharmaceutical brands are there?
Dongkook Pharmaceutical introduced "Inner Care" films that dissolve without water and "MyPop" dual-format drinks. Dongwha Pharm launched lines such as "Pyeonan Hwal" and "Quick&Answer," along with its "Fucidin" skin-care brand. Chong Kun Dang sells its "Daily Wise" series (multivitamin, omega-3, milk thistle, and more) and "Daily Care" gummies. Other drugmakers are steadily expanding their Daiso-exclusive products too.
New formats: films, gummies, and more
Recently, more products are designed to be easy to take: films you chew or let dissolve without water, chewable gummies, and dual-format drinks. Fitness supplements such as creatine and arginine have also appeared, so the shelves now cover a much wider range of purposes than the vitamin-focused lineup of the early days.
Why are they so cheap?
Many Daiso supplements cost between KRW 500 and KRW 5,000. Even products that sell for much more elsewhere, such as creatine, go for around KRW 5,000 for a 40-day supply at Daiso. Daiso explains that because these are Daiso-exclusive products with simplified marketing and distribution, it can keep prices low. Even under the same brand, however, the ingredient amounts or pack sizes may differ from pharmacy or online versions, so comparing on price alone can be misleading. Reports have noted that, measured by price per daily dose of the active ingredient, some Daiso products are actually more expensive than pharmacy or online alternatives.
Compare price per daily amount
To compare fairly, look at the same ingredient in the same amount rather than the sticker price. For omega-3, for example, calculate "price ÷ (daily EPA + DHA in mg × number of days)."
- Daiso Daewoong rTG Omega-3: KRW 5,000 ÷ (500 mg × 30 days) → about KRW 33 per 100 mg of EPA + DHA
- Doing the same with other products' label amounts and prices often shows that higher-dose, larger packs cost less per 100 mg.
The amounts per product are summarized in the table on the Daiso supplements hub.
What to check before buying
Rather than grabbing several products because they are cheap, first check the approved function on the back of the pack and how much of each ingredient one serving actually contains. If you already take a supplement with similar ingredients, make sure doubling up will not push you into taking too much. If you take several products, deciding in advance how to avoid overlaps and when to take each one makes things much easier to manage.
Please keep in mind
- This article is based on information checked as of the date shown at the top. New research or changes in official guidelines may change the details, so please use it as a reference rather than taking it as definitive.
- For an accurate diagnosis and advice about your health, please see a doctor in person.