Tretinoin in Korea: Can You Buy It Over the Counter? What a Seoul Pharmacist Sells Instead

Looking for tretinoin in Korea? Here is the short answer from a pharmacist in Gangnam: you can’t buy it over the counter. Tretinoin cream (Stieva-A) is a prescription-only medicine in Korea, and so is adapalene (Differin, Epiduo).

You may have read online that a Korean pharmacy gel called “Aclean” contains tretinoin. It doesn’t — its active ingredient is salicylic acid. Below is what Korean drug labels actually say, what you can buy without a prescription, and how to get tretinoin legally if you really need it.

1. Is tretinoin over the counter in Korea?

No. In Korea every topical retinoid medicine is classed as a prescription medicine (전문의약품). A pharmacist can’t sell it to you without a doctor’s prescription, even if you show a prescription from home.

• Stieva-A cream (tretinoin 0.01%, 0.025%, 0.05%): prescription only. Approved in Korea for acne and for photoaging (fine lines, pigmentation, rough skin) — MFDS label
• Differin gel/cream (adapalene 0.1%): prescription only, for acne in people 12 and older — MFDS label
• Epiduo gel (adapalene + benzoyl peroxide): prescription only — MFDS label

This surprises many visitors, because adapalene is sold over the counter in the US. Korea draws the line differently: retinoid medicines stay behind the counter.

2. “Aclean Gel contains tretinoin” — it doesn’t

Several shopping blogs and social media posts describe Aclean Gel (애크린겔) by Dong-A Pharm as a tretinoin-and-clindamycin cream you can buy in any Korean pharmacy. That is not what the Korean drug approval says.

Source: MFDS label for Aclean Gel (item 202204171), checked October 2026.

3. What you can buy without a prescription

If you came to Korea hoping for tretinoin for acne, these are the realistic over-the-counter options at a Korean pharmacy.

Azelaic acid 20% cream — the closest thing to a “pharmacy acne cream”

• Azalea Cream (LEO Pharma, 30 g) and Azelclean Cream (Hanmi, 20 g) both contain azelaic acid 20% and are approved in Korea for acne vulgaris — Azalea label · Azelclean label
• How to use: wash and dry the skin, then apply twice a day (morning and evening). If it stings a lot, cut back to once a day
• When to expect results: the label says visible improvement usually starts after about 4 weeks
• At Byeolha Pharmacy: Azalea 30 g ₩29,000 · Azelclean 20 g ₩20,000

Azelaic acid is not a retinoid and won’t do everything tretinoin does — it isn’t approved for wrinkles in Korea, for example. But for everyday acne it’s the strongest option you can pick up without seeing a doctor.

Salicylic acid gel

Aclean Gel (2% salicylic acid) is useful for clogged pores and small breakouts. Don’t layer it on top of tretinoin: the tretinoin label lists salicylic acid among products to be careful combining with.

• At Byeolha Pharmacy: Aclean Gel 20 g ₩13,000

Retinol skincare

Retinol serums and creams are everywhere in Korean pharmacies and Olive Young, but they’re cosmetics, not medicines. They’re gentler and slower than prescription tretinoin. Fine for maintenance; not a substitute if your dermatologist prescribed tretinoin at home.

4. How to get a tretinoin prescription in Seoul

1. Find a dermatology clinic. Look for “피부과” — Seoul has many, and areas like Gangnam and Sinnonhyeon are full of them. Many have staff who speak some English.
2. Bring your passport and, if you have it, your prescription or the product box from home so the doctor can see the strength you use.
3. See the doctor. Visitors without Korean health insurance pay the full consultation fee, which varies by clinic. Ask the price at reception first.
4. Take the paper prescription to any pharmacy. Clinics in Korea usually don’t hand out medicine themselves; you fill the prescription at a pharmacy nearby.

Ask the doctor whether the prescribed product is cream or gel and which strength — Korean pharmacies stock what the clinic prescribes, so it’s worth confirming before you leave.

5. Using tretinoin safely: what the Korean label says

Travel itself can make retinoid skin more sensitive: the label notes that wind, cold and low humidity can increase dryness and irritation. If your skin is raw from a long flight, give it a night or two before restarting.

6. Bringing your own tretinoin to Korea

If you already use tretinoin, the simplest option is to bring it. The U.S. Embassy in Korea notes that for non-controlled medicines you may bring up to six bottles or a three-month supply for personal use — U.S. Embassy Seoul.

• Keep it in its original packaging with the label showing your name if possible
• Carry a copy of your prescription or a doctor’s note, especially for larger amounts
• Don’t plan to buy a refill here without a Korean prescription — the pharmacy can’t sell it to you

WHERE THIS IS WRITTEN FROM

Byeolha Pharmacy 별하약국

📍 1 minute from Sinnonhyeon Station Exit 3 (Line 9 · Shinbundang Line), Gangnam, Seoul

LANGUAGES

English · 日本語 · 中文
한국어

HOURS

Mon–Fri 9:30–21:00
Sat 9:00–18:00

PAYMENT

Apple Pay · Alipay
WeChat · Tax refund

Location & directions → Google Maps →

About the author

Lee Jeong-hoon · Licensed pharmacist · Byeolha Pharmacy, Gangnam

Lee Jeong-hoon is a licensed pharmacist (15 years, Korean license no. 61641). He worked in pharmaceutical R&D and regulatory affairs at a multinational drug company before opening Byeolha Pharmacy in Gangnam, which he has run for seven years.

He writes these guides from the official Korean drug labels, so visitors get the same information a Korean pharmacist works from.