How NOTHING BETTER turned a daily habit into a wellness brand

impact behind the brand

How NOTHING BETTER turned a daily habit into a wellness brand

2026.08.12

8min

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NOTHING BETTER founder Choi Hee-jae launched the brand in 2015 after discovering infused water during a working holiday in Australia, creating Korea’s first dried detox-water kit. Guided by a commitment to whole ingredients, the brand expanded into pumpkin products, Tangly wellness shots and protein shakes. Its partnership with OLIVE YOUNG helped reshape its products and supported its international growth.

A woman in a light blue shirt holds a box of NOTHING BETTER tea

Behind every K-beauty and K-wellness brand is a story of where it began, what it stands for, and the people who believed in an idea and saw it through. 'behind the brand,' an original series by 'Editorial by OLIVE YOUNG,' takes a closer look at the stories behind brands that have grown alongside OLIVE YOUNG and are now reaching customers around the world. From the idea that sparked a brand to the vision behind its products, the series explores the founders’ perspectives, challenges, and innovations that shaped each brand along the way.

NOTHING BETTER logo in red

For Choi Hee-jae, the founder of pioneering inner-beauty brand NOTHING BETTER, the question was deceptively simple: How could drinking water feel less like a chore and more like a luxury?

That question became the starting point for a wellness brand built around a simple belief: everyday health should feel enjoyable, not like a compromise. Choi shares the story of building NOTHING BETTER from the ground up, her commitment to quality ingredients, and how a trip to the U.S. inspired the brand’s next major launch.

A brand born from a simple challenge

"Ironically, the brand started because I absolutely hated drinking water," Choi laughs.

It’s a relatable confession in an industry obsessed with hydration. For years, Choi was hyper-sensitive to the taste and smell of tap and filtered water, struggling to finish even a single glass a day. The turning point arrived during a working holiday in Australia. "The family I was staying with constantly made these beautiful detox waters infused with fresh herbs and sliced fruit," she remembers. "Suddenly, hydrating felt ritualistic. It became something I genuinely looked forward to."

When she returned to Korea, Choi couldn't shake the idea that an entire community of water-haters was waiting for an aesthetic, delicious solution. In 2015, she launched NOTHING BETTER.

Their debut product, the “Inner Water Pack,” was Korea’s very first dried detox-water kit. But establishing a new wellness category is rarely smooth sailing. "Because it was a completely new concept, manufacturers thought I was crazy," Choi says. "I was rejected by more than ten companies before finding one willing to take a chance on the format."

As consumers gradually discovered the product, word of mouth helped establish the brand's presence in the market.

A woman in a light blue shirt holds a box of NOTHING BETTER tea in two side-by-side portraits.

A philosophy rooted in ingredients

Over the years, Choi has worked closely with nutrition experts and studied a wide range of ingredients. Through that process, she arrived at a simple conclusion.

"Nothing is better than the ingredient itself," she says.

That philosophy continues to guide the brand today. Among NOTHING BETTER's signature products are its pumpkin tea and pumpkin extract, developed for consumers looking to incorporate wellness routines into their everyday lives.

While pumpkin has long been recognized in Korea as a popular wellness ingredient, it is not always convenient to consume regularly. To make it more accessible, NOTHING BETTER transformed it into tea bags and portable pouches using a patented low-temperature drying process without chemical additives.

"Using 100% whole ingredients increases production costs," Choi says. "But it's one area where we never compromise."

A green “Nothing Better” pumpkin juice pouch sits beside a large orange pumpkin.

Browse products (Global) Browse products (US)

Taking the lane less traveled

To mark the brand's journey, Choi recently introduced Tangly, a sister line of highly concentrated wellness shots. The inspiration struck half a world away.

Hands hold two brown Tangly bottles labeled “Slimming Shot” and “Glow Shot.”

"I was attending a food expo in the U.S. and was captivated by the massive retail footprint dedicated entirely to wellness shots," Choi says. "I wondered why we didn’t have a sleek, equivalent culture in Korea."

Bringing Tangly to life required starting the manufacturing battle all over again. It took six grueling months just to find a partner capable of processing the concentrated formula into a shelf-stable, portable shot.

"People told us it couldn't be done," she says. "But I genuinely love the friction of creating something out of nothing. There’s a specific thrill in solving a problem other people are avoiding. When a customer finally holds the product and gets the vision? There is no better feeling."

From hand-placed stickers to the global stage

Every indie brand remembers their big break. For NOTHING BETTER, it arrived when OLIVE YOUNG spotted the Inner Water Pack back when it was still being sealed with simple, hand-placed sticker labels.

"OLIVE YOUNG saw our raw potential but gave us some tough love," Choi recalls. "They told us the formula was brilliant, but the packaging needed to be elevated to survive a retail environment."

Choi took the feedback, redesigned the aesthetic, and officially launched on OLIVE YOUNG shelves in 2017. It was a partnership that quickly evolved from distribution to collaborative incubation. When OLIVE YOUNG’s data trackers noticed a massive spike in consumer interest surrounding "bloat care," they prompted Choi to tackle the category through her unique whole-food lens. The result? The brand's bestselling pumpkin line.

"Combining OLIVE YOUNG’s macro consumer insights with our product development was magic," Choi says. "Those products are still top-sellers seven years later."

A woman holds a pink drink bottle beside an open laptop and colorful beverage boxes.

Beyond sales numbers, the partnership altered the brand's global trajectory. "The immediate credibility was massive," Choi explains. "International buyers from Japan and China treat OLIVE YOUNG stores like trend mood boards when they visit Seoul. Seeing us on those shelves gave them instant confidence." Today, NOTHING BETTER's international business matches its domestic footprint.

The future of "drinkable wellness"

So, what’s next for a brand that has spent a decade redefining hydration?

"Our ultimate goal is sustainable wellness," says Choi. "The best product in the world is useless if it’s too annoying to integrate into your actual life."

Moving forward, the brand is expanding its "Everything for Drinkable Inner Beauty" ethos into new formats, including a recently launched line of design-forward protein shakes meant to seamlessly slot into specific pockets of the day, whether that's post-workout or right before bed.

Nothing Better drink pouches, tea boxes, protein shakes and iced tea are arranged on pink shelves.

For the global beauty community discovering NOTHING BETTER for the first time via OLIVE YOUNG, Choi wants to demystify the entire concept of self-care.

"Healthy beauty doesn't require a dramatic life overhaul," she says. "It starts with a single, mindful choice, like a genuinely enjoyable glass of water. It’s the small daily rituals that build a balanced life. True to our name, there's nothing better than that.”

Behind every K-beauty and K-wellness brand is a story of where it began, what it stands for, and the people who believed in an idea and saw it through. 'behind the brand,' an original series by 'Editorial by OLIVE YOUNG,' takes a closer look at the stories behind brands that have grown alongside OLIVE YOUNG and are now reaching customers around the world. From the idea that sparked a brand to the vision behind its products, the series explores the founders’ perspectives, challenges, and innovations that shaped each brand along the way. For Choi Hee-jae, the founder of pioneering inner-beauty brand NOTHING BETTER, the question was deceptively simple: How could drinking water feel less like a chore and more like a luxury? That question became the starting point for a wellness brand built around a simple belief: everyday health should feel enjoyable, not like a compromise. Choi shares the story of building NOTHING BETTER from the ground up, her commitment to quality ingredients, and how a trip to the U.S. inspired the brand’s next major launch. A brand born from a simple challenge "Ironically, the brand started because I absolutely hated drinking water," Choi laughs. It’s a relatable confession in an industry obsessed with hydration. For years, Choi was hyper-sensitive to the taste and smell of tap and filtered water, struggling to finish even a single glass a day. The turning point arrived during a working holiday in Australia. "The family I was staying with constantly made these beautiful detox waters infused with fresh herbs and sliced fruit," she remembers. "Suddenly, hydrating felt ritualistic. It became something I genuinely looked forward to." When she returned to Korea, Choi couldn't shake the idea that an entire community of water-haters was waiting for an aesthetic, delicious solution. In 2015, she launched NOTHING BETTER. Their debut product, the “Inner Water Pack,” was Korea’s very first dried detox-water kit. But establishing a new wellness category is rarely smooth sailing. "Because it was a completely new concept, manufacturers thought I was crazy," Choi says. "I was rejected by more than ten companies before finding one willing to take a chance on the format." As consumers gradually discovered the product, word of mouth helped establish the brand's presence in the market. A philosophy rooted in ingredients Over the years, Choi has worked closely with nutrition experts and studied a wide range of ingredients. Through that process, she arrived at a simple conclusion. "Nothing is better than the ingredient itself," she says. That philosophy continues to guide the brand today. Among NOTHING BETTER's signature products are its pumpkin tea and pumpkin extract, developed for consumers looking to incorporate wellness routines into their everyday lives. While pumpkin has long been recognized in Korea as a popular wellness ingredient, it is not always convenient to consume regularly. To make it more accessible, NOTHING BETTER transformed it into tea bags and portable pouches using a patented low-temperature drying process without chemical additives. "Using 100% whole ingredients increases production costs," Choi says. "But it's one area where we never compromise." Browse products (Global) Browse products (US) Taking the lane less traveled To mark the brand's journey, Choi recently introduced Tangly, a sister line of highly concentrated wellness shots. The inspiration struck half a world away. "I was attending a food expo in the U.S. and was captivated by the massive retail footprint dedicated entirely to wellness shots," Choi says. "I wondered why we didn’t have a sleek, equivalent culture in Korea." Bringing Tangly to life required starting the manufacturing battle all over again. It took six grueling months just to find a partner capable of processing the concentrated formula into a shelf-stable, portable shot. "People told us it couldn't be done," she says. "But I genuinely love the friction of creating something out of nothing. There’s a specific thrill in solving a problem other people are avoiding. When a customer finally holds the product and gets the vision? There is no better feeling." From hand-placed stickers to the global stage Every indie brand remembers their big break. For NOTHING BETTER, it arrived when OLIVE YOUNG spotted the Inner Water Pack back when it was still being sealed with simple, hand-placed sticker labels. "OLIVE YOUNG saw our raw potential but gave us some tough love," Choi recalls. "They told us the formula was brilliant, but the packaging needed to be elevated to survive a retail environment." Choi took the feedback, redesigned the aesthetic, and officially launched on OLIVE YOUNG shelves in 2017. It was a partnership that quickly evolved from distribution to collaborative incubation. When OLIVE YOUNG’s data trackers noticed a massive spike in consumer interest surrounding "bloat care," they prompted Choi to tackle the category through her unique whole-food lens. The result? The brand's bestselling pumpkin line. "Combining OLIVE YOUNG’s macro consumer insights with our product development was magic," Choi says. "Those products are still top-sellers seven years later." Beyond sales numbers, the partnership altered the brand's global trajectory. "The immediate credibility was massive," Choi explains. "International buyers from Japan and China treat OLIVE YOUNG stores like trend mood boards when they visit Seoul. Seeing us on those shelves gave them instant confidence." Today, NOTHING BETTER's international business matches its domestic footprint. The future of "drinkable wellness" So, what’s next for a brand that has spent a decade redefining hydration? "Our ultimate goal is sustainable wellness," says Choi. "The best product in the world is useless if it’s too annoying to integrate into your actual life." Moving forward, the brand is expanding its "Everything for Drinkable Inner Beauty" ethos into new formats, including a recently launched line of design-forward protein shakes meant to seamlessly slot into specific pockets of the day, whether that's post-workout or right before bed. For the global beauty community discovering NOTHING BETTER for the first time via OLIVE YOUNG, Choi wants to demystify the entire concept of self-care. "Healthy beauty doesn't require a dramatic life overhaul," she says. "It starts with a single, mindful choice, like a genuinely enjoyable glass of water. It’s the small daily rituals that build a balanced life. True to our name, there's nothing better than that.”