Guests create personalized fragrances during a perfume-making class at Proust Scent in Seoul, South Korea, July 1, 2025. (Trevares Johnson/Stars and Stripes)
Hidden in the alleys of Seoul’s Jongno district, Proust Scent welcomes visitors with a subtle aroma — something between fresh linen and crushed rose petals.
This boutique, with its warm wooden interiors and walls lined with rows of small glass bottles, evokes the feeling of a quiet apothecary. While it sells ready-made fragrances, the shop’s main draw is a one-hour, hands-on perfume-making class that encourages guests to craft their own signature scent.
Led by an English-speaking instructor in a white coast, participants are introduced to about 40 scents, ranging from bergamot and sandalwood to black tea and sea salt.
Guests can blend ingredients to create their own signature fragrance at Proust Scent in Seoul, South Korea. (Trevares Johnson/Stars and Stripes)
Rows of mood-labeled bottles guided guest through the fragrance-building process at Proust Scent in Seoul, South Korea, July 1, 2025. (Trevares Johnson/Stars and Stripes)
The session begins with a scent test, where guests sample and evaluate various fragrance notes. The process helps identify personal preferences — floral or musky, sharp or earthy — that are used to build a customized blend. One participant described their creation as “a warm mix of honey, oak and cedar,” which conjured memories of their father’s favorite soap.
Throughout the class, the instructor explains the role to top, middle and base notes and how they interact over time. “Fragrance is identity,” she said.
By the end of the session, each guest pours their personalized blend into a 30-milliliter bottle, complete with sleek packaging. The final product is both wearable and gift-ready.
Proust Scent
Location: A 12-minute walk from Namyeong Station at 140-4 Myeongnyun 4(sa)-ga, Jongno District, Seoul
Hours: The shop is open daily, 11:30 a.m. to 7:30 p.m., except on Saturday when it closes at 8:30 p.m. Hourlong perfume-making sessions, available by reservation, begin at 9 a.m. Monday thru Friday.
Prices: The perfume-making experience starts at 48,000 won (about $35).
Dress: Casual
Information: Phone: +82 2-742-3552; Online: instagram.com/proustscent
