These 11 Korean Perfume Brands Are On The Rise

When we think of Korean beauty, it’s highly likely that you’ll think of skincare and makeup products. But the beauty world is huge and the Korean beauty industry is ever-evolving. One of the up-and-coming K-beauty trends of the moment is Korean perfume brands. These brands are proudly made and developed in South Korea and are gaining quite a following internationally too. Read on to find out more about the brands worth keeping an eye on in the coming months!

‘Lovely Runner’ breakout star Byeon Woo Seok for Tamburins. (Photo from: @tamburinsofficial)

Korean perfume brands

1. Tamburins

Tamburins Evening Glow, ~SGD142.02. (Photo from: @tamburinsofficial)

You may have already known about Tamburins through its ambassador, BLACKPINK’s Jennie and Byeon Woo Seok. This Korean perfume brand is under the same parent company as Gentle Monster, the oh-so-trendy eyewear brand. t’s known for its distinctive perfumes in artistic, minimalist packaging. It also offers hand creams, bodycare products, and home fragrances. 

Pick up: The Perfume Evening Glow which boasts a fresh and elegant rose scent. Its top notes are dill, citrus and grassy aromas; its middle notes are honey, raspberry, and rose petals; and its base notes are earthy cypriol and patchouli. 

It’s priced at KRW149,000/~SGD142.02 per 50ML on the brand’s website.

2. NONFICTION

NONFICTION Gentle Night Perfume, ~SGD220.28. (nonfiction-beauty.com)

NONFICTION styles itself as a lifestyle beauty brand — it offers bodycare, hand care, and home scents in addition to perfumes — and aims to create products inspired by your “honest self”. Each scent is formulated with the finest raw materials and plant-derived ingredients, perfect for those looking for a cleanly formulated option in their fragrance collections.

Pick up: The Gentle Night Perfume that’s both bold and sweet. It has top notes of green tea and sweet flowers, middle notes of suede, moss and cedarwood, and bottom notes of mild vanilla and musk.

It’s priced at USD165/~SGD220.28 per 100ML on the brand’s website.

3. ELOREA

ELOREA HEAVEN (건) Eau De Parfum, ~SGD173.56. (elorea.com)

ELOREA takes its name from the combination of “elements” and “Korea”. Inspired by Korea's rich and long history of fragrance and lifestyle, the brand aims to share Korea’s fragrance heritage with every bottle. It’s also proudly genderless and Korean — only using Korean ingredients to craft its wares.

Pick up: The HEAVEN (건) Eau De Parfum for its romantic floral scent. Pink pepper, passion fruit, green tea, freesia, and vanilla come together in this lush and heavenly (pun intended) perfume.

It’s priced at USD130/~SGD173.56 per 50ML on the brand’s website.

4. W.DRESSROOM

W.DRESSROOM Dress & Living Clear Perfume in 97 April Cotton, SGD18.12. (global.oliveyoung.com)

It’s no secret that BTS’ Jungkook loves W.DRESSROOM’s scents. The Korean brand is founded by renowned Korean designer and star of the popular webtoon “The King Of Fashion”, Bum Suk Choi. It’s hailed as one of the top brands in Olive Young — Korea’s popular beauty drugstore — and a potential dupe to Jo Malone London’s perfumes.

Pick up: The W.DRESSROOM Dress & Living Clear Perfume in 97 April Cotton a.k.a. Jungkook’s personal fave! The clean scent is said to remind people of spring, clean air, and fresh cotton sheets.

It’s priced at SGD18.12 per 150ML via the brand’s Shopee store.

5. GRANHAND.

GRANHAND. Susie Salmon Multi Perfume, SGD65.40. (en.grandhand.com)

GRANHAND. aims to make fragrance a part of your everyday life and help make your days a little sweeter, instead of it being relegated to special occasions. It started operating from a small village in Bukchon, Seoul in 2014 and has since gained a loyal following. The brand also offers complimentary personalised stamping on the labels, giving each scent that special touch of care. Their signature perfumes keep selling out too, so you need to watch for every restock.

Pick up: The Susie Salmon Multi Perfume with its fresh-floral aroma infused with lemon, tangerine, Lily of the Valley, jasmine, apple, and cedarwood. You can apply this on your body, in your room, and on fabrics for a fragrance that lasts up to six hours.

It’s priced at SGD65.40 per 200ML on its Shopee store.

6. Youssoful

Youssoful Saint Moritz, ~SGD55.28. (youssoful.co.kr)

Love sustainable perfumes? Then you will be fond of Youssoful, which boasts perfumes and body mists that will remind you of the beauty and serenity of nature. The brand uses wood, glass, and other recycled materials for the elegant packaging of its products.

Pick up:  The Saint Moritz, which is loved both locally in Korea and internationally for its fruity scent. It's long-lasting and features top notes of fig and grapefruit, middle notes of peony, jasmine, and vanilla orchid, and a base note of white musk.

It's priced at KRW58,000/~SGD55.28 per 50ML on the brand's website.

7. A'ddict

A'ddict Eat the Peach, SGD82.30. (a-ddict.sg)

If you love sweet and subtle scents, then this brand might be your new addiction. A'ddict claims to provide non-artificial scents but ones that perfectly harmonise with your skin. Alchemy of Souls actor Hwang Min-Hyun is the face of the brand in 2022 too. 

Pick up: Eat the Peach, which has rich top notes of apple and juicy peach, delicate woody heart notes, and a subtle, creamy sandalwood base.

It's priced at SGD82.30 per 50ML via this reseller on Shopee. However, the best place to get this product is from A'ddict stores in Korea.

8. Pesade

Pesade in Hindsight Perfume, ~SGD151.56. (pesade.kr)

If you're a fan of the K-pop group THE BOYZ, then you might have heard of Pesade, which was mentioned in one of its members New's live broadcast. Pesade is known for its soft and clean scents.

Pick up: The Pesade in Hindsight Perfume, which claims to remind you of a warm breeze and has a lingering scent. It doesn't have a heavy floral scent and features a raspberry top note, heart notes of rose and white flowers, and a dark amber base.

It's priced at KRW159,000/~SGD151.56 per 100ML on the brand's website.

9. BORNTOSTANDOUT

BORNTOSTANDOUT Dirty Rice, ~SGD387.17. (Photo from: en.borntostandout.com)

True to its name, BORNTOSTANDOUT creates captivating scents that aim to reflect the bold spirit of its wearers and “rebel against the standards”. All of its fragrances are made of natural absolutes, exotic spices, and safe synthetics. All of its products are recyclable, refillable, and reusable too.

Pick up: The unisex Dirty Rice which aims to be an ode to intimacy and features the cosy scent of warm rice. Its top notes are almond and bergamot which create a vibrant, attention-grabbing accord; middle notes are rice basmati, delicate milk, and peony; base notes are musk, sandalwood, cetalox, cedar and vetiver.

It’s priced at USD290/~SGD387.17 per 100ML on the brand’s website. 

10. Villa Erbatium 

Villa Erbatium Mossy Glen Oil Perfume, SGD87. (Photo from: amazon.com)

BTS’ leader RM reportedly wears a perfume from this brand. Villa Erbatium’s whimsical name comes from Italian and Korean words which aim to reflect its commitment to natural essences and cultural heritage. It offers a range of products featuring floral to traditional Korean scents and gorgeous packaging which looks like a book. 

Pick up: The unisex Mossy Glen Oil Perfume which aims to give you a harmonious treat for your senses. It features a blend of figs and green notes of bamboo, calm floral notes of daffodils, and bitter black tea, leading to heavy patchouli and woody notes.

It’s priced at SGD87 via NoTag.

11. Hince

Hince The Shirts, SGD91.11. (Photo from: hince.vn)

While Hince is primarily a makeup brand, it also has alluring perfumes. Its exquisite Eau de Parfum pieces promise to be ideal for both men and women.

Pick up: The Shirts which has a floral, woody scent and is said to be a great dupe for the Le Labo The Noir. The Shirts has top notes of bergamot, black pepper, and saffron; heart notes of black tea, jasmine, and rose; and base notes of cedarwood, patchouli, and vetiver.

It’s priced at SGD91.11 per 50ML via this reseller on Shopee. However, the best place to get this product is from Hince stores in Korea.

(Cover photos from: @tamburinsofficial, amazon.com) 

This article was first published on 12 May 2023. Last updated: 12 November 2024.

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