When ELOREA cofounders visited Korea in 2018, they were struck by the overwhelming presence of K-Beauty products. Despite the plethora of options, they noticed a surprising absence of “fragrances truly capturing Korea’s culture” on counters.
“That inspired us to create a brand-defining what K-Fragrance could be,” recalls founder Su min Park, who has since opened a popular perfumery on Spring Street in New York. “Since then, we have been committed to pioneering K-Fragrance in a way that goes beyond trends. It’s something that is rooted in Korea’s heritage of scent as a ritualistic and holistic practice. Fragrance in Korea has traditionally elevated daily life by balancing the mind and body, fostering calmness and creating a pleasant atmosphere.”
What Is K-Fragrance?
Ray Mauro, senior manager of product development for Fragrance Innovation at Avon, says that the concept of K-Fragrance isn’t overly complicated. (The heritage brand introduced a Korean fragrance line called Moments this fall.) “It technically refers to fragrances originating in and made in Korea,” he explains. “Unfortunately, Korean Fragrances have not yet become a trend like K-Beauty and skin care.”
Few people know that a Korean company [LG H&H] owns Avon, Mauro adds. So, for the new Moments fragrance collection, he worked directly with the company’s Korean perfumers. “They were key to designing these fragrances specifically for the North American market.”
Park is quick to stress that Korea’s approach to scent is grounded in heritage rather than a passing trend. However, she admits fragrance’s popularity is growing in Korea, with more brands introducing their interpretations of K-Fragrance. “This shift is exciting because it shows a wider cultural embrace of scent. For us at ELOREA, however, K-Fragrance means honoring Korea’s ancient scent practices and infusing them into modern life. We believe this is more than a trend—it’s a cultural movement. By sharing Korea’s approach to scent, we’re creating an enduring presence in the fragrance world.”
K-Fragrance, By the Numbers
Amorepacific’s research team, Youngkyung Kim, Yeji Kim, Yoon Chang and Mijin Park, consider K-Fragrance “a rapidly growing and evolving beauty category in Korea,” one that “caters to young domestic consumers who are sensitive to personal tastes and individuality.” (The parent company just launched fragrance-forward Korean brand Longtime exclusively on Amazon in the U.S.)
And the team has the stats to back it up: “According to global market research firm Euromonitor, the domestic perfume market has grown dramatically by 73.3 percent in four years, from about 531.7 billion KRW in 2019 to 921.3 billion KRW last year. It is expected to reach 1.083 trillion KRW this year.”
The team also sees the center of this growth in “niche perfume,” with “domestic brands that reflect the sophisticated tastes of Korean consumers leading the market with sensory and unique” offerings. “Some brands are already receiving positive responses in the global market, cautiously suggesting that K-Fragrance may soon become a new driving force for K-Beauty.”
K-Fragrance Notes + Philosophy
Culturally, Park says, Korea’s philosophy emphasizes balance and harmony, which is evident in many areas of life. “For instance, in Korean cuisine, there’s a focus on balancing colors, flavors and nutrition. It is why meals often include a variety of side dishes to create a harmonious experience. At ELOREA, we reflect this philosophy in our fragrance formulations, crafting each note to complement and enhance the others. This approach results in a seamless and balanced formulation without being overpowering or heady.”
To that end, it is vital for ELOREA fragrance to incorporate cultural storytelling. “Developed with a Korean perfumer, our scents feature unique Korean ingredients like ginseng, perilla leaf, Korean red pine and Jeju citrus,” explains Park. “Blended with premium ingredients from around the world, these elements come together to honor Korea’s heritage while offering a distinctive character that resonates globally.”
K-Fragrance: Subtle + Niche
The team at Amorepacific explains that, in Korea, there is a high preference for subtle fragrances with little variation over time— similar to American niche perfumes that are very clean, modern and natural.
“A Korean-style fragrance can be described as straightforward and uncomplicated, while non-Korean fragrances are stronger, more distinctive and complex. Popular and universal scent families like floral, fruity and citrus have been popular in the past. But there is a growing trend toward comfortable yet more unique woody notes. Or, within the floral family, fresh flower scents with earthy or green touches that are natural, yet new and uncommon.”
“Korean olfactive preferences are very different. So, we had to be mindful in designing this collection for the North American market,” Mauro says. “However, we wanted our Korean perfumers to give it their special signature touch to set it apart from the abundance of new fragrance launches. Together, we customized the key notes of each fragrance, which were specifically curated by our Korean perfumers with key ingredients that are popular in Korea but that also have olfactive appeal in the North American market.”
Self-Expression + Scents
In Korea, scent has historically been integrated into spiritual practices, mental wellness and even pest control, Park says. And this subtle approach still resonates today as a form of self-expression. “Culturally, there’s a preference for fresh, nuanced and skin-like fragrances over heavier or overly sweet scents.”
In the modern moment, Amorepacific sees a growing number of consumers in Korea who are increasingly involved with scents and perfumes, developing their own preferences and seeking to express themselves through fragrances. “As a result, many perfume brands are striving to differentiate themselves and capture the discerning tastes of Korean consumers through high-sensitivity brand values and new, fresh storytelling. This is why an increasing number of diverse domestic brands are launching.”
K-Fragrance in the U.S.
For the state-specific Avon Moments launch, Maruo and team streamlined the steps. “This was Avon’s first time collaborating with Korean perfumers, but we used a process similar to how we normally create fragrances. For the first step, we came up with a concept that uses inspiration from anywhere—including the world around us, our Avon Ambassadors and our experiences.”
Mauro said what really inspired him was “how a single moment can change our direction” in life. “It reflects the experiences of trying new things, failing and getting back up again with determination to succeed. That moment we decided to stretch ourselves outside our comfort zones eventually led to the ideation around the first Moments fragrance. We call that Out On a Limb, and ultimately, the concept of a collection celebrating the allure of unforgettable memories. The anticipation for a moment yet to be written.”
After the creative brainstorming, Mauro wrote a fragrance brief describing the idea around each concept and layered in trending ingredients and accords, all filtered through an Avon lens. The brief was then sent to the perfumers in Korea. After about two-to-three weeks, the perfumers provided first-round submissions and samples to evaluate.
“This is where the language of the perfumer is critical in fragrance development,” Mauro says. “From there, we have a continuous dialog on adjusting the fragrance to meet the olfactive expectations from the brief. This project, specifically, was about aligning with our Korean perfumers’ interpretation of North American olfactive preferences. All while weaving in signature raw materials that are trending in Korea.”
Similar to K-Beauty, Mauro says Korean perfumers take their time and take a detailed approach. “They really focus on research, development and ingredients—and it all results in cutting-edge formulations.”
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