Perfume & Memories: Create Your Own Scent in a Traditional Hanok

The heart of this Seoul workshop is a personal scent made in a traditional hanok, not a perfume picked off a shelf. I like that you can work from more than 400 scent ingredients, with a perfumer there to help you sort through them and shape a blend that feels like yours.

I also like the setting: PROUST has remodeled a hanok said to be more than 80 years old, with a quiet garden that changes with the seasons. Your finished perfume makes a useful, personal keepsake of Seoul, and the process can be shared by friends, couples, or family members.

One consideration: the choice is broad, and smelling a lot of ingredients can take time. The instructor helps narrow the options, but this is a hands-on workshop, not a quick stop. Plan roughly an hour to 90 minutes, based on reported session times, and check which bottle size your booking includes.

At a glance

• A Seoul hanok becomes a perfume studio: Create your scent in PROUST’s remodeled traditional home, with a garden outside.
• More than 400 ingredients to consider: You can explore many fragrance directions, with a perfumer’s help to make choices manageable.
• A guided, beginner-friendly process: No prior perfume-making experience is needed, and instructors explain how to combine notes.
• Choose a 30ml or 50ml bottle: The price depends on the package, so confirm your selected size before booking.
• A keepsake with a recipe: Some participants were able to keep their scent formula for future reorders or repeat visits. Ask the instructor what applies to your session.
• Open to ages 9 and up: The same price applies to all ages, according to the activity details.

A Hanok Setting for a Hands-On Workshop

PROUST pairs a traditional Korean setting with a modern creative activity. The hanok is more than 80 years old and has been remodeled as an atelier, or working studio. Its four-season garden adds a calm, natural backdrop to an activity that asks you to slow down and pay attention to scent.

That setting is part of the appeal, but the main event happens at the worktable. You’ll smell ingredients, decide which ones suit you, and build a fragrance with the perfumer’s guidance. This is a good change of pace from Seoul’s larger sights and shopping streets, especially if you want an activity that leaves you with something you made yourself.

The workshop is quiet and artistic rather than showy. That can be a welcome fit for a solo visit, a date, or a family outing. People who prefer fast-paced activities may find the deliberate process less exciting, but if you enjoy exploring small differences and making choices at your own speed, the format has room for that.

Finding Your Way Through 400 Ingredients

The number of scents can sound daunting. It is also what gives the workshop its range: you are not limited to a small menu of preset blends. The instructor helps you explore and narrow your choices, so you do not have to know fragrance terminology or arrive with a finished idea.

You may find that some scents appeal to you immediately while others make more sense when paired with a different note. The process is hands-on: smell, compare, and adjust as you go. Instructors have helped participants who were unsure whether to make a scent sharper, lighter, or more balanced, and the guidance is meant to keep the many options from becoming a guessing game.

Some sessions introduce the familiar structure of top, heart, and base notes. These layers give you a simple way to think about how a fragrance is built, even if you have never made one before. The important part is not memorizing perfume terms. It is learning what you like and how different choices work together.

The broad menu also means your final perfume can be quite different from someone else’s, even if you attend together. One family group described making distinct scents, while still enjoying the process as a shared activity. If you are choosing this for a group, that mix of individual creativity and shared time is a real plus.

From First Sniff to Your Finished Bottle

Expect the session to unfold in stages rather than as a single pour-and-go activity. First, you explore the available scents and identify the kinds of notes that appeal to you. The perfumer can explain the choices and help you focus on ingredients that fit your preferences.

Next comes blending. You decide how to combine the selected scents, with the instructor offering advice as you test and adjust. Participants have described measuring and pouring ingredients as a little like a science experiment. That comparison captures the appeal: the process is creative, but it also involves careful choices and proportions.

The last stage is preparing your perfume to take home. The supplied package information lists a 30ml bottle and a 50ml option. Make sure you select the size you want when booking, since the amount included and the price differ by package.

Session length is not given as a fixed duration in the activity details. Reports put many visits at a little over an hour, with some taking around an hour and a half. Allow room in your schedule rather than trying to squeeze the workshop between tight appointments. The point is to have time to smell, compare, and make changes without rushing.

Patient Guidance Makes It Easier for Beginners

A professional perfumer leads the activity, and the teaching style is a key part of its appeal. You are not expected to know what you want in advance. The instructor can help you sort through scent families, offer suggestions, and guide you when you are unsure how much of a note to use.

Several instructors are named in past sessions, including Dong Yeon, Hye Young, Lea, and Deungyeon. Names and staff may vary, so do not book expecting a particular person. The consistent format is personal help through the process, with instructors taking time to explain and answer questions.

The experience is also suitable for people who do not think of themselves as perfume fans. The hands-on element gives you a reason to explore the scents, and you may discover preferences you had not noticed before. At the same time, people who already love fragrances can enjoy having the chance to create a blend beyond the ready-made options on store shelves.

English-language guidance has been available in some sessions, and participants have found the instructions easy to follow. That is useful if you are visiting from abroad, though the activity details do not promise a particular language for every session. If language support matters to you, confirm it before booking.

A Personal Souvenir, with a Practical Size Choice

A bottle of perfume is a more personal souvenir than a generic gift-shop purchase. You leave with a fragrance you helped build, tied to time spent in Seoul and to the choices you made during the session. It can be a present for yourself, or a thoughtful shared activity for someone who enjoys scent.

The two listed package choices are 30ml and 50ml. The 30ml option is the smaller, lower-cost choice, while 50ml gives you more of the blend to use or share. The information supplied gives package prices from US$45.89 for 30ml and US$60.89 for 50ml, while the activity summary also shows a starting price of US$50.49. Because these figures do not match, check the current price and selected bottle size at checkout.

Some participants have been able to keep their formula so they can reorder or recreate the scent later. That is a valuable detail if you fall in love with the result, but it is not listed as a guaranteed inclusion. Ask the staff before you leave if retaining the recipe is important to you.

Who Will Get the Most from PROUST

This workshop suits curious beginners, perfume fans, couples, friends, and families with children aged 9 or older. It is especially appealing if you like activities that are creative but still guided, or if you are looking for a souvenir that has a story behind it.

It can also work well as a solo activity. The format gives you room to focus on your own preferences, and the instructor can guide you one-to-one when the session allows. If you are traveling with a group, expect everyone to make individual choices rather than produce one shared fragrance.

The setting may also be a draw for anyone who wants a calmer hour in the city. The hanok and garden frame the activity, but this is not a history tour or a broad introduction to Korean culture. Think of it as a focused workshop in a traditional-style space, with the perfume-making itself at the center.

Price, Booking, and Small Details to Check

The booking information lists a starting price of US$50.49, while the package details show 30ml from US$45.89 and 50ml from US$60.89. Since the figures differ, treat the price shown for your selected date and package at checkout as the one to rely on. The same fee applies to all ages, and participants must be at least 9.

The meeting point is listed as 140-4 in Seoul. That address is incomplete on its own, so check the map pin and directions in your booking details before setting out. The venue is PROUST, but do not assume the short address is enough to navigate without the supplied location information.

Confirmation is expected within minutes. The voucher is valid only on the date and time specified, if a time is shown. Changes are allowed until 48 hours before the activity starts, with exceptions for bookings made with Klook Pass, presales, certain freebies, or specified cultural-point programs. A full refund is available if you cancel at least 24 hours before the activity date, in Seoul local time.

Should You Book This Perfume Workshop?

I would put PROUST on your shortlist if you want a thoughtful, hands-on activity and like the idea of leaving Seoul with a scent you made yourself. The combination of a traditional hanok, a large choice of ingredients, and patient guidance gives the workshop more substance than a quick souvenir stop.

It is less suited to anyone who wants a short, tightly timed attraction or dislikes making decisions by trial and comparison. If you are happy to take your time, choose your bottle size carefully, and let the instructor help you through the process, this is a distinctive way to spend part of a Seoul day.

FAQ

Where does the perfume workshop take place?

It takes place at PROUST in Seoul. The meeting-point address is listed as 140-4, so check the booking map pin for the full directions.

How many scent ingredients can I choose from?

The workshop offers more than 400 types of scents to explore.

Do I need experience making perfume?

No prior experience is required. A professional perfumer guides participants through choosing and combining scents.

What size perfume can I make?

The package options listed are 30ml and 50ml. Check your selected package before booking.

What is included in the 30ml package?

The package details state that a 30ml perfume is included.

What is the minimum age to participate?

Participants must be at least 9 years old.

Is the price different for children and adults?

No. The activity information states that the same price applies to all ages.

How long does the workshop take?

No fixed duration is provided. Session accounts describe visits of a little over an hour to around 90 minutes, so allow time for the full process.

When will I receive booking confirmation?

Confirmation is expected within minutes. If it does not arrive, contact customer support.

Can I change or cancel my booking?

Changes are allowed until 48 hours before the activity starts, subject to listed exceptions. You can receive a full refund if you cancel at least 24 hours before the activity date, using Seoul local time.