Bukchon perfume workshop with my sister: freesia-yuzu-pear, Muhwawon

The moment I opened the door, I wondered if there could be a prettier perfume workshop in Seoul than Muhwawon Bukchon Perfume Workshop. Maybe it's because it's in Jongno, but nothing else matches this vibe. The perfumer is also great at recommending and describing scents, so making your own perfume is easy. That's why I really recommend it as a Bukchon date course!!

• Hours: daily 12:00-22:00
• Parking: paid, ₩1,200 per 10 minutes, max ₩25,000
• Restroom: inside

Where is Muhwawon Bukchon Perfume Workshop, and what's the atmosphere like?

Muhwawon (무화원) Bukchon Perfume Workshop is on the 3rd floor of Jooweon Building on Yulgok-ro 6-gil in Jongno-gu. There's a Bukchon perfume workshop sign outside, and it was easy to find with a map app.

The inside was bigger than I expected. The perfume workshop I visited before in Seongsu wasn't this big, and the vibe here was lovely too. It felt like walking into a pop-up store in Seongsu.

The seats are individual and set in a straight row, so you don't run into other guests, which I liked. It's a space where the two of you can focus on making your perfumes. Great for a Jongno date!

Muhwawon perfume-making options and what the class includes

At Muhwawon Bukchon Perfume Workshop you can choose between a premium perfume, a car freshener or a diffuser, and the standard time is 1 hour 30 minutes. We made 2 premium perfumes.

You tick the scents you like from 36 premium fragrance materials, then talk with the perfumer to choose your top, middle and base notes.

If there's a specific scent you want beyond the 36, tell them and they may have it. I love freesia, jasmine and pear, so I asked for those separately.

The theory lesson: a video with headsets

As soon as you sit down at Muhwawon, you put on a headset and watch a video on how the experience is structured and what you need to do to make a good scent. So atmospheric, right? ㅠ The experience goes in order: theory lesson, smelling, then blending.

For a thorough experience, Muhwawon has a theory notebook and a blending notebook. When you fill in the notes along with the video, the perfumer explains and blends together with you, so you can find the exact scent you want.

How do Muhwawon's fragrance materials differ from other perfume workshops?

One of Muhwawon's strengths is that everything is a premium material, and there are lots of scents you won't find at other perfume workshops. So I really recommend it if you usually want to make something unique and your own. When the 12 Korean scents are mixed in, they make a surprisingly nice fragrance. I included 1 of them, and my sister included as many as 4!!

Struggling to choose scents? Advice from the Muhwawon perfumer

The reason I recommend Muhwawon most is the kind perfumer!!! (Seriously the best••) I was having a hard time deciding that day, and all the scents smelled the same to me, so blending was difficult.

But the perfumer smelled each blending sample together with me and described the aroma and the feeling of each one…. Thank you so much ㅠㅠ Thanks to those specific descriptions, I was able to make exactly the perfume I wanted.

It's not pushy at all, either. If you'd rather make yours alone, you can fully focus on your own time, whether you're alone or two. It's just right as a Bukchon date course. Unlike other perfume workshops, the conversation doesn't feel burdensome, which is another plus!!

Our freesia, yuzu and pear perfume: 'Even if the Freesia Hasn't Bloomed Yet'

At Muhwawon, once the blending is done, you choose a title that suits the scent, and they print it so you can stick it on your perfume. So sentimental…. I added a little yuzu, pear and woody notes to a freesia floral scent, making something floral but not too light, so I named it 'Even if the Freesia Hasn't Bloomed Yet' (프리지아 꽃은 아직 피진 않아도).

I love it so much ㅜㅠ I like the wrapping paper too~~ Oh! They said if you write a Naver review they'll also make a sample freshener for you, so I did it right away. Total win!! Such a good idea. They'd have to throw the samples away anyway, so giving them as a gift like this is great. Honestly, truly, my number-one pick among Seoul perfume workshops. Recommended, recommended!

Muhwawon Bukchon Perfume Workshop: final verdict

I fell for the atmosphere of Muhwawon Bukchon Perfume Workshop the second I opened the door, and I was really satisfied with the variety of premium materials and the perfumer explaining each scent so carefully! Even if describing scents is hard, you can find the one you want by smelling together, and naming my own perfume at the end made it even more special haha

If you want a special experience, this is a Bukchon date course I'd recommend. If you're looking for a Seoul perfume workshop where you can make your own perfume in a lovely space, give it a visit! It was a Bukchon perfume workshop where the two of us could focus on our time together, so I strongly recommend it as a Jongno date course too :)