Perfume workshop date in Bukchon, Seoul: blend top-to-base notes, UMTM

Not sure where to go for a Bukchon date? There are lots of workshops among the things to do in Bukchon, so let me tell you about a perfume workshop in Seoul that's genuinely great for couples!

I'm bringing you the story of UMTM (움틈), a Seoul perfume workshop where I loved everything: the interior, the mood, the activity and the result!

• My own visit to UMTM, a perfume workshop in Seoul
• Why it works as a Bukchon date course
• Why I recommend it among the things to do in Bukchon

Where is UMTM, the Bukchon perfume workshop?

UMTM is a perfume workshop on the second floor of a building on Samcheong-ro 2-gil in Jongno, Seoul, tucked inside Bukchon Hanok Village. Location matters most when you're hunting for a perfume workshop in Seoul, and being inside the hanok village gives it a really lovely atmosphere.

It surprised me because it's right next to Dot Blanket, one of my all-time favorite restaurants that I go to a lot! The moment you step into the alley you feel the quiet, sentimental mood, and there are plenty of good photo spots. UMTM also has a rooftop, so you can enjoy a Bukchon view.

If you're planning a Bukchon date, this is my number one must-go! It's walkable from Samcheong-dong and Anguk, so planning the route was easy too.

Is a perfume workshop date okay if you're not good with your hands?

The biggest plus of a perfume workshop date is that you don't need any craft skills. If you've been agonizing over a workshop date in Seoul, not being good with your hands is probably your biggest worry, but making perfume has none of that pressure!

Perfume is also great value: for about what you'd pay to buy a perfume, you can make your own scent. After one perfume workshop date in Seoul, you'll probably end up making it every time instead of buying!

It's that much fun, and you'll really use the result, so it's far more worthwhile than a regular café date. Making something together stays in your memory much longer.

How does the perfume-making class at UMTM work?

Perfume making at UMTM goes in this order: choose the mood you want, choose top, middle and base notes, then blend. It was my first time at a perfume workshop in Seoul, and the process was more structured than I expected.

Step 1: Choose the mood you want to create

First you pick the feeling you want to create. Looking back at this step at the very end, I was amazed that the result really did come out that way.

Step 2: Choose top, middle and base notes

You smell the scents one by one and pick your top, middle and base notes, and comparing tastes with the person you came with is part of the fun.

Step 3: Blend the scents into your own perfume

Next you blend the scents you want into your own perfume. The staff explain everything kindly, so even beginners can follow along without trouble!

My scent felt light at first, but as time passed it lingered softly, and that was exactly my taste.

Maybe because I made it myself, I felt even more attached to it.

How to combine UMTM into a Bukchon date course

The route I recommend to anyone looking for things to do in Bukchon: stroll around Bukchon or Anguk Station, make perfume at UMTM, then eat in Samcheong-dong.

Dot Blanket, right next to UMTM as I mentioned, is great, and there are plenty of good restaurants around, so it's perfect for a full-day date. A Bukchon day out isn't just restaurants and cafés; you can visit workshops like this too, which makes it one of the best neighborhoods to spend a day in!

UMTM especially is a place I want to keep going back to. If you're weighing a workshop date in Seoul, I recommend following this exact course!

Taking the perfume home: what I liked

The perfume made at UMTM is something you can actually use, so among Bukchon activities it's a date course that's good value too.

I loved that the memory carries on all the way to the moment you use your own perfume at home. They also thoughtfully let you have a portable mini perfume to carry around, which I liked even more.

Next time, instead of a perfume for myself, I want to make one I think would suit my partner! Blending while thinking about their taste sounds like another kind of fun, so I'm already looking forward to my next visit.