Rainy weekday perfume class in Jongno: wild grape 'Sanmeoru', Muhwawon

I visited Muhwawon, a perfume workshop in Seoul near Anguk Station where you choose scents and blend your own perfume. You can even try special scents inspired by Korean nature and tradition, so I'd recommend it to anyone interested in making perfume, and to anyone looking for a Bukchon date course or an offbeat activity. Let's get straight to the review!

Muhwawon perfume workshop location and opening hours

Muhwawon is at 23 Yulgok-ro 6-gil, Jongno-gu, Seoul, on the 3rd floor (Unni-dong 38-2), and it's open every day from 12:00 to 22:00. It says groups, reservations, simple payment and parking are all available.

It's a 6-minute walk from Anguk Station Exit 4 and a 7-minute walk from Jongno 3-ga Station Exit 6. It's also close to the trendy Seosunra-gil, so it pairs nicely with a Bukchon date.

What is the Muhwawon workshop like inside?

Muhwawon is a perfume workshop near Changdeokgung Palace that blends a traditional mood with trendy sensibility, and I loved the calm, quiet atmosphere inside.

I went on a weekday and every seat was still taken, it's that popular. Seeing it in person, I understood why it's so well known as a Seoul perfume workshop.

Muhwawon perfume class prices and how to book

A premium 50ml perfume at Muhwawon is ₩49,000, and you can make diffusers and car fresheners too, so you can pick the experience that suits you!

• Premium perfume 50ml: ₩49,000
• Premium car diffuser 120ml: ₩59,000
• Premium room diffuser 230ml: ₩69,000
• Premium perfume + perfume: ₩79,000
• Premium perfume + car diffuser: ₩89,000
• Premium perfume + room diffuser: ₩99,000
• Premium room diffuser + car diffuser: ₩109,000

It's so popular that seats fill up even on weekdays, so I'd recommend booking through Naver if you want a specific time~!

How does the Muhwawon perfume-making class work?

The session takes about 1 hour 30 minutes on average. My boyfriend and I sat side by side and started the perfume-making experience.

It starts with a short Q&A. They'll also help you take photos if you like, but on the day I visited it was busy and they said they couldn't, which was a little disappointing 🥲

Before making anything, you first hear a basic explanation of what perfume is built on. With that groundwork, choosing and combining scents felt much easier and more fun.

Step 1: Picking the scent moods that appeal to you

The first step was choosing the scent moods I was drawn to that day.

They told us, "Check everything you like!" so I happily ticked away, and when I came to my senses I'd checked a ton, hahaha

Step 2: Smelling 48 scents, from hanji paper to herbal medicine and temple incense

The second step was smelling 48 scents and choosing the ones I wanted. What impressed me is that, unlike other perfume workshops, Muhwawon offers modern takes on distinctly Korean scents. There were scents capturing the feel of Korean nature, like hanji (traditional Korean paper), herbal medicine and temple incense, which gave it a different kind of charm.

Under each scent there was a description related to the scent mood I'd chosen earlier, and using that as a reference made choosing much easier.

Smelling lots of scents in a row can tire your nose, and they told us that sniffing coffee beans helps reset your sense of smell! Sniffing coffee beans in between let me compare the different scents a bit more accurately.

Step 3: Narrowing down scents with the perfumer

Next, based on the scent moods I'd ticked and the scents I'd picked, I talked with the Muhwawon perfumer. We went through the mood and taste I wanted one by one, compared several scents, and the perfumer picked out only the ones that suited us best.

I was most drawn to scents that felt cozy and sweet, while my boyfriend, maybe because it was a rainy day, wanted a woody scent reminding him of a clean forest, hahaha

Step 4: Mixing drop by drop and adjusting the ratio

Now you pick the scents you'll actually use for blending from the ones narrowed down in the consultation.

First I put in one drop of each chosen scent, mixed them, and smelled how they felt together.

I liked the first blend, but I told the perfumer I was drawn to something even cozier and sweeter. The perfumer carefully adjusted the ratio to my taste, and smelling again each time to find the one I liked best was really fun.

After three rounds of smelling, the final decision!

Step 5: Weighing the final 50ml blend and naming the perfume

Now you use a scale to do the final blend and make 50ml of perfume.

After blending, the perfumer handles the final finishing, and meanwhile you decide the name of the perfume you made. All through the process I kept adding and removing the 'Sanmeoru' (wild grape) scent, and the name kept circling in my head, hahaha. In the end I named my perfume 'Sanmeoru' too.

While the perfume is being finished, if you join the Naver review event they'll make you a mini freshener as well, at no extra cost. Definitely take part!

Finally, you stick on a label with the name you chose, and your one-of-a-kind perfume is complete ✨

Can you remake your Muhwawon perfume later?

Muhwawon keeps your blend ratio for up to 2 years, so even after you finish the perfume you can come back any time and have the same scent remade. I was really happy about this too!

How does Muhwawon package the perfume?

The packaging is really pretty too, isn't it? 🥹 It feels so luxurious that it was like receiving a gift.

Muhwawon perfume class in Jongno: final verdict

Choosing and blending scents myself to make a one-of-a-kind perfume at Muhwawon was a really special time. The perfumer was kind and helpful, so even first-timers can enjoy it without pressure, and being able to remake the same scent for up to 2 years was great too. If you're looking for a perfume workshop in Seoul or an Anguk date course, I recommend Muhwawon! ✨