South Korea’s premium fragrance market has doubled since 2019 to approximately $800m, according to Euromonitor. This is a remarkable development in a historically skincare-dominated beauty culture.
The growth is primarily driven by millenials and Gen Z using scent for self-expression. They buy perfumes as “small luxuries”, affordable indulgences in uncertain economic times. This is backed by data from Daxue Consulting showing that 70% of customers of brands like Diptyque and Byredo were in their 20s and 30s in Korea.
This boom of fragrances is notably driven by “niche fragrances” with the top three brands among PERFUMIST users in South Korea in 2024 being Diptyque, Byredo and Jo Malone. In particular, top perfumes where Mojave Ghost Edp from Byredo, Blanche Edp from Byredo and Blackberry & Bay Edc by Jo Malone.
Clean and subtle scents like floral, woody and citrus and top notes such as musk, rose and jasmine dominate customer preferences. This aligns with cultural norms favoring discreet, wellness-oriented aromas.
Beyond the success of international fragrance brands in Korea, domestic Korean brands are gaining global recognition. Notably Born to Stand Out secured investment from L’Oréal in 2025 and recently entered Paris’ La Samaritaine. Could the next big wave of Korean beauty be Korean perfume?