What Do Korean Celebrities Smell Like?
From Karina's black tea perfume to Huh Yunjin's unusual fig-and-pistachio combination, here's what some of Korea's biggest stars have shared about the fragrances they wear.
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We know a surprising amount about Korean celebrities. We know what they wear to the airport, which lip products they keep in their bags, and sometimes even what they order for lunch. But there's one thing we can't figure out from a photograph or video: what they smell like.
And I'm curious. Not necessarily because I want to smell like my favorite celebrity, but because perfume is such a personal choice. You can have an entire team deciding what you wear for a photoshoot, but the fragrance you reach for before leaving the house might be something you've loved for years. Or maybe it's something you discovered last week.
Of course, celebrities have perfume endorsements, too, which makes it difficult to know what's genuinely part of their routine and what's simply a brand partnership. But every now and then, someone shares their fragrance in an interview or pulls a bottle out during a beauty video. And those little details can be surprisingly interesting.
So, what do Korean celebrities actually wear? Here are a few fragrances they've talked about, from familiar luxury favorites to some combinations I wouldn't have thought to try.
From Black Tea to Roses: What aespa Wears
In August 2026, The FADER caught up with aespa at Lollapalooza and asked the members about their perfumes. Their answers were quite different from one another.
Karina wears Le Labo Thé Noir 29, a black tea-inspired fragrance with fig, bergamot, and woody notes. Despite the name, it doesn't smell much like an ordinary cup of black tea. The fig gives it a slightly fruity quality, while the tea and woods keep it dry and a little earthy. It's an interesting choice for someone whose public image is often so polished and futuristic.
Giselle, meanwhile, wears Frédéric Malle Portrait of a Lady. This is a much richer fragrance, with rose, patchouli, and incense. It's one of those perfumes with a strong presence, particularly if you aren't used to deeper rose scents. And while it's certainly not for everyone, it has developed quite a following among fragrance enthusiasts.
The other members had their own preferences. Ningning mentioned BVLGARI Blue, while Winter was described as wearing a blue-bottled citrus fragrance from Kilian Paris. Although the interview didn't identify the exact perfume, Winter had previously revealed Kilian Flower of Immortality in an April 2025 W Korea video. She explained that she prefers lighter scents and doesn't wear perfume particularly often, which makes her fragrance choices especially interesting.
The Perfumes They Reach For
One of the more memorable celebrity fragrance routines I've come across belongs to LE SSERAFIM's Huh Yunjin.
In her Vogue Beauty Secrets video, Yunjin showed viewers how she combines two perfumes: Diptyque Philosykos Eau de Toilette and KAYALI Yum Pistachio Gelato 33 Eau de Parfum Intense.
Philosykos is inspired by the fig tree, with a green, woody scent that includes the leaves as much as the fruit. Yum Pistachio Gelato, on the other hand, is sweeter and creamier, with pistachio, marshmallow, and other gourmand notes.
I probably wouldn't have thought to put those two together, but that's what makes the combination interesting. Yunjin explained that she likes the smell of figs and finds the fig-and-pistachio pairing comforting. As Teen Vogue reported, she even demonstrated how she applies the fragrances.
It's a good example of how perfume layering can make a familiar scent feel more personal. Rather than choosing between something green and something sweet, she's decided she likes both together.
ITZY's Yuna has also shared some of her fragrance preferences. According to Allure Korea, she revealed Kilian Angels' Share on her YouTube channel. It's a warm, sweet fragrance with a distinctive cognac note, cinnamon, and vanilla. Think more spiced dessert than fresh flowers.
Yuna has also reportedly spoken about loving Chanel Gabrielle Essence, which is quite different from Angels' Share. Gabrielle Essence is a luminous floral fragrance, while Angels' Share is considerably richer and sweeter. Apparently, even people with a favorite perfume don't always stick to one particular scent family.
For ATEEZ's Yunho, the choice is Diptyque Orphéon Eau de Parfum. He was seen applying it in a get-ready-with-me video while touring Europe, as reported by Teen Vogue.
Orphéon has notes of juniper berries, jasmine, cedar, and tonka bean. It's woody, slightly powdery, and has a softness that makes it feel quite different from the sharper, more traditionally masculine colognes you might expect.
The fragrance is named after a Parisian bar connected to Diptyque's history, which I find almost as interesting as the scent itself. Perfume brands love telling stories, but Diptyque's connection to Paris gives this particular one some history behind it.
Then there's SEVENTEEN's Joshua, who talked about his interest in perfume in an October 2026 interview with Vogue Korea.
Joshua said Tom Ford White Suede is one of the fragrances he always packs when traveling, while Tom Ford Tobacco Chocolat is a current favorite. White Suede has a soft, musky character, whereas Tobacco Chocolat leans into darker, warmer notes.
He also mentioned that his mother helped spark his interest in fragrance. I liked that detail more than the perfume recommendations themselves. It's easy to forget how often our taste in scent comes from people around us, especially when we're young.
The interview was part of a Tom Ford Beauty-sponsored feature, so it's worth keeping that context in mind. Still, Joshua's comments about his fragrance habits give readers something more specific than a standard campaign photograph.
When a Celebrity's Perfume Is Also a Brand Partnership
This brings us to Kim Woo-bin, whose fragrance was featured in a June 2026 Allure Korea article.
The magazine identified Acqua di Parma Fico Di Amalfi La Riserva Eau de Parfum as his favorite fragrance. It's a fig-based perfume inspired by the Amalfi Coast, combining fruit and citrus with warmer notes.
What's interesting is that we've now encountered two very different fig fragrances in the same article. Yunjin's Philosykos emphasizes the green, leafy side of the fig tree, while Fico Di Amalfi La Riserva takes a brighter, more Mediterranean approach.
The Kim Woo-bin feature was sponsored by Acqua di Parma, so I wouldn't treat it exactly like Yunjin casually showing viewers what she wears in a beauty video. That doesn't mean the preference isn't genuine, but it does mean the information comes from a different context.
And I think that's an important distinction when reading about celebrity fragrances in general. Someone appearing in a perfume campaign doesn't automatically make that perfume their everyday signature scent. At the same time, a celebrity can genuinely enjoy a product they promote. We just can't always tell how much of the recommendation comes from personal preference and how much comes from the partnership.
For that reason, I find the smaller, less polished details especially interesting: Yunjin explaining her unusual layering combination, Yunho spraying Orphéon before going out, or Joshua talking about how his mother influenced his interest in perfume.
They're the sorts of details that make fragrance feel less like another celebrity endorsement and more like something people actually enjoy.
Of course, knowing which perfume a celebrity wears doesn't mean we'll smell exactly like them. And there's always the possibility that their favorite fragrance has changed since the interview.
But the next time I pass a perfume counter, I might be a little more tempted to try Thé Noir 29 or see what happens when fig meets pistachio.
Mostly because now I'm curious.
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