The Puzzlewood product launch was initiated through the Creative Center’s CP (Creative Partner) program and executed entirely through in-house
collaboration—from scent development and planning to design, filming, launch, and sales. Unlike typical product development processes, this
project required cross-functional teamwork, offering valuable insights into different business areas despite unexpected challenges.
Concept
Puzzlewood is a fragrance inspired by Amore Seongsu Garden, created to evoke a sense of rest and calm in the middle of the city. The product
aims to bring the garden’s soothing scent into daily living spaces, allowing customers to enjoy their own personal sanctuary.
Background
Originally developed by the Restore team as Amore Seongsu’s signature scent, Puzzlewood was handed over for productization. Since this would become the first
PB (Private Brand) product from Amore Seongsu, careful thought was given to ensuring the fragrance reflected the space’s identity. With its roots in Jeju’s
primeval forest, the scent of Puzzlewood had to carry the essence of the Seongsu Garden—a peaceful oasis amid an industrial district. The team explored questions
like: What role can this product play within Amore Seongsu and customers’ daily lives? What elements of Seongsu do customers love, and how can that translate into
a product? What would make the product feel worth purchasing? Although not part of the original Restore team, the Creative Center took extra steps to deeply
understand the space and its values. This led to strong decisions on product types, collaborations with artists, and project direction.
Process
The first products we were commissioned to develop were perfume, hand cream, diffuser, and room spray. After taking over the project, I worked closely with Yeo Ji-ye, who
was in charge of BM, to determine which products could be safely and quickly brought to market. Our goal was to rapidly produce items that reflected customer demand and
test their market viability. Because hand cream requires a minimum production volume of 10,000 units, and room spray demands extensive testing around spray power, usability,
and stability, those items were deprioritized due to time constraints. As a result, we selected the diffuser as the first product to launch. Additionally, we introduced incense
to offer customers a lifestyle product that allows them to experience PUZZLE WOOD’s fragrance in a new format, more aligned with their everyday routines.
The idea for the incense was inspired by the feeling you get when visiting an art museum or gallery—you see an exhibition, have a special experience, and want to buy merchandise
to hold onto that moment. Like a souvenir that captures the emotion of travel, we wanted this product to help customers relive their pleasant experience at Seongsu when they
returned home. In particular, Seongsu runs a daily ritual called “Seongsu Time” at 8 PM, where the lights in the garden lounge are dimmed, inviting visitors to slow down,
breathe, and focus inward while gazing at the greenery. That’s where the idea of linking the incense to Seongsu Time began. We developed the PUZZLE WOOD incense with a burn
time of approximately 30 minutes, used during Seongsu Time, hoping that customers who enjoyed that moment would be able to recreate the same feeling at home. Just like how a
souvenir brings back memories of a special trip, we wanted PUZZLE WOOD incense to carry the pleasant memories of Amore Seongsu—a scent that can spark a calm and comforting
memory, again and again.
We focused on selecting the right product categories and on how to create items that people would genuinely want to purchase and own. What fascinated us was how each customer
captured Seongsu Garden differently—each with their own unique perspective. Though everyone was looking at the same garden, they responded to different aspects and felt
different emotions. That led us to think: Even if it’s the same product infused with the PUZZLE WOOD scent, wouldn’t it be great if each customer could experience it as
their own personal version of PUZZLE WOOD? That idea inspired us to envision customers creating their own new scenes in their everyday spaces, and it naturally led to
the idea of one-of-a-kind objects created through artist collaborations.
The PUZZLE WOOD object collaboration was realized in partnership with two studios: WKND Lab and MOWANI GLASS. Once we decided to move forward with the collaboration,
we searched for object designs that would seamlessly complement the PUZZLE WOOD products. More importantly, we reached out to artists who shared the same values as our
brand and understood the spirit of Amore Seongsu—those who could visually express our vision. All of the artists we approached had distinct creative identities and a
strong sense of beauty, and we honestly wanted to collaborate with all of them. However, after careful consideration of timing and scope, we ultimately partnered with
two artists for this project.
MOWANI GLASS
MOWANI GLASS is a studio that breaks away from conventional forms to create uniquely shaped glass artworks. Their pieces are crafted using glass-blowing techniques, which
result in natural and raw textures, making every object truly one-of-a-kind. We felt that MOWANI GLASS was a perfect visual representation of the “individual beauty” that
both our brand and Amore Seongsu seek to express. What resonated most was how their transparent glass objects change appearance depending on the lighting—just like Seongsu
Garden, which transforms with the seasons, time of day, and the eye of the beholder.
WKND lab
WKND lab is a studio that puts “Material for Tomorrow” into practice through a commitment to sustainable design. They create handmade objects by finding new purpose in discarded
animal and plant materials—resources that still hold value despite being labeled as waste. We found a deep resonance between WKND lab and Amore Seongsu, a space that itself was
reborn from an old mechanic’s shop. The artists’ approach—discovering utility in the overlooked—reflects a sincere, future-facing philosophy. We felt this perfectly aligned
with our company’s mission to “beautify people and the world.”
The commissioned objects were designed to capture both the distinct signatures of the artists and the shared values of our brand and Amore Seongsu. They drew inspiration from
the PUZZLE WOOD fragrance and from their firsthand experience visiting Amore Seongsu. One standout creation was the incense holder by WKND lab—beautiful from every angle.
Inspired by the idea of personal storytelling, the holder was designed with multiple incense holes, allowing each user to curate their own unique scene.
Product
Since the fragrance developed for Amore Seongsu received such a positive response, we chose to commercialize it—and with that came the intent to design a product that focuses
entirely on the scent and its story. We began by placing particular emphasis on the fragrance name, ‘PUZZLE WOOD’, dedicating considerable time to selecting the right typeface.
We explored a wide range of fonts to capture the fragrance’s citrusy yet woody depth, as well as the mysterious nuance evoked by the name itself. We ultimately chose Kaftan,
a typeface with delicate, sharp serifs, a softness in the P and W, and confident vertical strokes—a font that visually translates the dual nature of PUZZLE WOOD’s character.
Graphics were minimized, serving only as subtle hints to the product’s contents. The product category was placed in the most visible position for instant recognition. To
reinforce the emotional narrative of the scent, we placed the fragrance story front and center on the box. We used the phrase “Seongsu Garden” to emphasize the inspiration
behind the scent and chose to label the “Heart Note” instead of the conventional “Middle Note,” all to ensure that every element of the design keeps the fragrance at the core.
Thoughts
This project came with its fair share of challenges—but just as many lessons. Because the development process differed from previous approaches, I was able to step
beyond my usual responsibilities and gain valuable experience across new areas. Though there were many unexpected obstacles and rounds of trial and error, the project
granted me the autonomy and decision-making power to bring the product to life in line with the original intent. Where I had previously focused on a single aspect—such
as design—this time I was involved from the ground up: from product category selection to branding, content, and communication. It was a truly meaningful and rewarding experience.
