Puzzlewood is a signature fragrance created to capture the tranquil essence of Amore Seongsu—a quiet garden hidden in the heart of the city.
Born from a project to develop a unique ambient scent for the space, Puzzlewood began with research into finding the perfect olfactory match for Amore Seongsu’s atmosphere.
Throughout the development process, we invited store visitors to be part of the journey, sharing behind-the-scenes stories and progress through social media.
The result was a fragrance that not only embodies the character of Amore Seongsu but also stands on its own as a captivating scent. Following growing interest
and continued inquiries from customers experiencing the scent in-store, we spent eight months preparing for the official release.
Eventually, we launched Puzzlewood in the form of a diffuser and incense sticks.
This article will share the story behind the scent’s conception—from the planning and scent-finding process to the collaboration with the Corporate Creative Team on product design and key visuals, and finally the in-store launch.
Making story #1
How it became to a real life
At the Creative Center, there’s a program called Creative Partners (CP)—a platform that allows anyone to bring an idea to life, even if it’s outside
their official role. Puzzlewood began with a simple vision: to convey the essence of Amore Seongsu through that first step into the space, the first breath you take.
Through CP, this vision evolved into a fragrance—and eventually, a product. With the support of an in-house fragrance brand, CP connected us to a
perfumer. From there, we started building scent samples—beginning not with ingredients, but with the words and emotions that would tell our story.
One of Amore Seongsu’s defining spaces is the Seongsu Garden—a hidden, forest-like sanctuary in the middle of a stark industrial area. It’s where
busy city dwellers pause, breathe, and find stillness. Each evening, the lights in the store dim, inviting visitors to wind down and reflect at the close of their day.
As I began to visualize this space, the fog of where to begin started to lift. Writing down the feelings—the light, the temperature, the moisture
in the air—helped me piece together the fragments of Puzzlewood. Slowly, the scattered ideas started forming a complete picture.
Making story #2
We named it as ‘Puzzlewood’
Imagining Seongsu-dong—a place where industrial grit and trendy charm coexist in an oddly harmonious way—I crafted a fragrance persona.
“A boy working in a blacksmith’s shop. Small in frame, his freckled face marked by the early morning hours. As the sun rises and
filters through the shop, a wave of restlessness washes over him. Yearning to escape, he slips through the narrow back alleys,
running without direction. Then, he stumbles upon a hidden garden—silent, untouched, as if no one has ever stepped foot inside.
A space where the raw vitality of flowers and trees lingers, unshaped by human hands. There, the boy takes his first breath of freedom… and drifts into a peaceful sleep.”
Let’s capture that first breath and the serenity of his deep slumber—through scent.
Making story #3
Finally, it’s getting started
At the end of a quiet city alley, a boy stumbled upon a humble yet vibrant garden. In the citrusy freshness of morning air, he found clarity.
In the depth of neroli, a sense of calm. Perhaps, as we navigate the city’s rhythm, each of us needs a garden—a space to pause, breathe,
and reconnect with our passion for life. Even if it exists only in our imagination.
– Top Note: The crisp freshness of early sunlight breaking through the dawn
– Heart Note: A quiet calm found in the gentle whispers of garden greens
– Base Note: The moist breath of moss and the deep vitality of wood
Making story #4
Heart note, Not Middle note
Perfume is a medium that lets us shape our thoughts and moods at will. Among its three layers—the top,
heart, and base notes—we chose to place the story we most wanted to tell right in the middle.
So really, isn’t it only fitting to call it the Heart Note?
TOP NOTE:
Bergamot, Grapefruit, Fig, Tomato Leaf
HEART NOTE:
Citrus, eucalyptus, neroli
BASE NOTE:
Cedarwood, Musk
Making story #5
Umm,,,
Once the fragrance ingredients were finalized, Puzzlewood quickly took shape and officially became the signature scent of Amore Seongsu.
The customer response was overwhelming. As soon as people entered the space, inquiries about the scent poured in—many even asked if it
was available for purchase. Seeing this enthusiastic response, our CP project, which had started with the goal of a product launch, suddenly took a more serious turn.
The Creative Strategy Team took charge of product development and visuals, the Brand Creative 4 Team led the package design, and our team
focused on planning and the offline launch. All three teams worked in close coordination.
After eight months of preparation, the final result launched on March 1, 2022: a diffuser, incense sticks, and a custom object to house them.
Leading up to the launch, we shared behind-the-scenes development stories and emphasized that the products were created in response to customer
requests—naturally building buzz through the Amore Seongsu Instagram and Makers accounts.
Making story #6
Off-line exclusive
Creating the visual props to capture the product’s (extensive) story actually took less time than expected—probably because I had spent so much time at
Amore Seongsu. Seongsu Garden isn’t just a patch of green moss, grass, and trees. It’s not the kind of greenery you’d find carefully tended in a greenhouse.
Instead, it’s life flourishing between concrete buildings in an industrial area—a setting that feels both warm and cold, raw yet comforting. During the
three-week pop-up, artificial grass seemed like the most practical and low-maintenance way to express Puzzlewood, inspired by Seongsu Garden. But it
wasn’t enough to capture the image I had in mind. Then I came across an artwork made of yarn that resembled grass, and it sparked an idea. I used that
as a motif to create an object that truly evoked the feeling of a primeval forest from which Puzzlewood might emerge.
To present the product from a high vantage point, I placed the empty bottle on the ground, all the while quietly muttering to myself, “Please don’t step on it.”
Making story #7
Sold-out
To increase customer touchpoints within a 200-square-meter space housing 2,000 products, we took a more aggressive
approach to product placement. Additional scent diffusion was installed at the reception area, posters were displayed both
inside and outside the store, and Puzzlewood was strategically placed at the beginning of the product display path. We also
positioned it in the final pickup zone to guide customers through a seamless experience—from scent to visual, to testing, to purchase.
As a result, we completely sold out the first batch of diffusers in just 27 days! (Don’t worry—incense sticks are still available.)
Outro
Can ideas go beyond job titles? What started with uncertainty ended in excitement. This project reminded me of just how powerful
collaboration can be—and watching a product we planned go viral and sell out brought a deep sense of pride in being part of the center.
Even now, the refreshing scent of Puzzlewood lingers at my desk. And I can’t help but think—yes, this is truly satisfying.
