Nonfiction collaborated with the pavilion to create a new eau de parfum called Odorama Cities, which aims to infuse emotion and inspiration into daily life through unique narratives and scent. The brand’s founder, Haeyoung Cha, believes that the project serves as a reminder of Korea’s extensive scent stories and history. The fragrance was created by legendary perfumer Dominique Ropion, who is known for some of the world’s most iconic fragrances.
Odorama Cities is housed in a small room adjacent to the pavilion, where a bronze sculpture emitting various scents is displayed on a glow-in-the-dark plinth. The figure, representing infinity, releases steam with different scents every two minutes. The fragrance’s main notes, such as sandalwood, mugwort, incense, and tuberose, reflect scent memories from Korea’s transition from agrarian to industrialized and urbanized society following the Korean War. Sandalwood, for example, evokes memories from the 1960s, while incense captures the subway’s cold air and night engines humming.
Dominique Ropion, the master perfumer behind Odorama Cities, admits that he had never visited Korea prior to this project, although he appreciates the darkness and cynicism of Korean cinema. Despite his lack of personal experience with the country, he was provided with photos and common smells of Korea to create the fragrance. Ropion describes this experience as traveling to a country solely through scent, which was a unique and challenging aspect of his four-decade career as a perfumer.
The fragrance market in Korea has seen significant growth in recent years, particularly among younger generations. In the catalog for Odorama Cities, critic Young June Lee discusses how Korea’s previous smells, such as those from industry, hospitals, and cars, have been regulated out of existence over the past three decades. This shift in scent culture has influenced the development and popularity of fragrances in Korea, creating new opportunities for perfumers like Ropion.
Odorama Cities serves as a chronicle of Korea’s history and cultural evolution through scent. The fragrance captures the essence of the country’s transition from traditional to modern society, reflecting the memories and stories of different generations. Through the collaboration between Nonfiction, the pavilion, and Dominique Ropion, Odorama Cities offers a unique olfactory experience that resonates with the emotions and inspirations of daily life in Korea.
Overall, the partnership between Nonfiction and the pavilion has led to the creation of Odorama Cities, a fragrance that embodies the essence of Korea’s scent stories and history. With master perfumer Dominique Ropion at the helm, the fragrance captures the unique transition of the country from agrarian to urbanized society following the Korean War. Through this collaboration, Odorama Cities offers a sensory journey through the scents and memories of Korea, providing a new perspective on the country’s cultural evolution and olfactory landscape.
