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Most fragrances are designed to be liked. Easy, agreeable, instantly familiar. The kind of scent that earns a quick compliment and blends into everything else on the shelf.
BORNTOSTANDOUT was built on the opposite idea.
Founded by Jun Lim, the Seoul-based fragrance house doesn’t aim for universal approval. Instead, it leans into something far more specific: scent as a form of expression, tension, and, at times, contradiction. These are fragrances that don’t just register as “nice.” They hold your attention and invite a second thought.
Before launching the brand, Lim spent years as a collector, drawn not to what was technically perfect, but to what felt alive. What he found instead was a category that, even at its most elevated, had started to play it safe.
That absence became the starting point for BORNTOSTANDOUT.
We chatted with Lim about building a fragrance house rooted in identity, the stories behind the scents, and why the most compelling fragrances aren’t made for everyone.
In Conversation with Jun Lim, Founder of BORNTOSTANDOUT
For someone discovering BORNTOSTANDOUT for the first time, how would you describe what you’ve built in your own words? I’ve built a brand for people who don’t want to dilute themselves… BORNTOSTANDOUT® is not about smelling “nice.” It’s about smelling like you actually have a point of view. Every scent is meant to feel like a big statement, something that says a little more than you’re supposed to.
You were a collector before a founder. What were you chasing in a scent that you couldn’t find? I was chasing something that felt a bit dangerous, to get closer and true to the term ‘niche perfumery’. Many fragrances even in the niche perfume industry in the past decade were technically beautiful, but emotionally safe, with every inch of their edge rounded. I wanted something that makes me pause, something slightly uncomfortable (+ unhinged!) but addictive. Something that draws a strong reaction, an actual feedback. That tension was missing, so I decided to create one myself.
At what point did you realize that “mass appeal” wasn’t the goal for you? Very early. I realized that the more a fragrance tries to please everyone, the less it says anything. I would rather be deeply loved by a few than mildly liked by many. Mass appeal often comes at the cost of personality, and personality is everything in fragrance.
Do your fragrance names typically come before the composition, or do they emerge once the scent is fully formed? The story always comes first. A real, personal story. I strongly believe the more personal something is, the more original it becomes, and strangely, the more universal it feels. From there, the name follows. The story almost tells me what it wants to be called. And only after that does the composition come to life. The name is never a decoration. It’s not there to make things sound pretty. It’s part of the experience, it sets the tone before you even smell the fragrance.
Which name/fragrance are you most proud of, from both a creative and conceptual standpoint? DIRTY RICE. It’s simple, familiar, and slightly provocative at the same time. It takes something comforting and twists it just enough to make you look twice. That balance between intimacy and tension is very much the DNA of the brand.
Which fragrances have become your top sellers and did that surprise you? DRUNK LOVERS is our global bestseller. It didn’t surprise me, but I was curious how widely it would resonate. It sits in that sweet spot, emotional, sensual, but still wearable. It proves that people are ready for personality, as long as it feels authentic.
If someone is discovering BORNTOSTANDOUT® for the first time, which fragrance would you personally tell them to start with and why? DRUNK LOVERS or DIRTY RICE. Both are very “us,” but in different ways. One is more extroverted and expressive, the other more intimate and addictive. Together, they give you a clear sense of the brand’s range. SHOP DRUNK LOVERS HERE and DIRTY RICE HERE
Is there a fragrance in your collection that you think deserves more attention than it gets? DIRTY HEAVEN, my idea of what heaven ‘should’ smell like. It’s complex, layered, and a little bit naughty. It’s not the easiest scent, but the ones that take time often stay with you longer. My love for this fragrance over the past 3 years only has grown.
Which fragrance do you think best represents the DNA of the brand? NAKED LAUNDRY. It captures that contrast I love, something that feels beautiful and slightly wrong at the same time. Clean meets animalic, comfort meets tension. That push and pull is everything.
When you begin creating a fragrance, what comes first, the emotion, the concept, or the ingredient? Emotion always comes first, specifically the emotion tied to a real story. If there’s no feeling, no story, then there’s no reason for the fragrance to exist. The concept shapes that emotion, and only then do the ingredients follow. I never start with “what smells good.” I start with “what should this make someone feel?”
Are there any designers, brands, or creatives right now that you think are doing something genuinely interesting? I’m always drawn to creators who are building worlds, not just products. Whether it’s in fashion, art, or fragrance, the ones that stand out are those who are consistent in their vision and slightly indifferent to trends. That kind of conviction is rare, and very powerful.
