Hotteok Nominated for Art and Olfaction Awards | KST SCENT

Hotteok, Art and Olfaction Awards Nomination

We’re really happy to share this
Hotteok by KST SCENT has been nominated for the 12th Art and Olfaction Awards

What Hotteok Means to Us

Hotteok is a beloved Korean winter dessert. a golden pancake filled with brown sugar syrup and nuts.

It’s not just about the smell

It’s about that moment
Holding something warm in your hands
Steam rising into cold air
Feeling close to people around you

That’s what we wanted to translate into scent

From Memory to Fragrance

Hotteok was created to feel like a memory

The warmth
The sweetness that doesn’t feel heavy
The quiet comfort of something familiar

Who We Are

KST SCENT was created by
James Nguyen and Kael Jeong

We’re a queer Asian immigrant fragrance house

A lot of what we create comes from navigating different worlds at the same time
Culture, memory, identity

What This Nomination Feels Like

This nomination means a lot to us

Not just because of the award
But because something so specific
A Korean street dessert
A small personal memory

Can connect with people beyond where it started

Thank You

To everyone who has supported us
worn our scents
shared them
or even just been curious

And lastly, we want to take a moment to congratulate the other finalists who were recognized alongside us this year.

Being part of this group is an honor in itself, and we’re grateful to be included among such thoughtful and distinct voices in perfumery.

Finalists:

• Aethi Opum by Maya Njie — Perfumer: Maya Njie
• Ambrosia by Aysha Hansen Fine Fragrances — Perfumer: Aysha Hansen
• Dandelion Butter by Clue Perfumery — Perfumer: Laura Oberwetter (with Caleb Vanden Boom)
• Death by Vanity by Rivendare — Perfumer: David Clarke
• DinoS’mores by House of Mammoth — Perfumer: Benjamin Esposito (with Nate Audette)
• Eclipse by Ermetiche Fragranze — Perfumer: Raffaella Meccheri
• Hoàng Trà by Maison de Nguyễn — Perfumer: Nguyen Do (with Chu Tran)
• Hotteok by KST SCENT — Perfumer: James Nguyen (with Kael Jeong, Minhy Pham)
• Snippid by House of Mammoth — Perfumer: Benjamin Esposito
• Vanitas by LVNEA Perfume — Perfumer: April Lea

We also want to recognize this year’s Artisan Honorable Mentions:

• Lamphun Gold by Perfumers’ Journey — Perfumer: Sakul Pawasuttikul
• Mezcal & Masa by Aether Arts Perfume — Perfumer: Amber Jobin
• Niveous Muse by Kase — Perfumer: George
• Plastic Flower by RAW CONTRAST — Perfumer: Hwal Kim
• UNMEI by OCO PARFUM — Perfumer: Moon Li