Fragrance house

BTSO (Born to Stand Out)

BTSO (Born to Stand Out) is a Seoul-based Korean fragrance house founded by Jun Lim, a former investment banker and longtime fragrance collector. Lim established the company in 2020 and launched BORNTOSTANDOUT in April 2022, drawing on his relationship with fragrance and art after leaving investment banking and selling much of his art collection to fund the venture. Its identity centers on resisting imposed standards and expressing individuality through scent. The visual language combines white porcelain-inspired bottles with stark red accents, linked to Korean cultural references and used to evoke rebellion and taboo. Lim’s founder-led process develops stories, concepts, and briefs, works closely with perfumers, and follows each project from initial idea through completion except for technical work. Dirty Rice was the brand’s first fragrance, transforming the steamed rice associated with Lim’s Korean home life into a sensual, avant-garde scent. In 2023, Lim identified Drunk Saffron as the brand’s best-selling fragrance in the United States, followed by Indecent Cherry and Mud.