🎵 The Beginning of MEDLEY
Interview with the Co-founders – The Story Behind Medley
Asking Sena – The Birth of Medley
🌱 Introduction & Journey
Q. Could you briefly introduce yourself and Medley?
S: Hello, I’m Sena, co-founder of Medley, a brand that connects music and fragrance. Music and scents have always been a big part of my life, and Medley was born as a brand that links the two.
Q. What path did you take before creating Medley? When did your interest in fragrance begin?
S: I majored in French at university and then went to Paris on a working holiday. After returning to Korea, I worked at a cosmetics company where I met Mélina, and we’ve maintained a valuable relationship ever since. I’ve always had a sensitive nose and a discerning taste in scents, so I’d always try different fragrances whenever I visited department stores or perfume shops. Then, attending a Harry Styles concert with Mélina and talking about music naturally sparked the idea to create a brand that connects music and fragrance. That’s how Medley, which carries our story, was born.
💡 Ideas & Brand Creation
Q. What inspired you to connect music and fragrance when there are so many other ideas?
S: I felt that simply creating a “nice fragrance” wouldn’t make our brand stand out among countless perfume brands. While searching for a unique concept, we discovered our shared passion for music. The moment we realized we could connect fragrance and music, I knew, “This is it,” and from there we quickly refined the brand’s direction.
Q. What was the driving force behind the brand’s creation?
S: Honestly, the biggest motivation was a sense of frustration with our previous jobs. Like many office workers, we wanted to try something new. Seeing friends of our age create their own brands and outsource production through our company inspired us. Watching them take on challenges we thought were impossible made us realize, “We can do this too,” and gradually we could define Medley’s direction more concretely.
🤝 Roles & Collaboration
Q. How do you divide roles as co-founders?
S: Most tasks are shared evenly. Since I’m Korean, I handle administrative matters in Korea, while Mélina manages communication with French designers. Other tasks, like packaging, marketing, and vendor management, are divided flexibly depending on the situation.
Q. What do you most admire about each other when working together?
S: I tend to move quickly when an idea comes up, while Mélina is more cautious and considers the budget and bigger picture. So when I focus on a single detail, she helps me see the whole forest. Our different personalities actually create balance and allow us to move forward in a healthier direction.
🎼 Music & Sensibility
Q. What values do you want Medley to convey?
S: I want Medley to be more than just a fragrance brand; I want it to connect music and scent to offer new experiences. Through various music-related projects in the future, I hope Medley becomes a brand that consumers can cherish and experience for a long time.
Q. Has music been an important part of your personal life?
S: For me, music is not just a hobby; it’s the core of my life and a source of happiness. I spend at least two hours a day with music, whether commuting or exercising. Growing up learning multiple instruments has also shaped my identity. Even as an adult, I continue my passion for music, and last year I started learning bass guitar. Music constantly inspires me, and that sensitivity became the starting point of Medley. Just as music enriches my life, I hope Medley can bring small joys and resonance into people’s daily lives.
🌍 Challenges & Growth
Q. What challenges did you face as a bicultural brand spanning Korea and France, and how did you overcome them?
S: Administrative matters were the main challenge. Establishing a company as a Korean and a foreign co-founder made the procedures a bit complex. It took time, but we solved them step by step. Also, in website development and product creation, we didn’t just focus on the Korean market. We carefully planned everything with the ambition to eventually launch in France too. From the start, we wanted Medley to go beyond a small Korean brand and expand globally.
Q. What has been the most surprising or rewarding moment since launching the brand?
S: The most surprising and rewarding moments are when our concept of “the combination of music and fragrance” is immediately understood by consumers, and they say, “It’s really unique.” Many brands struggle to communicate their message clearly, but we experience amazement, emotion, and pride every time our simple yet original idea is conveyed without complex explanations.
💬 Cultural Sensitivity & Collaboration
Q. Perfume use is said to differ culturally in Korea. How did you reflect this sensitivity in the brand?
S: In France and other Western countries, people often use perfume to mask stronger body odors. So fragrances tend to be stronger and more intense. In Korea, however, perfume is often used to express one’s mood or personality rather than mask odor. I wanted to create fragrances that, like music, express emotions and moods of the day.
Q. How did you perceive French people’s attitudes toward perfume?
S: Honestly, when I was in France, I didn’t see many people my age wearing perfume often. Maybe they did, and I just didn’t notice. However, older people in office attire seemed to wear stronger scents. Personally, I found some of those scents a bit overpowering for my taste (laughs).
Q. Has any musical style or life moment in France or Korea directly inspired the perfumes in this collection?
S: Yes, especially for the POP fragrance. The Harry Styles concert in Korea during the year our brand started was a big inspiration. While pop covers various genres, his performance was energetic and lively, which inspired a vibrant and playful fragrance. Personally, since I listen to a lot of pop, I wanted to make it my favorite scent, and now it’s already my fifth time using it ; it’s become my ultimate favorite.
Q. How has collaborating with your French co-founder helped you personally or professionally?
S: I’m from Busan, so I tend to be a bit impatient (laughs). I act immediately when I decide to do something, and sometimes lack caution. Mélina is more careful, so our opinions or pace sometimes differ, but we always resolve it through dialogue. If I feel too rushed, I discuss it honestly the same day or the next. We also share a strong sense of responsibility and thoroughness in our tasks, which builds trust, we know the other will do well without constant checks.
🌈 Future Vision & Final Words
Q. What kind of brand do you want Medley to become?
S: I hope Medley becomes more than just a fragrance brand—it should be a bridge connecting people to memories and emotions related to music. If it can naturally blend into someone’s day like music, offering small comfort and inspiration, I’ll be truly happy. Even in creating new fragrances, I always want to focus on “people” and “music,” because a scent is only complete when it touches someone.
Q. Finally, is there a message for those who love Medley?
S: Medley is a brand born from the sincere friendship and love between Mélina and me. It’s still a small step, but we put our all into every process. I hope the scents of Medley leave lasting memories in your heart, and we would be truly grateful if you continue to follow Medley’s journey.
