OUR STORY

About guleum

A quiet story of scent, memory, and handmade care.

guleum

guleum means “cloud” in Korean. Like a cloud floating gently across the sky, Guleum becomes a quiet part of everyday life, softly changing the atmosphere around you. Our scents are made to stay close to your daily moments, offering a small pause of comfort in the middle of busy days.

guleum meaning
2020 Tokyo

guleum begins

In a small studio in Tokyo, we started making candles with the wish to deliver warmth and comfort through scent.

guleum begins in Tokyo
2020

KCCA & JCA certification

Through certifications from the Korea Candle Craft Association (KCCA) and the Japan Candle Association (JCA), we learned the foundations and techniques of candle making.

KCCA and JCA certification
2020–2022

Pop-up / Market days in Japan

Many encounters at pop-up shops and markets became the roots that nurtured guleum.

Pop-up and market days
2023

Move to Chicago

Our first life abroad in Chicago was a time of seeing everyday scenery through a new lens, while experiencing differences in language, culture, and daily life. In an unfamiliar city, we found ourselves noticing the air of spring, the light of summer, the deepening of autumn, and the quietness of winter. Chicago winters were especially harsh, and we saw plants buried beneath the snow, quietly enduring the cold as they waited for spring. That experience taught us that even when the place changes, the feeling of being moved by the seasons remains the same. This realization became an important root of the world Guleum hopes to express through scent.

Chicago
2024

Move to Toronto

After moving from Chicago to Toronto, our life abroad slowly began to feel more settled. As we experienced the changing seasons in a new city, we started to notice how each season carries its own atmosphere, memories, and emotions. These quiet seasonal impressions gradually became the beginning of Guleum’s four seasonal scents: Spring, Summer, Autumn, and Winter.

Toronto
2026

A new chapter in Toronto

With gratitude and excitement, we look forward to creating more beautiful moments.

A new chapter in Toronto
MAKER PROFILE

石井 さあら / Saara Ishii
Born in Japan KCCA & JCA Certified

ひとつひとつ、心を込めて。

We handcraft each candle with care and quiet focus. From selecting fragrance and materials to the final touch, our maker pours intention into every detail.

The maker studied candle craft through KCCA and JCA, building a foundation in technique, safety, and thoughtful production.
DESIGN PHILOSOPHY

From the beginning, to this moment.

guleum first began with decorative candles inspired by Korean candle craft — pieces made to be displayed, touched, and enjoyed as part of the interior. Their shapes, colors, and soft textures brought a quiet charm to everyday spaces.

Over time, through new places, changing seasons, and life abroad, our focus slowly shifted. We began to care not only about how a candle looks, but how it changes the air around us.

Today, guleum creates scent-led candles made to be lit, lived with, and remembered — quiet seasonal scents that bring a small pause to everyday life.

Decorative candle beginnings
Then

Decorative candle pieces

Candles made to be displayed, touched, and enjoyed as part of the interior.

Current scent-led candles
Now

Scent-led seasonal candles

Candles made to be lit, lived with, and remembered through scent.

Moments to light guleum

Every moment becomes more meaningful with the gentle glow of guleum.

Weddings, Proposals
& Anniversaries

Weddings, Proposals
& Anniversaries

Yoga & Pilates

Yoga & Pilates

Morning Coffee Time

Morning Coffee Time

Evening
Wind-Down

Evening
Wind-Down

See more of our story

Explore the Collection and find a scent that stays close to your moments.

Explore the Collection