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FRAGRANXE
Fragrance comparison

Sung vs Zen Original

Notes, accords, longevity, sillage, seasons and community ratings, side by side.

Updated 1,481 ratings analysed
Some overlap
Quick verdict

Which one should you pick?

Sung takes 4 of 7 categories.

  • Sung

    Choose it for a floral and white floral character. Wins on longevity, sillage & projection and value for money. Best in spring.

  • Zen Original

    Choose it for a floral and green character. Wins on ratings & consensus, community sentiment and versatility. Best in spring.

Sung4/7
Zen Original3/7
Ratings & consensus
Zen Original
Community sentiment
Zen Original
Longevity
Sung
Sillage & projection
Sung
Value for money
Sung
Versatility
Zen Original
Note pyramid (duration)
Not scored
Fragranxe ranking
Sung

Head-to-head breakdown

Every category side by side, with the winner called out.

Fragrance
SungAlfred Sung
Zen OriginalShiseido
Winner

Ratings & consensus

Average rating and ownership split
3.82/ 5 · 1,043 votes
Have 60%Had 40%Want 0%
4.19/ 5 · 438 votes
Have 70%Had 30%Want 0%
Category winnerZen OriginalRating weighted by vote count

Community sentiment

How voters split from love to hate
34%Love
42%Like
4%Ok
18%Dislike
2%Hate

958 votes

45%Love
41%Like
2%Ok
11%Dislike
1%Hate

438 votes

Category winnerZen OriginalMost positive mix (25+ votes)

Longevity & sillage

0–100 community performance scores
⏱ Longevity76
〰 Sillage67
♥ Love / hate72
⏱ Longevity61
〰 Sillage56
♥ Love / hate80
Category winners

LongevitySung

SillageSung

Value for money

How fairly priced voters find it
¤ Price value83
¤ Price value60
Category winnerSungBest value score

Main accords

Strength of each scent family · outlined = shared by both
floral100%
white floral92%
green84%
citrus77%
woody69%
aromatic61%
floral100%
green92%
powdery84%
woody77%
earthy69%
mossy61%
Scent match52%Some overlap · both floral, green and woody

Note pyramid (duration)

Top, heart and base, with how long each lasts when known · gold = shared
Top
HiacynthYlang-YlangGalbanumBergamotLemonOrangeMandarin Orange
Heart
JasmineLily-of-the-ValleyCarnationOsmanthusIrisRoseOrchid
Base
Orange BlossomOakmossVetiverMuskSandalwoodAmberVanilla
Top
HiacynthGalbanumBergamotOrange Blossom
Heart
CarnationOrris RootNarcissusJasmineMimosaVioletRose
Base
OakmossMuskSandalwoodCedarAmber
InformationalShared notesHiacynth, Galbanum, Bergamot and Jasmine. Note durations are not published for these fragrances, so this is not scored.

Seasons & time of day

Relative to each fragrance's best season
Spring100
Summer0
Fall0
Winter46
Day–
Night–
Spring100
Summer0
Fall0
Winter82
Day–
Night–
Category winnerZen OriginalMost year-round

Who wears it

Gender appeal votes
Men4
Unisex13
Women83
Men3
Unisex25
Women72
InformationalProfile onlyAudience is not scored

Ranking & credits

Fragranxe overall rank, nose and launch

Overall rank#4,359

PerfumerNot listed

Launched—

Reviews25

Overall rank#27,593

PerfumerJosephine Catapano

Launched—

Reviews0

Category winnerSungHigher overall rank

In a nutshell

Description & review snapshot

Sung by Alfred Sung is a Floral fragrance for women. Sung was launched in 1986. Top notes are Hiacynth, Ylang-Ylang, Galbanum, Bergamot, Lemon, Orange and Mandarin Orange; middle notes are Jasmine, Lily-of-the-Valley, Carnation, Osmanthus, Iris, Rose and Orchid; base notes are Orange Blossom, Oakmoss, Vetiver, Musk, S…

Reviews →

Shiseido Zen Original opens with a bracing blast of green galbanum and sharp hyacinth, immediately establishing its cold, botanical character. Unlike modern syrupy scents, this dry chypre shifts into a dusty floral heart of narcissus and carnation before settling into a base of oakmoss and cedar. It is a quiet, medita…

Reviews →
InformationalRead bothTaste is personal

How we score: ratings blend public fragrance ratings with Fragranxe member votes; longevity, sillage, value and sentiment are community vote scores, and season bars are relative to each fragrance's strongest season. Categories with too little data are shown but not scored. The scent match weighs accord overlap (60%) and shared notes (40%). More in the FAQ.

Recent comparisons

Head-to-head activity from live history

Common questions

Straight answers from the data above.

Which is better, Sung or Zen Original?

Sung takes 4 of 7 categories. Sung is rated 3.82/5 from 1,043 votes; Zen Original is rated 4.19/5 from 438 votes. Choose Sung for a floral and white floral character. Wins on longevity, sillage & projection and value for money. Best in spring. Choose Zen Original for a floral and green character. Wins on ratings & consensus, community sentiment and versatility. Best in spring.

Which lasts longer, Sung or Zen Original?

Sung lasts longest (Sung 76/100, Zen Original 61/100), based on community performance votes.

Which projects more, Sung or Zen Original?

Sung projects furthest (Sung 67/100, Zen Original 56/100), based on community performance votes.

Do Sung and Zen Original smell similar?

Some overlap: a 52% scent match on Fragranxe. Both share floral, green and woody accords. Common notes include Hiacynth, Galbanum, Bergamot and Jasmine.

Is Sung or Zen Original better for summer or winter?

For summer, Sung is the stronger pick. For winter, Zen Original is the stronger pick. Based on community season votes.

What are the notes in Sung and Zen Original?

Sung has top notes of Hiacynth, Ylang-Ylang, Galbanum and Bergamot, heart notes of Jasmine, Lily-of-the-Valley, Carnation and Osmanthus, a base of Orange Blossom, Oakmoss, Vetiver and Musk. Zen Original has top notes of Hiacynth, Galbanum, Bergamot and Orange Blossom, heart notes of Carnation, Orris Root, Narcissus and Jasmine, a base of Oakmoss, Musk, Sandalwood and Cedar.

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