Love Designer

A realistic take on modern working women and romance in general

I find this series to be very realistic. We have a modern working woman as a female lead. She doesn't have a protagonist halo, nor is she a Mary Sue, but she was written as a talented young designer, her skills yet to be perfected. The male lead wasn't OP that can do everything in a snap of a finger. He wasn't omnipotent. There is character development in both characters, but they didn't lose their originality and personality. I also love that there were no repetitive misunderstandings nor white lotus characters. The crisis that they faced as a couple were real adult problems. I also liked the fights that they had, at least they talk their misgivings and not make assumptions.

The way they got together was abrupt and the same when they broke up. But I don't blame ZF for her actions. Despite the obvious attraction between them, she initially didn't want to get together with SL. But sometimes, we can't really put a break on our feelings can we? And so, I believe she gave herself a chance to dare love again. But their beginning wasn't stable to begin with, and so, when the misunderstanding happened, she did as any other woman would react.

I like that ZF is a very reasonable person. Although breaking up with SL was impulsive, she calmed down and realized that it wasn't all SL's fault. And I also liked that they didn't get back together right away. They had time to know each other better. When they finally got back together, although there were still some issues (as any other couples would), they tried their best to accommodate and communicate with each other.

I would say, I fell in love with both characters. They're not perfect, they're flawed individuals who tried their best to live their life. Most importantly, Dili and Johnny has palpable chemistry. The intimate and kissing scenes were very natural, especially the way they touched and looked at each other. I smile and giggle every time they tease each other, really it was way too cute.

As for the side characters, they have their own flaws, and honestly I got annoyed at them a lot of times (I'm looking at you Yu Lin's mum), but she was written as she was because there were really a lot of mothers like her, especially in Asian countries where their children's marriage are considered to be their ultimate achievement.

If there is something I wished they could have toned down is the amount of product placement in the show. I wasn't bothered by it at first, but I got tired and annoyed of that ringtone that played every single time and very often at that. Like seriously?

Anyway, my overall assessment is... this is a great watch and I would watch it again. It isn't a perfect story, but it is very close.

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THE CHEMISTRY!!! -finished all episodes in under 24 hours! please watch!

Now, I rarely watch KDrama and CDrama romance films because there's just something about it that just makes me cringe. After watching this show, "Love Designer", I now realize what I like and don't like in shows.

First off, the plot line. I know some people hate it or find it annoying, but I genuinely think its a unique concept (then again, I don't watch much drama/romance shows because majority are terribly written). SL is like the "rich male" who owns a business with a tragic but not so tragic back story, and ZF if like your (supposedly) relatable female who is trying to chase her dreams. I originally thought SL was going to be annoying af and made me want to punch him, but Johnny (HJY) literally made me fall in love with not only SL, but the actor himself. His way of pursuing ZF throughout the entire show, is the cutest things ever and them bickering brings me joy. Dilraba did such an amazing job portraying ZF in a relatable female character and not the typical role you see in every other drama.

HOWEVER! I did hate how much the characters played nice, when they CLEARLY could've fcked their enemies over (because they legit almost ruined them) but that might just be the asshole in me not being able to do it myself.
- I have realized how much the older generationed parents pisses me off. Being chinese myself, I am not surprised by their view points and outlook on what a "normal" life to them is, but seeing it played out made me want to punch them. NOT EVERYONE NEEDS TO GET MARRIED. NOT EVERYONE NEEDS TO HAVE KIDS. YOU DONT GET TO MAKE DECISIONS IN YOUR KIDS LIFE. SINGLE IS OKAY. NO KIDS IS ALSO OKAY.


When watching this show, there is literally one thing you CANNOT deny, and its the beautiful chemistry Dilraba and Johnny have together. All of their kiss scenes, made me feel so happy and not full on cringe vomit feelings, and that's a first coming from romance shows. They have such a unique connection and on screen (and off screen), you feel as though this is a real relationship. Not only their kiss scenes, them just bickering and arguing with each other made me laugh so hard and fall in love with them even more. (don't even get me started on the ending because this bitch full on CRIED tears of joy for the two. Will be rewatching even though I just finished the show)

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Heaven & Hell in One Drama

OVERALL
This drama manages the impossible! Somehow, it has the ultimate best AND the ultimate worst. Definitely watch it if 1) you are looking for an OTP with great chemistry and lots of smexy scenes, 2) you're a fan of good humor (there're some priceless scenes in this drama, and when I say priceless, I mean it), 3) you like a female lead that's mature and outspoken. Maybe pass if 1) the guy putting the girl down isn't your thing, 2) annoying mothers aren't your thing, 3) never-ending business drama isn't your thing.

THE STORY
So here's the thing. To be honest, about 60% of this drama is bad. First, for half of the drama, the interactions between ML and FL are very problematic. He keeps on putting her down all the time, but it's supposed to be cute? Then there's the issue of the work drama that never ends. There's always something bad around the corner, which...gets tiring and repetitive. Then there's FL's mom that is the most annoying character ever (even if she does redeem herself). And I'm not even getting into ML and FL's communication issues or the antics of the second leads. So many negative points with this drama.

So why watch it? Because the remaining 40% is GOLD. Once things start moving between ML and FL, their dynamics, chemistry, their skinship, everything has got to be some of the best I've ever seen in a drama. A-MA-ZING. And it comes with some pretty epically funny scenes. I really liked the FL's character too. She's not manly and she's not necessarily the smartest, but she still comes off strong because of how frank and straightforward she is. So this is a case of the 40% being well worth the trouble of watching (or skipping) the remaining 60%.

THE ACTING
Pretty good! I first saw Dilraba in The Long Ballad and became a fan. She makes each of her characters different, but we still feel like it's her; she's a natural. I really liked ML too, of course, and ADORED their chemistry. Second leads were fine too, but the guy more than the girl - she sometimes felt too much. This isn't the kind of drama in which characters make you feel really emotional, though, and I feel like that's a minus.

THE MUSIC
It's okay, but nothing I feel like downloading and listening to by myself.

REWATCH VALUE
Not gonna lie, I'm 200% going to watch this again, and more than once...but with lots of skipping!

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Either your kind of drama or not

There was only one character I liked during the whole series: Song Lin.

Song Luo and Shen Di played a little part in the drama....I liked them, I hope they develop their friendship into something more in future.

It was 45 episodes long therefore there were a lot of side stories and a lot of issues that got extended some I felt repetitive. I had to skip parts I wasn't interested in. I don't think I missed a whole lot of the story even then. I wasn't too interested in that whole aspect of the show. All I was really interested in was the love story of Song Lin and Zhou Fang which started out with great chemistry but somewhere along the way I found Zhou Fang to be wishy washy.

Scenes where Song Lin (Johnny Huang) was in, I never found draggy though :-) His acting is just so natural regardless of what mood he was in. He was what made me finish the series.

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I havent finished the whole drama. It aint finished airing yet. Nonetheless i’d like to make a review.prolly edit later if i find something new...

the recycled cliche everyone isnt fond of but present in this story**
- the male lead is of course a ceo of a company
- usual obstacle filled series. they are presented with problems episode per episode
- the female lead worked hard for her so called dream
-stubborn female lead
- there’s always a rich or influential female, an actress this time, who plots against the female lead because she has one sided love for the male lead
- a villain who hates the ceo plots against him & his company
- too kind that they forgive betrayalS (yes, plural)
- the voice they used for the male lead sounds like he has phlegm stuck in his throat
-drag.. its a good drama that couldve been better in 24-ish episodes. it starts getting boring at 20ish episode.

What i appreciate abt the drama**
- it depicts adult romance more realistically. In the real world, couples doesn't only kiss, hold hand & hug each other. they flirt & make out with each other, they affectionately & passionately kiss each other & yes they sleep together. they dont just stare at each other & kiss like two fishes who bump with each other.. It was shown in this drama
-lovers fight. Mature way.
-the chemistry of the characters. I know there’s been rumor abt johnny goin on since he appeared in Addicted Heroine but i dont care, thats his personal matter. Johnny & Dilreba’s chemistry is so natural, the way They held each other is so natural, the way they stare at each other & kiss each other if i didnt know better i think its real. At least based on my own ‘personal’ experience . It seems natural.. It made me hold on to the drama til now (ep 35)
-unlike other ceo’s who are poker face & walks around with bunch of secretaries, he looks quite normal & laid back sporting the Ducati & other expensive big-bikes in his leather jacket
-no rich snobby parents, just the regular asian parents signing up for dates
- u will have a friend that will have to move to a far away place & you will be sad abt it but its not the end of the world. its good that they didnt highly dramatized this part
- I love Qin Qing. We all need a friend like her. Although a lot is hating her because of WuSan, i just love the fact that she is rather rational than emotional
- Dilreba. She is one hell of a hot woman. I cant stop staring at her face. All the casts are pretty

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If I had to write the synopsis for this show I would write this:
This story is about two girlfriends who are strong independent women, balancing their parents’ cultural norms with their own need to live life on their own terms; pursuing their own dreams. It is about how they find love customized to them and supporting each other along the way.

We see familiar themes as each “sister” finds her own unique (“Customized Love”) love story:
-Compromise between traditional parental values and modern notions for marriage
-Female empowerment for career and dreams within the context of relationships and marriage
These are not new themes but worth retelling - and the acting and chemistry in this drama makes it worthwhile to sit through and embrace the message again.

I found myself enjoying the relationship between the leads in this show because the characters are written to have mutual respect. Both main couples are honest and open with their feelings and mature in their handling of falling in love. When they become a bit childish there is a best friend to pull them back from the edge.

If all you want is the romance, the tantalizing interactions between the main couple should satisfy this need in spades! I found myself thinking many times, “I wonder if they captured that movement while they were taking a break from filming and decided to use it?”. Their interactions were very organic and natural. I felt the same with the friendship between the female leads. They have great chemistry as well – I wanted a best friend like this.
This was the best part of the show for me. Because I enjoyed the romance and feeling you get from this type of on-screen chemistry, I was able to finish the drama.

However, it was not without the liberal use of the fast forwarding button - the show definitely could have been done in less episodes. I also found there were characters showing up conveniently to move the story (as with all dramas) but in this case it is awkwardly done (abandoned storylines) and this distracts from the quality of the show.
There were also a few points where the script failed the actors (this tells how well they did their job because they were able to shine regardless).

…but the pretty fashion, gorgeous sets and SIZZLING CHEMISTRY makes it worth sticking through to the end.

Side note: There are messages in the drama that resonated with me:
First half: The fashion industry fighting to protect original design in a world market that is overrun with knock-offs due to mass consumption.
Second half: Security of our online data has become an important aspect of business and has the potential to destroy firms.
Throughout: Run your life/business with integrity and be willing to compromise and forgive in love/life.

Finally: did I mention the chemistry, easy banter and skinship of the two main leads? :)

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Started strong, fell flat on its face

Ahh how the mighty have fallen. This show had so much potential, but it dragged way too much. Plus, the product placements became way too unbearable. I wanted hotpot almost every episode, damn it.

The acting was good. Of course it is. Johnny was spectacular as usual.

I wanted to smack Dilraba's mom here. So freaking hard. Oh my god. Tell me i'm not the only one.

Music was average to below average. Nothing outstanding. Videography was okay except some weird angles. I never forgave that one shot where Johnny's jaw literally disappeared and his face went straight down his neck. An ugly shot, I tell you.

Not rewatching. Don't recommend

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Drama in the Fashion World

It’s been a few years since I first watched this so, unfortunately, I can’t do an in-depth review at this time. I’ll briefly summarize what I remember for you though.

The head of an e-commerce company & a fashion designer get entangled in a lawsuit. In order to protect their own interests & success, they agree to collaborate to settle things down regarding the public opinion. But it’s no easy feat as these two strong-willed people constantly clash with one another. Unexpectedly, though, they slowly being to respect & inspire one another, leading their hearts on a journey to love. The path isn’t all smooth sailing for this duo, but they weather life’s storms & emerge even more devoted to one another.

There’s a LOT of push & pull between the Leads throughout this drama which lessened my enjoyment of the story. I’m not a big fan of the main couple having so much self-induced drama. And there were some parts I didn’t really agree with - like the FL choosing to work with the ML’s rival. That didn’t at all make sense to me. If there was a guy intent on beating my boyfriend, either personally or professionally, he couldn’t pay me enough to work with him in achieving that goal, no matter what boost it would give my own career. My loyalty & priority would be my man, not some other guy so it really bugged me that she chose differently, especially since they had such a devoted relationship. That plot just seemed really out of character to me.

Another part that bothered me was the FL’s mother’s extreme control issues. The FL is an adult who is fully capable of making her own decisions, especially regarding her marriage partner! She wanted to focus on her career once her ex-fiancée’s infidelity was discovered. Give the girl some time to just breathe before pressuring her into dating agian! And when she does start dating, stay out of her relationship - don’t be so judgmental & demand she end the relationship because he’s not the guy you picked for her. Good grief, the drama! 😵‍💫

Honestly, if not for the Leads’ awesome chemistry, I may ha’ve been tempted to drop this. But they have a serious melt-your-screen & give-you-tingles connection that we get to experience a lot with all their yummy kiss scenes. 🔥🫠 They also have a really great dynamic when they’re not trying to push each other away due to some misunderstanding or other. I actually like the way they interact with one another, both in & outside of the workplace (except when they’re being dumb dumbs, of course.) They do know how to communicate with one another, they just seem to forget that at times. 🤦🏻‍♀️

A noteworthy mention is the scene of how the Leads’ paths first cross - I’d never seen a couple meet like that before! I won’t spoil it, just know it’s very memorable. 🫶🏻

I admit the business aspect of things went over my head. I’m not highly interested in the world of fashion so those scenes didn’t really hold my interest & made the drama drag a bit for me at times. If you like fashion, though, there’s a lot of focus on that so you may feel differently.

There are both good & bad points, but overall I did enjoy the story. It’s not likely I’ll rewatch it anytime soon, but if I ever do I’ll try to write a more detailed review!


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-⬇️ S P O I L E R S 🚫 B E L O W ⬇️-


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The things I always want to know 😏😉…
- First(real)Kiss : ep.14 💋
- Together : ep.14 👩🏻‍❤️‍👨🏻
- BreakUp : ep.16 💔
- BackTogether : ep.25 ❤️‍🩹

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Starts off addicting...

As many have mentioned, this drama was drawn out for TOO long. It starts off quite addicting with our FL getting cheated on and walking barefoot, for who knows how long... and bumping into our ML.

It starts off addicting, and remains addicting because our two leads. They have great chemistry, and so many hot kissing scenes. But the remaining of the drama ends as a let down due to the draggy plots and extra-ness with our side characters. Like, did we really need to see Qin Qing and Wu San go back and forth at the marriage certificate office. -_-

By the time the drama ended, I was GLAD. I love Dili but whoever books her projects, they need help. Some of her projects are GREAT but this one fell short.

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