Love Design's Love Review
One of the most well-paced, engaging, visually stunning, expertly acted, balanced shows I've seen in Thai GL media so far. It's the best case scenario for a simple story.
Love Design is the perfect title for this show because they did a great job intertwining the characters and their relationships with their careers as designers. Aokbab’s love for drawing is tied to her trauma and ultimately becomes part of her healing. Rin and Aokbab grow closer, and eventually fall in love, through the process of designing a house for a couple, drawing inspiration from that couple’s own love story. Their shared passion for architecture is not just part of their backstory but the basis for the characters and their relationships to grow.
The characters, story, and conflict may be simple, but the masterful storytelling is what makes this show stand out. Every aspect of the story is paced effectively throughout the show — Aokbab’s journey of healing from her trauma, her developing relationship with Rin, the process of designing a house for their client, etc. The plot points and conflicts are introduced early and developed through episodes. Nothing is introduced out of nowhere or wraps up abruptly. The show uses its time wisely, delving into the characters’ backstories and the gradual development of their relationships, allowing the audience to truly invest in their journeys and feel immersed in their emotions.
In terms of the acting, you can feel the fact that Kao and Jane are talented veteran actresses. They're so masterful at filling up the in-betweens, resulting in no awkward or uncomfortable moments during their scenes together. They beautifully portrayed two people at different points in life, with different histories, falling in love at their own pace. The cast as a whole was an ensemble who pulled their own weight. The side characters are written as full-fledged characters with their own personalities and motivations, and not just a pawn to move the storyline along when the main plot runs into a wall.
It’s rare for a show to use cinematography and sound not just to create something aesthetically pleasing, but to actively tell its story. The use of camera angles, time of day, lighting, and even the architecture and scenery in Japan adds to the portrayal of the characters’ relationships, emotions, and state of mind. The score is one of the biggest contributors in the overall feel of the show. It is composed solely for the show and you can feel how it elevates the scenes. It's more than just playing the OST as background music. It breathes with the scene.
Set design, hair, makeup, and styling were excellent. Every space and outfit felt believable and reflective of the characters in it. Jinta's office was an actual architectural firm's office, adding an extra layer of authenticity to the show. The contrast between Jinta’s bright, colorful office and Mind Space’s dark workspace, where the team is always dressed in black, serves as a constant visual reminder of their rivalry.
Overall, this show is an easy watch that is extremely well made. All the moving pieces behind the scenes, director, actors, writers, editors, composers, cinematographers, etc., came together and pulled their weight to make a seamless, complete, and satisfying final product.
Love Design is the perfect title for this show because they did a great job intertwining the characters and their relationships with their careers as designers. Aokbab’s love for drawing is tied to her trauma and ultimately becomes part of her healing. Rin and Aokbab grow closer, and eventually fall in love, through the process of designing a house for a couple, drawing inspiration from that couple’s own love story. Their shared passion for architecture is not just part of their backstory but the basis for the characters and their relationships to grow.
The characters, story, and conflict may be simple, but the masterful storytelling is what makes this show stand out. Every aspect of the story is paced effectively throughout the show — Aokbab’s journey of healing from her trauma, her developing relationship with Rin, the process of designing a house for their client, etc. The plot points and conflicts are introduced early and developed through episodes. Nothing is introduced out of nowhere or wraps up abruptly. The show uses its time wisely, delving into the characters’ backstories and the gradual development of their relationships, allowing the audience to truly invest in their journeys and feel immersed in their emotions.
In terms of the acting, you can feel the fact that Kao and Jane are talented veteran actresses. They're so masterful at filling up the in-betweens, resulting in no awkward or uncomfortable moments during their scenes together. They beautifully portrayed two people at different points in life, with different histories, falling in love at their own pace. The cast as a whole was an ensemble who pulled their own weight. The side characters are written as full-fledged characters with their own personalities and motivations, and not just a pawn to move the storyline along when the main plot runs into a wall.
It’s rare for a show to use cinematography and sound not just to create something aesthetically pleasing, but to actively tell its story. The use of camera angles, time of day, lighting, and even the architecture and scenery in Japan adds to the portrayal of the characters’ relationships, emotions, and state of mind. The score is one of the biggest contributors in the overall feel of the show. It is composed solely for the show and you can feel how it elevates the scenes. It's more than just playing the OST as background music. It breathes with the scene.
Set design, hair, makeup, and styling were excellent. Every space and outfit felt believable and reflective of the characters in it. Jinta's office was an actual architectural firm's office, adding an extra layer of authenticity to the show. The contrast between Jinta’s bright, colorful office and Mind Space’s dark workspace, where the team is always dressed in black, serves as a constant visual reminder of their rivalry.
Overall, this show is an easy watch that is extremely well made. All the moving pieces behind the scenes, director, actors, writers, editors, composers, cinematographers, etc., came together and pulled their weight to make a seamless, complete, and satisfying final product.
Was this review helpful to you?
