All The European Designer Icons We’ve Spotted In K-Dramas
As these sets show, a classic designer piece is all you need to make a space look stylish
One of the reasons we love watching K-Dramas is because the interiors are steeped in detail, especially when scenes take place in luxurious homes or in high-powered offices. CEO houses are often the most curated, and any design enthusiast would revel in identifying some design icons that, in addition to emphasizing the status of the owner, underscore the character’s precise design choice. In fact, in K-Drama sets, as in any room, a single designer object does wonders in enhancing the space. Designer items are actually a work of art that combine creativity with a precise function.
Now, let's see some European design icons that our eyes have caught in K-Dramas:
Photo Gallery
Photo Gallery
Nordic Design Icons in K-Dramas
True Beauty (TvN,2020-21) is a romantic kdrama from Yaongyi's "Yeoshingangrim" webtoon. Student Im Ju-kyung (Moon Ga-young) is defined by everyone as an ugly girl, tired of the constant offenses of classmates, decides to improve her spite by learning to use make-up. She's so good that she manages to look like another person so much so that she's defined by students as a goddess. At school she met two very different Han Seo Jun (Hwang In Yeop) and Lee Su Ho (Cha Eun Woon) boys who fell in love with her, but only one of them knows her secret.
Photo Credit: Still from True Beauty (TVN, 2020-21)
Nordic Design Icons in K-Dramas
In this drama there are lamps produced by Louis Puolsen, a German company specialized in the production of designer lamps that over time have become icons. Lee Su Ho's bedroom there are lamps by two famous Northern European designers: the Phantella lamp (1961, Louis Poulsen) by danish designer Verner Panton. This demonstrates how the design produced between the 1960s and 1970s is still relevant and appreciated in the world.
Photo Credit: Still from True Beauty (TVN, 2020-21)
German-English Design Icons
Beautiful Gong Shim (SBS,2016) is a drama that tells the complicated life of young Gong Shim (Bang Min-ah) between many aspirations and family difficulties. Due to financial problems, she is forced to rent her roof room to lawyer Ahn Dan-tae (Namkoong Min) whom she will fall in love with. In the corridor of the company where Gong Shim works as secretary, there is an important design icon the chair 292 Hill House (1903) by Charles Rennie Mackintosh reissued by Cassina in the 1960s. This chair was designed for Hill House in Helensburgh (Glasgow) and was to be placed in the bedroom. Although it was designed in 1902 it has a sophisticated style and a geometric pattern that recalls the Japanese style, but that fits well with modern interiors.
Photo Credit: Still from Beautiful Gong Shim (SBS, 2016)
German-English Design Icons
To the All the Guys Who Loved Me (KBS, 2020), is a romantic starring drama Hwang Jung-eum (Seo Hyun Joo), Yoon Hyun-min (Hwang Ji Woo) and Seo Ji Hoon (Park Do Gyum). This drama tells of the memory of the past lives of the two protagonists who have always had a tragic ending and the hope that in this life they can have a happy ending. In CEO Hwang Ji Woo's office are two Wassily chairs (1925, 1960 for Gavina) by designer Marcel Breuer. The Wassily chair was created by Breuer for the apartment of Vasilij Kandinsky who had been his master at the Bauhaus. The armchair reveals a futuristic design since it uses the steel tubular and fabric, but only later will it be made of leather. An extremely elegant chair that adapts well to work environments and is linked to refined furnishings.
Photo Credit: Still from To All The Guys Who Loved Me (KBS, 2020)
German-English Design Icons
The Wassily chair was created by Breuer for the apartment of Vasilij Kandinsky who had been his boss at the Bauhaus. The armchair reveals a futuristic design since it uses the steel tubular and fabric, but only later will it be made of leather. An extremely elegant chair that adapts well to work environments and is linked to refined furnishings.
Photo Credit: Still from To All The Guys Who Loved Me (KBS, 2020)
Italian Design Icons
Strong Woman Do Bong Soon (JTBC,2017) is a romantic fantasy kdrama that tells the story of the family of Do Bong-soon (Park Bo-young) where for centuries a superhuman force has been handed down to the women of the family. One day Ahn Min-hyuk (Park Hyung-sik) CEO of Ainsoft, a video game company, sees the girl use her strength and decides to hire her as a bodyguard. In Kook-doo (Ji Soo), Bong-soon's childhood friend and police officer is investigating a number of horrific kidnapping cases. With the help of Ahn Min-hyuk, Do Bong-soon will learn to control his strength and catch the culprits. In the villa of the young CEO Ahn Min Hyuk there is the Arco lamp (1962, Flos) by the Italian designers Achille Castiglioni and Pier Giacomo Castiglioni.
Photo Credit: Still from Strong Woman Do Bong Soon (JTBC, 2017)
Italian Design Icons
This very famous lamp and emblem of belonging to a precise social status is present in many international dramas and films, but it is also the most copied lamp. In fact there are many copies that stand out from the original for the metal base. The genuine Arco lamp has a rectangular carrara marble base with a circular crack.
Photo Credit: Still from Strong Woman Do Bong Soon (JTBC, 2017)
Italian Design Icons
The Arco Lamp, (1962, FLOS) by Achille Castiglioni and Pier Giacomo Castiglioni.
Photo Credit: FLOS
Italian Design Icons
My secret Hotel (tvN, 2014) is a romantic drama that takes place in a luxury hotel. Nam Sang Hyo (Yoo In Na) is the director of the hotel's wedding department run by Jo Sung Gyeom (Namkoong Min). One day she meets her ex-husband architect Gu Hae Young (Kim Jin Han) as a hotel client, and the situation is complicated by mysterious hotel murders. In the studio of the architect Gu Hae Young there is the famous Nemo chair (2009, Driade) by the Italian designer Fabio Novembre.
Photo Credit: Still from My Secret Hotel (TVN, 2014)
Italian Design Icons
This armchair with a human face is an international icon of anthropomorphic design, its hollow face becomes a seat that envelops, giving a sense of protection and privacy. The perfect proportions of the face evoke classicism reinterpreting it in a modern key.
Photo Credit: Still from My Secret Hotel (TVN, 2014)
Italian Design Icons
The Nemo chair (2009, Dirade) by Fabio Novembre.
Photo Credit: Dirade
Italian Design Icons
The Undateables (SBS,2018) tells the story of Yoo Jung-eum (Hwang Jung-eum) who works at a company that combines blind appointments, she will be entrusted with the most desperate cases that she manages to solve with the help of the gallery owner and relationship expert Kang Hoon-nam (Namkoong Min) with whom she will fall in love. In this drama the Amuleto lamp (2013, Ramun) by the Italian designer Alessandro Mendini appears in the office where Yoo Jung-eum works and is present in various colors both in the CEO's office and in that of the assistants, as if it were a lucky charm for aspiring couples.
Photo Credit: Still from The Undateables (SBS,2018)
Italian Design Icons
The lamp has a seemingly simple design, but its symbolism actually evokes various meanings. In fact, the circle is repeated three times: the base, the junction and the halo of light at the top to symbolize the sun, moon and earth. The various colors available invite everyone to choose their workmate and together Amulet to achieve their happiness as suggested in the K-drama. Amulet also appears in the bedroom of the protagonist of the drama.
Photo Credit: Still from The Undateables (SBS,2018)
Italian Design Icons
Photo Credit: Still from The Undateables (SBS,2018)
Italian Design Icons
Amuleto Lamp (2013, Ramun)
Photo Credit: Ramun
Italian Design Icons
The same lamp appears in Tale of the Nine Tailed (TVN, 2020). A special edition of the Amuleto Pearl lamp with only 17n pieces made appears in this drama. This particular edition celebrates najeon jang, the Korean technique of mother-of-pearl carving, which was developed over a thousand years ago. The project combines the high technology of Ramun and the artisan tradition of Korea. The special edition lamp was signed by Bang-ung Song, one of the greatest Oriental masters. The production of each piece of the limited edition took a year, while the development of Amuleto Pearl has engaged Song in long years of research and a long and complex process, which led to the creation of a real work of art.
Photo Credit: Still from Tale of the Nine Tailed (TVN, 2020)
