This article is part of the LINE PRODUCT DESIGN newsletter (ON-LINE LETTER).

 

 

INTERVIEWEE
Seungjun Park [MUX Interactive Design], Garam Bae [Main Product Design 1],
Seunghee Chung [Common UX], Gain Lee, Hyunji Rhee [Advanced UX 2], Sangeun Nam [Design Relations]

What's the secret to consistently performing well in international design competitions? Looking at recent achievements by LINE Product Design, they won the Good Design Award for LINE Seasonal Effects in 2024 and the iF Design Award for LINE CMS (Content Management System) and LYP Premium in 2025. We talked to some of the inspiring individuals who brought these features to life, asking them about how they find motivation in work and life and their experiences participating in these competitions.

 

First, congratulations on the awards! Let's start with the Seasonal Effects team. Can you tell us about the service?

Seungjun: We offer a range of animated styles for LINE profile areas during global events like Christmas and Halloween, as well as national holidays and user birthdays. This feature was introduced to make the Home tab more user-centric, allowing users to celebrate special days meaningfully while getting closer to the LINE service.

 

This could be a great way to reach out to friends or family you haven't talked to in a while.

Garam: Exactly. We take it a step further by guiding users through each event. For example, through the Action Button, you can send gifts on Valentine's Day or make donations during times of need. When designing the interface and flow of Seasonal Effects, we paid close attention to ensuring visual harmony with existing elements and seamless integration within the app.

 

That seamless connection is really important, isn't it?

Garam: Yes, especially in Japan, where people are really into celebrating special occasions. Events tied to the LINE Gift Shop have been well-received. We've seen about a ninefold increase in Home Access NPU (new purchasing users) and a threefold rise in RPU (conversion of non-purchasers), contributing to GMV (gross merchandise value). One memorable event was Mother's Day, where we achieved a significant GMV of 900 million yen!

How do you create animations that grab attention?

Seungjun: I always think about animations that are easy to understand but also spark curiosity, making users want to click. I want them to feel like a gift to the user.

 

Animations that make your fingers itch to tap?

Seungjun: Exactly. We research and study the movements of objects and characters in detail. For animals or people, we pay extra attention. For Christmas 2023, we had graphics of Santa and Rudolph loaded with gifts. I remember analyzing countless videos to see how deer run. If Rudolph's movements looked awkward, it would ruin the overall effect. We reworked it three times to get it just right, and I'm really satisfied with the natural result. It's one of my favorite projects.

I heard your passion for the project led to entering the competition. How was the second round of the Good Design Award's in-person judging?

Garam: It was really, really tough (laughs). We took all the devices, including monitors, to Japan. Setting up our work on-site was challenging, but it was great to see all the other entries. It was quite fun to look around.
Seungjun: It was the middle of summer, and there was no air conditioning in the setup area. Ha ha. But thanks to Garam's meticulous preparation and communication, our booth was one of the most well-organized and eye-catching.

 

It's a cliché, but hard work really does pay off. Do you remember the day you heard about the award?

Garam: Seasonal Effects was a collaborative effort involving product design, 2D and 3D graphics, and motion designers. Winning the 2024 Good Design Award felt like a reward for everyone's hard work. I was really happy, and the teamwork with Seungjun was great. I hope I wasn't the only one who felt that way!
Seungjun: From 2022 to early 2025, we gathered a lot of data and insights. We entered the competition because it felt like a waste to keep our work hidden. It meant a lot to have our efforts recognized. Having Garam, a trusted colleague from the start, made it all possible. Let's keep working together!

You can really feel the strong camaraderie (laughs). Now, let's move on to the CMS team, known for their teamwork. Can you briefly introduce the service?

Seunghee: The LINE CMS is an internal content management system created by and for LINE employees. It allows designers, planners, and developers to create, edit, and distribute content using modular templates without needing coding expertise. By combining pre-designed templates, users can easily and consistently produce LINE-style content.

 

What sets CMS apart from other tools?

Gain: As Seunghui mentioned, the use of templates allows for quick content creation while maintaining consistency. The optimized publishing process reduces workload and minimizes errors. It also features an intuitive layer panel UX, letting users view content hierarchy at a glance and move layers freely.

 

Those are very important features! Tell us more about them.

Seunghee: It's not just an internal tool; it's part of the LINE product suite, so we aimed to reflect LINE's identity in the design. We customized the icons and created UI elements like buttons, layouts, and interactions to match the LINE style, ensuring a visually complete and consistent design language.
Hyunji: Additionally, the module preview feature is a standout. It lets you see how your module will appear in different global environments, allowing for informed adjustments. It's like we've systematized LINE's global service development expertise (laughs).

Since we're on the topic, what special considerations did you have for global users?

Seunghee: We focused on design localization optimized for each target country's language. It's not just about supporting multiple languages; we considered fonts, spacing, and UI layout specific to each language. This led to the creation of the "Multilingual Library," allowing us to easily create multiple language versions from the same template, providing a consistent and seamless UX for global users.

 

How have your colleagues reacted to using it?

Hyunji: We wanted it to be a tool anyone could use immediately, regardless of their role, without needing extra training. We made options like "Space Around" and "Space Evenly" visually intuitive with icons and grouped design properties more intuitively.
Gain: Since the system significantly changed how content is managed, we've received a lot of positive feedback. It made us curious about what people outside of LINE would think of our system, so we decided to enter the competition.

 

Entering an award is a big effort. How was the experience?

Hyunji: I think many designers dream of winning an international design award. I joined in thanks to Gain and Seunghui's enthusiastic proposal. I'll never forget the last week before the deadline when we worked online late at night, chatting over our midnight snacks (laughs). We shouted, "Finally done!" only to find another typo after a short nap. It was funny and memorable.

You achieved your goal by winning at the German iF Design Award 2025. How did that feel?

Gain: Projects like designing internal tools don't get much attention most of the time, so it was thrilling to have our CMS officially recognized as a valuable system for users.
Seunghee: I shared the award news with colleagues from Korea and Japan at a workshop in Tokyo this February and they were genuinely happy for us. While external recognition is nice, the cheers and support from my closest colleagues, who've been with me since the launch, are incomparable. Their encouragement was a huge motivator.

 

The artist Olafur Eliasson said: "Experience is not what happens to you; it's what you create." As a facilitator who helped put together the design award entries, any final thoughts?

Sangeun: Having your project evaluated for its design strengths by renowned designers is a huge advantage. Winning top awards like the Grand Prix or Best 100 means support for attending ceremonies in places like Germany and Japan, offering opportunities to network with global designers. It's not easy to take on new challenges, but it's a great opportunity. It's important to seize the moment and enjoy the experience.

 

 

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