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TOP 20 BADASS FEMALE LEADS FROM K-DRAMAS

By Amanda Bruce , Gabriela Silva , and Katy Rath
Updated 4 days ago


While K-dramas are often enjoyed for their sometimes-saccharine romances and
dramatic plots, there are more than a few iconic female leads, as well.




SUMMARY

 * K-drama audiences want badass female leads who are both relatable and
   superhuman, and there are plenty of formidable female leads out there.
 * Not all K-drama female leads are damsels in distress. Some are dynamic and
   well-rounded characters who defy societal expectations and persevere through
   tough challenges.
 * Strong female leads in K-dramas break stereotypes and prove that they can
   pursue their dreams, stand up for themselves, and be successful despite the
   odds.

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When looking for a badass female lead, K-drama audiences are hoping for a
heroine who is both relatable and superhuman. While K-dramas are well known for
their romance and drama, they're not devoid of strong female leads, meaning lead
characters that can hold their own and won't back down. Various protagonists in
K-dramas would make any grown adult shiver with their deadly stares. With so
many K-dramas available, there are plenty of formidable female leads out there.
Most defy the odds or general opinion of those who don't believe in them.



These women show that not all K-drama female leads have to be a damsels in
distress looking for their prince. In some of the best K-dramas, audiences get
to meet dynamic and well-rounded characters, such as Kang Sae-Byeok from Squid
Game and Nam On-Jo from All of Us are Dead. The challenges that K-drama
protagonists go through are not at all easy, since they mirror real-life
societal issues. Audiences who want a badass female lead in a K-drama that sees
their protagonists persevere through the toughest ordeals should check out what
these K-dramas have to offer.

Related

10 BEST PLATONIC RELATIONSHIPS IN K-DRAMAS

Korean dramas are full of wonderful platonic relationships that are just as
sweet as a romance. These friendships can often be the crux of the drama.



NOH DA-HYUN


LINK: EAT, LOVE, KILL (2022)






One of the best strong female-led K-drama series on the market has a
surprisingly sinister name. Link: Eat, Love, Kill is an interesting K-drama that
explores what makes two people connect. The K-drama features a young woman named
Noh Da-Hyun (Moon Ga-Young) whose emotions ⁠— including happiness, sadness, and
pain ⁠— begin to be felt by a man who has a long-lost twin sister.



What makes Da-Hyun a force to be reckoned with is her strong desire to achieve
her dreams, with her doing whatever it takes, even if that means standing up to
her mother. In an argument with her mother, Da-Hyun bravely says that she wants
to make her own decisions and be responsible for herself, forcing her mother to
stand down. One of the most difficult things in life is trying to prove one’s
worth, and Da-Hyun has successfully done that.

Watch on Hulu




YOO JEONG


BLOODY HEART (2022)



One of the best K-dramas released in 2022 is Bloody Heart, and it's also one of
the best badass female-led K-drama series available to stream. The period drama
follows a man willing to abandon his royal duties to pursue the woman he loves.
Kang Han-Na stars in the K-drama as Yoo Jeong, a headstrong woman who has
captured the heart of King Lee Tae.



Due to her prolific position and eventual status as the crowned princess, Yoo
Jeong has been the target of an evil villain, who plans to use her in order to
gain power. However, Yoo Jeong remains firm and does not budge, even though she
and her family are threatened. Without a doubt, Yoo Jeong is a fearless woman.
No wonder she’s caught the good graces of the king.

Bloody Heart is available to stream on Disney+ in certain regions but is not yet
available to stream in the U.S.




PARK TAE-YANG


LOVE ALL PLAY (2022)



Love All Play is a sports show that’s worth the binge due to its romantic plot
that revolves around two badminton players. What’s notable about the show is
that it doesn’t feature a villain unlike other K-dramas, and instead focuses on
the character development and growth of the main protagonists.



One of the lead characters is Park Tae-Yang (Park Ju-Hyun), a badminton player
who has wholly devoted her life to the sport. Aside from being a formidable
player on the badminton court, Tae-Yang is also an admirable person who decides
to come clean and admit her fault in an accident that badly hurt her previous
friend. Her decision to come clean instead of avoiding liability makes her an
honest and brave character, especially since she also put her career on the
line.

Love All Play is available to stream on Disney+ in certain regions but is not
yet available to stream in the U.S.




WOO YOUNG-WOO


EXTRAORDINARY ATTORNEY WOO (2022)

Close


One of the buzziest K-dramas as of late is Extraordinary Attorney Woo, and it's
consequently one of the best strong female-led K-drama shows on Netflix. The
series follows the titular character who is a neurodivergent lawyer and
chronicles her rise to the top despite the prejudice her peers have against her.
The show is so enjoyable that many viewers are calling for a Hollywood
adaptation of Extraordinary Attorney Woo.



Played by Park Eun-Bin, Woo Young-Woo is a lawyer who has risen to the ranks in
a prestigious law firm and is challenged by the social bias other people have
against her neurodivergence. Young-Woo is a praiseworthy protagonist who has
been able to find success by paying her detractors no mind and just focusing on
winning her clients’ cases.

Watch on Netflix




SUNG DEOK-MI


HER PRIVATE LIFE (2019)

Close


The K-drama Her Private Life is blessed with a strong woman lead and, thanks to
its unique plot, is one of the best out there. The show is about an art gallery
curator named Sung Deok-Mi (Park Min-Young) who tries to live a double life. She
makes sure that her work is impeccable and infallible, but Deok-Mi hides the
fact that she’s a dedicated fan of a K-pop idol.

What’s notable about Deok-Mi is that she breaks the stereotype of fangirls. She
proves that one can be a devoted fan while still having an illustrious and
successful career. She’s hardworking and strong-willed ⁠— and she lets the
viewers know that it’s okay to be themselves and like whatever they want to
like, as long as it’s not hurting themselves or other people.



Watch on Netflix




KANG SOO-JIN


MOTHER (2018)



Mother is a hidden gem in the genre of suspense and is subsequently one of the
best strong female lead K-drama series. Those who watch the 2018 drama will see
the female lead as a sort of hero. The show is a remake of an eponymous popular
series from Japan and follows a temporary elementary school teacher, Kang
Soo-Jin (Lee Bo-Young) as she notices something is wrong with one of her
students. Soo-Jin learns that the student is being abused at home. In an
impulsive act to save the young girl, Soo-Jin kidnaps her. Soon-Jin goes above
and beyond to save the little girl even if it's against the law.

Watch on Rakuten Viki




KANG SEO-HAE


SISYPHUS: THE MYTH (2021)




Sisyphus: The Myth is a time travel drama that debuted on Netflix in 2020 and
easily stands out as one of the best strong female lead K-drama shows. The
storyline entails a young woman tasked with traveling to the past to stop a
genius engineer from the danger that will change the future. Audiences are
immediately starstruck by protagonist Kang Seo-Hae's (Park Shin-Hye) dedication
and prowess.

It's not easy for Seo-Hae to leave behind her only family and life to make the
difficult and unprecedented journey to the past, not to mention she has the
outcome of the future riding on her shoulders. Seo-Hae proved that she was tough
enough to handle any danger, no matter the time period.

Watch on Netflix




OH DONG-BAEK


WHEN THE CAMELLIA BLOOMS (2019)



Audiences can't help but root for the main female lead, Oh Dong-Baek (Gong
Hyo-Jin) in When the Camellia Blooms. To start, she's a single mother who's
constantly ridiculed in town for not having a husband so her decision to raise a
child alone is seen as blasphemous, but the best part is that she doesn't care.
She holds her head up high and is proud of being able to raise a great child.



Dong-Baek also has moments of self-doubt that are amicable. In one of the best
K-dramas on Netflix, what garnered praise from audiences was her ability not to
back down. There's a serial killer who has her eye on her and, instead of going
into hiding, she keeps her bar-restaurant open. She refuses to let anyone take
what she's worked hard for.

Watch on Netflix

Related

13 BEST K-DRAMA SOUNDTRACKS, RANKED

Though most audiences look for strong storylines in shows, many K-dramas have
phenomenal soundtracks that are worth listening to on repeat.




DO HA-NA & CHOO MAE-OK


THE UNCANNY COUNTER (2020)



One of the most intriguing K-drama series with a badass female lead contains not
one, but two, formidable protagonists. The leading ladies of Netflix's The
Uncanny Counter deserve the utmost respect when it comes to being outstanding
female leads. Ha-Na (Kim Se-Jeong) becomes a Counter after her family is
poisoned and killed, leaving her the only survivor. Still riddled with guilt
over her loss, she is closed off about revealing her past.



Ha-Na is tough as nails and doesn't take kindly to the main character, So Mun
(Jo Byeong-kyu), being bullied. The matriarch is Mae-Ok (Yeon Hye-Ran), who lost
her only son in an accident and became a Counter while her son became her
handler. Mae-Ok gets applause for never backing down from a fight and putting
herself at risk using her healing abilities.

Watch on Netflix




HONG CHA-YOUNG


VINCENZO (2021)



Vincenzo became a Netflix must-watch K-drama in 2021 and also one of the best
strong female lead K-drama shows. While the story revolves around a former
Italian consigliere named Vincenzo Cassano and his return to South Korea, the
real star is Cha-Young (Jeon Yeo-Boon). Cha-Young was a prosecutor in the firm
that represents the corrupted Babel Group company.

When she learns that they orchestrated the murder of her father, she joins
forces with Vincenzo (Song Joong-Ki) to seek justice. Audiences may have a good
laugh with her carefree antics but get chills over her ability to flip the
switch, and when it comes to the people she cares for and seeking to bring down
Babel Group, she'll do whatever it takes to succeed.



Watch on Netflix




JANG MAN‑WOL


HOTEL DEL LUNA (2019)

Close


Korean singer-songwriter and actor, IU, transformed into the hotel manager of
Hotel Del Luna, Jang Man-Wol, in Hotel Del Luna, one of the many K-dramas to
feature a K-pop idol in an acting role. She is someone who's not to be messed
with, especially with her past crimes. To atone for killing people, she must
serve a sentence as the manager of the Hotel Del Luna.

In the drama, she can sometimes be cold and ill-tempered. She scares the wits
out of people, and she often saves the day by showing off her immense power. She
isn't shy either when it comes to getting what she wants. Despite having her
heart broken, she shows that she doesn't need a man to survive.

Watch on Netflix




GO HAE-RI


VAGABOND (2019)




Vagabond has become a favorite among Netflix users and the crime-thriller has
two main characters: a stuntman named Cha Dal-Gun (Lee Seung-gi) who loses his
nephew in a plane crash and an N.I.S. agent. Go Hae-Ri (Bae Suzy), who proved to
be a lead that isn't to be messed with in one of the best strong female lead
K-drama series. Audiences are first introduced to her as she works as a spy
looking for information.

She also proves more than once that she's skilled in combat and firearms. Above
all, she's willing to put things on the line to uncover the truth behind the
plane crash, for example, when she goes behind her superiors' backs who want to
keep things hush-hush.

Watch on Netflix




DO BONG‑SOON


STRONG GIRL BONG-SOON (2017)

Close


Yes, Strong Girl Bong-Soon may be applauded for having one of the best K-drama
love triangles in television history, but the titular main female lead also has
people enthralled. In one of the best strong female-led K-drama shows, Do
Bong‑Soon (Park Bo-Young) was born with superpowers passed down through
generations. She has superstrength and her strength combined with her "never
back down" attitude lands her a job as the bodyguard to the CEO of a gaming
company. A fun scene in the drama is when she beats up a group of gangsters for
mistreating an elderly man. She even goes after the suspected kidnappers of her
best friend.



Watch on Rakuten Viki

Related

STRONG GIRL BONG-SOON: 12 REASONS WHY THE K-DRAMA IS SO MEMORABLE

K-drama series Strong Girl Bong-Soon is getting all the hype, but what are the
12 reasons why it is possibly the best in its class?




CHA YOUNG-JIN


NOBODY KNOWS (2020)



Nobody Knows was a K-drama that was ranked as one of the best to air in 2020 and
the crime mystery series had not only its storyline to thank but its main female
lead. The show revolves around Cha Young-Jin (Kim Seo-Hyung), a detective who is
haunted by a mistake she made years ago.

After her best friend is murdered when they were teens in one of the best strong
female lead K-drama shows, she vows to find the killer. Cha shows her resilience
when the killer calls her after the murder, and she threatens him. Years later,
he's back to haunt her, and she won't stop until he's caught. When contacted
again, she has the courage and strength to face him in person.



Watch on Rakuten Viki




BAE TA MI, CHA HYEON & SONG GA KYUNG


SEARCH WWW (2019)



Search WWW gets recognized as having three powerful and strong female leads.
What audiences praise the K-drama for is its ability to not rely on common
tropes or characterizations about women in a competitive field. Bae Ta Mi (Im
Soo Jung), Cha Hyeon (Lee Da Hee), and Song Ga Kyung (Jeon Hye Jin) work for two
competing IT companies.

All three hold high-level positions and face unique challenges within their
field. Instead of backstabbing and lying, the three characters stick together
and empower each other in one of the best strong female lead K-drama series.
There's even an intense scene where two of the characters walk down a foggy
street, after which they emerge looking fierce and holding bats.

Watch on Rakuten Viki




JI SUN-WOO


THE WORLD OF THE MARRIED (2020)




The storyline in The World of the Married is deep, complex, filled with drama,
and is subsequently one of the best strong female lead K-drama shows available
to stream. Ji Sun-Woo (Kim Hee-Ae) is a revered doctor who seems to have a
perfect life, but she is betrayed by her friends and husband when she discovers
that her husband is having an affair and her friends know about it. Now she
seeks revenge and to ruin the lives of the people who hurt her. While the drama
takes many twists and turns, Sun-Woo tries to hold things together and keep up a
strong facade.

The World Of The Married is available to stream on Disney+ in certain regions
but is not currently available to stream in the U.S.




JUNG TAE-EUL


THE KING: ETERNAL MONARCH (2020)




Jeong Tae-Eul (Kim Go-Eun) from The King: Eternal Monarch surprised viewers with
her upfront attitude and her skills as a police officer. She's ranked as an
Inspector in the Violent Crimes Squad and takes her work seriously. Viewers
learn that her father was a Tae Kwon Do instructor, and she was trained from a
young age.

In the fantasy-driven storyline of one of the best K-drama series to feature a
badass female lead, she keeps her head up as she learns that there's a parallel
world. Tae-Eul is a strong female character when facing peril. It's a riveting
scene when she evades the kidnappers, fights them off, and even when wounded,
manages to seek help.

Watch on Netflix




GO AE-SHIN


MR. SUNSHINE (2018)



The historical romantic melodrama Mr. Sunshine has a female lead that's just as
skilled as her male counterpart. Go Ae-Shin (Kim Tae-Ri) isn't just a Joseon
noblewoman. Behind her facade, she secretly joins the Righteous Army, and she's
also a highly trained sniper. Her personality and skills put her as an equal
force with her love interest, who is a Captain in the United States Marine
Corps. Ae-Shin defies the odds of what being a woman is meant to be during her
time period and breaks all stereotypes. Her character and drive make her
captivating to watch.



Watch on Netflix




KO MOON‑YOUNG


IT'S OKAY TO NOT BE OKAY (2020)

Close


Ko Moon‑Young (Seo Ye-Ji) from It's Okay To Not Be Okay is a bit quirky but in a
good way. The character endured emotional abuse as a child from her mother while
also having an antisocial personality disorder. As an adult, she's a force to be
reckoned with, making her one of the best strong female lead K-drama examples.
She comes off as cold, detached, and controlling, but she knows what she wants,
no matter what people say.

Her impeccable fashion sense matches her fiery attitude. She's afraid of no one
and stands up for herself and, on occasion, others. When Moon Gang-tae's brother
is being berated by a father at her event, she steps in. When the father starts,
she pulls his hair, demands an apology, and teaches him a lesson.



Watch on Netflix




CHA SOO-YOUNG


TELL ME WHAT YOU SAW (2020)

Close


To be fair, Tell Me What You Saw has two strong female leads that deserve
recognition. One of them is Cha Soo-Young (Sooyoung) and the other is Hwang
Ha-Young (Jin Seo-Yeon). But Soo-Young has a special ability that sets her apart
and makes her a formidable character in one of the best strong female lead
K-drama series.

She's a police officer with a photographic memory. In this gripping thriller
K-drama, she's teamed up with a criminal profiler to catch a serial killer.
Ha-Young turns out to be someone people don't want to upset. She's the team
leader who is highly skilled in combat and takes down criminals by whatever
means necessary, but both women can hold their own just fine as badass female
leads in this K-drama.

Watch on Rakuten Viki





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About The Authors
Amanda Bruce (1296 Articles Published)




Gabriela Silva (478 Articles Published)


Gabriela Silva is a List writer for Screen Rant with experience in all things
television, film and pop culture. A graduate of Fordham University with previous
years experience interning for Cliché Magazine. With her passion for movies,
television and entertainment, she's interviewed some great actors from Cress
Williams of 'Black Lightning' to Tati Gabrielle from 'Chilling Adventures of
Sabrina.' Her love for entertainment reaches a broad range of interests from 90s
thriller movies, guilty pleasure teen dramas, action-packed MCU movies to
popular K-dramas. You'll most likely find her binge-watching a new television
show or movies on Netflix into the early morning.

Katy Rath • Senior Updates Writer/TV Features Writer (441 Articles Published)





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