As adults, Han Jung-Suh (Choi Ji-woo)'s stepsister makes her life hell out of jealousy to a point where she fakesJung-Suh's death and causes her amnesia. If that doesnt scream main character energy, then what does? Fans 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. Hard to explain, but the FL died at the end. He later offers some enlightening advice that it is better to make one good plan instead of coming up with many proposals before subtly complimenting her work. Sometimes she stays with her audience and has more of a story to tell. There is a revenge scene with two of them destroying a mans car with bats and taekwondo kicks. She is expected to quietly wait for a marriage she doesnt want, but instead chooses to follow in her parents path. This leads to an argument between the two and Da-hyun breaking down. Despite her harsh realities, she grew fiercely independent, resilient, and went on to build her own business empire and brand. On the first day of university, Mi Rae becomes excited to start her new life, but she runs into Do Kyung Suk (Cha Eun Woo), a very handsome and popular boywhom she used to go to elementary school with. Faced with the injustices of life, Seok-yeong chooses not to surrender to that which she cannot control and instead hones in on what she can do as a prosecutor. In an impulsive act to save the young girl, Soo-Jin kidnaps her. Currently watching:Thirty-Nine, Forecasting Love and Weather, A Business Proposal, and Twenty Five, Twenty One All-time favorite drama:Secret Garden and Star In My Heart Looking forward to:Won Bins return to the small screen. This results in a pregnancy that forces them into marriage. Audiences are first introduced to her as she works as a spy looking for information. of the characters die. The ending was bittersweet asSoo-Hyun exacts revenge against the person who hurt the woman he loves. Some of these very serious issues include bullying and an obsession with physical appearances. And its not her first brush with death either. The heart-wrenching premise of Second 20s follows Ha No-ra a 38-year-old woman who gave up being a dancer at 19 after she was pregnant now close to divorce and diagnosed with terminal pancreatic cancer. The two form an unlikely bond and start to develop some serious feelings for each other. Ae-Shin (Kim Tae-ri) is a noblewoman, whose parents were assassinated for being freedom fighters. A Korean Odyssey | FL was raised by her grandmother who passed away. Instead of backstabbing and lying, the three characters stick together and empower each other. Really, all but three (maybe?) Rising actress Han So-hee proves herself as an incredible actress with range by bringing the main character Yoon Ji-woo to life. Last but not least, Hi, Bye, Mama is about a woman who died but gets a chance to live again for 49 days, so there's a lot of grief expressed in that drama by her husband, parents and her! Kdrama with cold female leads Hi! I know this is weird. I am always choosing the realistic one. It ruined Jun-youngs badminton career and she covered up the truth by telling everyone that she hurt herself during training. For detective Cha Ji-won (Moon Chae-won), it means you do everything in your power to find out who he really is, even if the answer could be disastrous. School - Love On While You Were Sleeping Marriage Contract About Time Dramas where the FL's life is in imminent danger and the ML rescues her ( and he doesn't die later ): Healer Come and Hug Me Descendants of the Sun She hardly leaves her. 74 after painting her last portrait of her true love, the King, and after trying to give birth to her 2nd child, despite her terminal illness), "IRIS" (2009, action-espionage; ML dies, but it won't make you sob; it will make you mad against the drama's writers and producers), "Chuno, The Slave Hunters" (2010, action-historical; ML dies so that the FL and 2ML can escape from their attackers), "Saimdang" (2017, historical; FL dies so that she can join her one true love in spirit), "The Royal Tailor" (starring Park Shin-hye; ML dies). However, Yoo Jung remains firm and does not budge, even though she and her family are threatened. Woe to all the fanatical cult leaders who get in her way. Seeing Taeyang muster up the courage to do the right thing was inspiring because we all know how hard it can be to admit to our wrongdoings. Because of her prolific position, Yoo Jung has been the target of an evil villain, who plans to use her in order to gain power. Not all couples stay together nor do the main characters finally get their shot at long-lasting love. While K-dramas are often enjoyed for their sometimes-saccharine romances and dramatic plots, there are more than a few badass female leads, as well. Soo-Hyun and Do Hyun-Jin (Nana) just so happen to fall in love. Their love story really blossoms when he returns to Korea to find his birth parents. Most people assume that fans of Korean dramas watch only for the hunky, chiselled male leads. All that loneliness caused her to struggle with thoughts of suicide, which she overcame. Korean singer-songwriter and actor, IU transformed into the hotel manager of Hotel Del Luna, Jang Man-Wol in Hotel Del Luna. Park Bo. He soon comes to learn about his real family. Youll find no drama tropes of successful women but rather, heartwarming friendship and meaningful relationships. < without spaces for spoiler. He rests his head on her shoulder and a while later she asks if he's asleep. Leaders in the tech world, these women give as good as they get. The character gets applause for never backing down from a fight and putting herself at risk using her healing abilities. Years later, he's back to haunt her and she won't stop until he's caught. Dramas where the FL nearly dies, has little time left to live, or is on the brink of death: The Eternal Love Hi! Here are 10 Must-Watch Korean Dramas With Smart And Strong Female Leads. Teen Vogue may earn a portion of sales from products that are purchased through our site as part of our Affiliate Partnerships with retailers. Similarly to True Beauty, My ID Is Gangnam Beauty has a female protagonist who hasbeen a victim of feeling the societal pressures of looking a certain way in order to be happy. into a role that displays youthful girl power and action. The two start off despising each other, but because Gong Sil is able to find peace when shes around Joong Won, shes pretty clingy. ), Which drama from the above user's 'Last List Updates' would you pick? Yes, Strong Girl Bong-Soon may be applauded for its riveting love triangle, but the main female lead also has people enthralled. He subsequently dies leaving empress Ki to once again lose someone she loves and rule the kingdom alone. Sim-Deok tries to hide her tears but Woo-Jin wipes them and takes her hand in his. But when Enrique Geum (Yoon Shi Yoon) catches her stalking her next door neighbor, things get pretty awkward. In Because This Is My First Life, Lee Min Ki stars as Nam Sae Hee, an awkward computer designer who is house poor, while Jung So Min stars as Yoon Ji Ho, an aspiring drama writer who is on the brink of giving up on her dreams because she cant afford to live in the city. Hyun-Jin fallsto the floor beside him to hold his hand one last time. After becoming emotionally attached to the main characters, fans only hope for the best and a good resolution yet sad endings are no new thing in K-dramas and seem to keep fans coming back to experience the heartbreak all over again. Even more heartbreaking, it took decades for Hee Tae (Lee Do Hyun) to find Myung Hee, who was only a skeleton at the time. Being theillegitimate daughter of theYoon family, she grew up feeling rather lonely and almost outcast within her own family. Na Bong Sun (Park Bo Young) is an assistant chef to Kang Sun Woo (Jo Jung Suk). Ad Choices. 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.' Weightlifting Fairy Kim Bok-joo is another K-drama that nails the concept of an extremely physically strong woman. All-time favorite dramas: " Secret Garden ," " Goblin ," " Because This Is My First Life ," " Star In My . This eight-episode crime noir drama is not your typical light-hearted Korean drama. We love a good character in relentless pursuit of their dreams. There are leads that would make any grown adult shiver with their deadly stare. Gabriela Silva is a List writer for Screen Rant with experience in all things television, film and pop culture. By night, shes a hardcore fan whose world revolves around her idol, Cha Shi An. Female in danger & dramatic rescue from the ML: Please don't watch 49 days. In an emotional scene, Man-Wol decides to enter the afterlife on her own terms, not escorted by the Grim Reaper. Fatefully, she meets Lee Gun (Jang Hyuk) one day, and the two have a one night stand. Gritty and intense, My Name is full of unexpected twists and action sequences. There are many tragic romances in this K-drama, but Ae-Shins desire to protect her country from imperialism is what drives her, as well as this series. In the final scene, shevisits his graveand dies by suicide. Despite knowing ahead of time that Youth Of May would be a sad love song, the audience was moved by the dramas tragic ending. We suggest that our users err on the side of caution and use spoiler tags abundantly. What fans praise the K-drama for is its ability to not rely on common tropes or characterizations about women in a competitive field. Unknown to her, Yi-han was threatened by the head of the hospital because the latter is just trying to hide a lot of dirty little secrets as most drama villains are wont to do. A trained boxer, Si-young is 100 percent believable as someone who can keep an apartment full of scared residents alive for a while, anyways. This article was originally published on March . The ending to Moon Lovers was hard and had fans feeling immense emotional pain. Empress Kiis a highly popular historical K-drama that had a sad ending that left fans heartbroken for the main character. Hey Soompiers, who is your favorite female K-drama characterthat comes out of her shell? Although they are not sure about their feelings for each other, Lee Gun pushesKimMi Young away. The storyline in The World of the Married is deep, complex, filled with drama, and has a badass female lead. Cheese in the Trap became a notorious K-drama for its intense display of "second-hand lead syndrome" and the love triangle. The K-drama Her Private Life is blessed with a strong woman lead. Well, forget the stereotypes, leading women Bae Ta Mi (Im Soo Jung), Cha Hyeon (Lee Da Hee), and Song Ga Kyung (Jeon Hye Jin) empower each other in work and even relationships. He, at first, seeks revenge but when his newfound brother is injured in an accident, he makes a decision. As a talented weightlifter, Bok-joo struggles with her lack of femininity but learns to overcome her esteem issues and love herself. Content warning:This articlecontains discussions of suicide, terminal illness, and violence. This one features not just one, but three female protagonists from different walks of life, who form a revenge club of sorts. All with the painful memory of her previous life in mind, Hae Soo has come face to face with a myriad of challenges, such as adapting as a person of the 21st century in 941 and pleading for the justice of others. Love All Play is a sports show thats worth the binge due to its romantic plot that revolves around two badminton players. Female leads in Korean dramas often live happily ever after, but the small screen in 2021 has proved the opposite. One of the most difficult things in life is trying to prove ones worth, and Da-Hyun has successfully done that. Shin Soon Ae is a seductress who tries really hard toget Kang Sun Woo. In The King: Eternal Monarch, Tae-Eul plays a police officer who has been obsessed with true crime stories ever since she was a kid. This currently on-going (at the time of reporting) drama is an adaptation based on the famous 1868 novel of the same name by Louisa May Alcott. The only kdrama that makes sense for the lead to die and still have the ending to be satisfying and good. Vincenzo became a Netflix must-watch K-drama in 2021. Part two of the drama is currently in production and is set to premiere in December 2022. One of the best K-dramas released this year is Bloody Heart. Despite having her heart broken, she shows that she doesn't need a man to survive. Su Ryeons ending shocks the audience because she is the central character of the protagonists side, who is expected to be alive until the end. RELATED:The 10 Best Medical K-Dramas (According To IMDb). Go Ae-Shin (Kim Tae-Ri) isn't just a Joseon noblewoman. Soo-Hyun andDo Hyun-Jin (Nana) just so happen to fall in love. The story would entrance any viewer as it depicts the tragic story between Joseon's first soprano and a playwright. Who died? But in the final episode, the story gets complex and upsetting. Joon-Young comes to terms with his life and in the final scenes, he's with Noh Eul. The material on this site may not be reproduced, distributed, transmitted, cached or otherwise used, except with the prior written permission of Cond Nast. Sung Joonwas madly in love with Hye Jin when he was younger but is now unable to recognize her as an adult. Chan-Sung watches as she fades into the mist. 76 titles 1. They erase all memories of him from Ha-Ram's mind. (Viki), There are a lot of men and even more monsters in this gory apocalyptic series, but the most fearless, take-charge character is a firefighter played by Lee Si-young. Fans give the character Kang Seo-Hae (Park Shin-Hye) some applause as the female lead. (Viki), There are attorneys who can fight in the courtroom. Kill It.The only kdrama that makes sense for the lead to die and still have the ending to be satisfying and good. It stars Park Bo-gum as an unpredictable and mischievous crown prince who finds himself strangely drawn to one of his eunuchs, Sam-nom, played to adorable perfection by Kim Yoo-jung. 8 best hair and beauty looks from Hi, Bye Mama! MR SUNSHINE male lead and second-leads die . The accident occurred when Tae-yang dragged Jun-young out for drinks and a snowboarding trip but the latter got injured during the secret outing. Baek In-Ho (Seo Kang-Joon) doesn'tget the girl either as Hong Seol recuperates from a broken heart. 5 life lessons to take away from Hometown Cha-Cha-Cha, How to achieve easy and effortless hair as seen in K-drama Vincenzo, 50 best K-dramas of all time to binge watch. Soon-Jin goes above and beyond to save the little girl even if it's against the law. Reply [deleted] Additional comment actions . 7 Signs That Youre Falling in Love. The female lead in Marriage Contract a kdrama from 2016 has a terminal disease. The actress has played her share of helpless ingenue roles in the past, but she is at her prime here, showing off her six-pack abs and gutsy survival skills. You're not imagining that frenetic energy. Shes the best at her job, runs the neurosurgery department, intelligent and empathetic. However, her social skills falls outside of the recognised social conventions and the series follows her as she tries to overcome the prejudicial treatment at work, in court, and in her daily life. In the 3rd and last season of Penthouse, lots of viewers persisted in the belief that the protagonists would have happy endings. Her protective nature seems to be fuelled by impulse at first, but later she shows to be very mindful and motherly as she assesses and navigates the risky situation around her. The two meet and decide to have a contract marriage so that Sae Hees parents will stop setting him up on blind dates and so that Ji Ho can look for a job. Okay, I saw City Hunter. It got kinda depressing for me, so I stopped watching at ep 15. RELATED:The 10 Best K-Dramas With More Than One Season, Ranked (According To IMDb). Without a doubt, Yoo Jung is a brave and fearless woman. The show's end had fans in shock and tears but it was expected from the start. The journey Gong Sil takes into self-awareness is empowering, and you see her transform into a more confident and strong woman. Jang Nara stars in Fated to Love You as a regular, plain girl named Kim Mi Young. Perhaps going through a near-death experience was part of it, but having Yoo Jungs bravery, strength and determination to fight and treasure a second chance is indeed something we all need a little bit of. TV fans who want to see badass female protagonists persevere through the toughest ordeals should check out what K-dramas have to offer. Those who watch the 2018 drama will see the female lead as a sort of hero. In the final scene,Soo-Hyun kills said person and causes the SWAT team to open fire on him. I'm not looking under the spoilers so you may read these two every time: Bad Guy (2010) & Shark (2013) both have Kim Nam Gil starring. Most who have suffered crippling losses like our leading lady might give up (and its justified), but she doesnt. It can be from any country and any genre. In the drama, she can sometimes be cold and ill-tempered. binaheartsis a Soompi writer whose ultimate biases areSong Joong Kiand BIGBANG but has lately been seen obsessing overHwang In Yeop. Whats notable about the show is that it doesnt feature a villain unlike other K-dramas, and instead focuses on the character development and growth of the main characters. (Netflix), A rarity for K-dramas, this series focuses on three alpha women, while the male characters are relegated to secondary boyfriend roles. agent. This results in her coming out of her shell and overcoming a lot of lifes obstacles while learning to accept herself for who she is. 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.' Stairway to Heaven is a complex love story about two childhood best friends that are forced apart by evil characters. Yu Ri shows us that there are no limits to love and her strength throughout each episode is not only inspiring but just might make you curl into a bawl and sob. Marriage Contract but it's weird because the female lead seems terrified of the male lead. (Korean Actors/Actresses Ver. Does anyone have a recommendation of kdramas with cold or bad ass female leads except Its Okay Not To Be Okay, Vegabond, Doctors, The King's Love, Mystic Pop Up Bar, Hotel Del Luna, Nobody Knows, Good Casting, Itaewon Class and Graceful Family? Her character does not die but achieves her lifelong dream only near the end of her life. Where you can watch it: Netflix, Viu, iQIYI. Her survival instinct and knowledge not only keeps them alive, but also helps a child prince who has been infected. actress Kim Tae-Hee. Check this out:** 11 Best K-Dramas of 2020, 2023 Cond Nast. Currently watching: "Clean With Passion For Now" and " Encounter ". Dong-Mae warmed hearts despite his bad boy appearance. (Netflix), Ae-Shin (Kim Tae-ri) is a noblewoman, whose parents were assassinated for being freedom fighters. Ji-woo, who witnessed her fathers murder, is determined to seek revenge. It told the story of a bad boy scammerliving in Australia when he meetsSong Eun-Chae (Im Soo-Jung) who gets her items stolen by criminals. "Yi San" (2007, historical; FL dies in Ep. By the end of the series, she realizes who her heart is truly after, which brings her out of her shell completely. Though she knows her investigation could make her own life miserable, she does everything in her power to root out the truth. Club of sorts friendship and meaningful relationships can watch it: Netflix, Viu, iQIYI from! A story to tell power to root out the truth the love triangle ( Park Young! Issues and love herself Viki ), there are attorneys who can fight in the tech world, these give! 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Empress Kiis a highly popular historical K-drama that had a sad ending that fans! Revenge club of sorts talented weightlifter, Bok-joo struggles with her lack of femininity but learns to her. My Name is full of unexpected twists and action dies by suicide male.. To quietly wait for a marriage she doesnt want, but three female protagonists from different walks of,!