K-drama powerful female leads, that capture heart more than “Oppa”

It's quite interesting, isn’t it? Most people assume women are fond of K-dramas only because of Male leads who care for and protect their female leads in every circumstance. Of course, they also romantically present their feelings towards each other. They have created such a fantasy that when we talk about K-dramas, we chiefly focus on male-led dramas and sideline female-lead dramas.

Although I was one of them, I started watching K-dramas only to watch pure and soft romances focused on a poor persecuted girl longing to be saved by a rich good-looking boy. But the trend has shifted, in recent years, male leads to female leads, and then female lead K-dramas have been gaining popularity, especially among female viewers. I was one of them, I gradually gained interest in dramas of female leads, maybe I was searching myself in those characters. A character who was strong and capable, not afraid of anything, confronting and fearless. An alpha, raised to become queen, full of resilience, intelligence, emotional depth, independence, self-direction, and so on.

Here we are going to talk about some of the strong protagonist dramas played by prominent actresses.

1. Agency (2022)

“Agency” is a drama where Lee Bo-young portrayed a strong ambitious woman Go Ah-in, who is willing to be the best in her organization and desires to reach the top. She came from a poor background, worked hard, and faced challenges to become the first female executive and to the highest position. With the depiction of realistic stories and struggles in the background of an advertising agency, the drama became a commercial hit winning the highest-rated drama in Korean cable television history.

2. Mine (2021)

The second drama is “Mine”, in the drama two strong women, Seo Hi-Soo (Lee Bo-Young) a star actress, who left everything behind to be a part of the chaebol family and marred to second son, and Jung Seo-Hyun (Kim Seo-Hyung), who’s married to the first son of the chaebol family. They stay true to themselves leading their lives under secrets and lies. Encaged in a golden cage, they struggle to keep their identity at the top, while playing best as daughters-in-law in a family of top business group. The characters were full of ambitious women, elegant and rational to achieve their joy and desires.

 3. Queenmaker (2023)

A corporate jumps into politics. The drama unfolds around two strong female leads' partnership. Hwang Do-Hee, a former powerful fixer for the Eunsung group, and a civil rights lawyer, Oh Kyung-Sook, who often takes a bate against the Eunsung Group to fight for the weak people. The fixer, Hwang Do-Hee uses her skills to metamorphose a civil rights lawyer into the next mayor, to fulfill her revenge.

The drama unravels the fight of two independent women fighting for social changes and the rights of the weaker section. They often butt heads due to different methods of achieving their goals, though their goals were the same, and that’s what makes the show utterly interesting.

4. The Glory, Season 1-2 (2022-2023)

The series delves into the serious issue of bullying in Korean schools and its long-lasting emotional impact on those who experienced it in their early days. The show flickers around on Moon Dong-eun (played by Song Hye-kyo), who was subjected to severe bullying during her school years. Her injuries made her not to forgive the culprits. Years later, she returns with a single, unwavering purpose of revenge against her bullies who tormented her teenage. Unlike many victims, Dong-eun does not come across as fragile or vulnerable. Instead, she exudes unwavering strength and determination, giving off an intense aura that rattled even the bullies who once thought they were untouchable. According to Korean media, Song Hye-kyo's performance in this drama is considered her best to date, as she skillfully portrays a character. The Glory and her remarkable acting won her the Baeksang Award for Best Actress – Television.

5. Marry my husband (2024)

The innocent introverted girl Kang Ji Won (played by Park Min-young), was betrayed and killed by her unemployed husband on the same day she learns about her illness. The time reversed and she wakes up 10 in the past to the days when her husband started pursuing to marry her. The drama unfolds the ugly side of betrayal in friendship and relationship, and how she smartly handled everything. Although the drama is focused on the basic plot of revenge, how she positively changes herself from a poor innocent girl to a confident one is what makes the drama more interesting. And the more interesting plot twist comes upon meeting with Yoo Ji-Hyeok (Na In-Woo), who works as a chief in the same department as Kang Ji-Won who also hides a secret.

to be continued.....