Love A Strong, Independent Female Lead? Here Are 9 K-Dramas To Watch

There’s a huge variety of strong female characters in K-Dramas, from quick-thinking lawyers, to self-made CEOs, and everything in between.

Here are 9 K-Dramas to watch if you can’t get enough of strong female leads!

1. The King: Eternal Monarch

| Amazon

The King: Eternal Monarch tells the story of Lee Gon (Lee Min Ho), the emperor of the Kingdom of Corea in an alternate reality. When he first comes to our reality, he meets police officer Jeong Tae Eul (Kim Go Eun).

Kim Go Eun as Jeong Tae Eul in The King: Eternal Monarch | IMDb

Jeong Tae Eul is extremely brave, and she isn’t afraid to face villains head-on by herself. She’s also highly skilled in taekwondo. Jeong Tae Eul’s no-nonsense personality and intelligence make her incredibly interesting to watch.

| IMDB

Although it can be difficult to follow the jumps between the different realities at first, The King: Eternal Monarch is worth the watch!

2. Strong Woman Do Bong Soon

| Reelgood

From its name alone, it’s clear that Strong Woman Do Bong Soon doesn’t shy away from strong female characters! This K-Drama tells the story of Do Bong Soon (Park Bo Young), a young woman with superhuman strength. Her strength is hereditary and is only passed down to the women in her family.

| IMDb

Throughout the K-Drama, we see Do Bong Soon take on plenty of bad guys, including a super sinister kidnapper. However, at times she also struggles with her strength and wishes she could be like other women.

| IMDb

Strong Woman Do Bong Soon is simultaneously hilarious, heartwarming, and romantic. As you watch, you’ll definitely find Do Bong Soon adding herself to your list of all-time favorite K-Drama characters!

3. Run On

| Netflix

Run On included two strong female characters! This K-Drama tells the story of former track star, Ki Seon Gyeom (ZE:A’s Im Siwan) as he works toward transitioning into a new career. Along the way, he meets Oh Mi Joo (Shin Se Kyung), a subtitle translator.

Shin Se Kyung as Oh Mi Joo in Run On | IMDb

Oh Mi Joo is smart, resourceful, and witty. She also prioritizes her own happiness, which is a refreshing change from K-Drama characters who constantly prioritize others’ needs over themselves.

Girls’ Generation’s Choi Sooyoung as Seo Dan Ah in Run On | IMDb

Seo Dan Ah (Girls’ Generation’s Choi Soouyoung) is the CEO of her own sports agency and is the daughter of the CEO of the Seomyung Group. Although she should be the heir to her family’s company, she’s held back because she’s a woman.

| IMDb

Throughout this K-Drama we see both Oh Mi Joo and Seo Dan Ah rely on their own strength as they figure out what they truly want out of life. Run On is definitely worth the watch for lovers of strong female characters!

4. Mine

| Netflix

Mine revolves around the stories of strong women who break free of societal stereotypes, claim their own identity, and learn what’s truly theirs in life. Although the story centers around Jung Seo Hyun (Kim Seo Hyung) and Seo Hi Soo (Lee Bo Young), daughters-in-law of the Hyowon Group family, this K-Drama features a host of strong female characters from all walks of life.

Kim Seo Hyung as Jung Seo Hyun in Mine | IMDb

As the series progresses, both Jung Seo Hyun and Seo Hi Soo rely on their wits, connections, and intuition to protect themselves and those they care about.

Lee Bo Young as Seo Hi Soo in Mine | IMDb

This K-Drama received lots of attention for its female-centric plot, and every female character is a strong woman in her own way. This show shows that there are many ways to be strong and that no woman should be underestimated!

5. Start-Up

| Netflix

Start-Up tells the story of Seo Dal Mi (Bae Suzy), an ambitious young woman who’s tired of working unfulfilling jobs and dreams of starting her own company.

Bae Suzy as Seo Dal Mi in Start-Up | IMDb

Although Seo Dal Mi doesn’t have the typical CEO background or any high-profile connections, she’s incredibly bright and ambitious, and she quickly gathers a team who can help her make her dream a reality.

Kang Ha Na as Won In Jae in Start-Up | IMDb

Won In Jae (Kang Ha Na) is Seo Dal Mi’s sister, and she’s also a strong female character. After their parents divorced, Won In Jae lived with their mother and rich stepfather while Seo Dal Mi lived with their father. While Seo Dal Mi yearns to start her own company, Won In Jae hopes to prove that she can succeed without her stepfather’s help.

Throughout the K-Drama, we see both sisters discover that they’re capable of even more than they realized. As you watch, you’ll find yourself rooting for them both!

6. The Glory

The Glory tells the story of Moon Dong Eun (Song Hye Kyo) as she tries to get revenge on a group of bullies who tormented her during high school.

Throughout the two seasons of the show, Moon Dong Eun uses her wit, intelligence, and anger to craft elaborate plots to exact her revenge.

7. The Uncanny Counter

The Uncanny Counter‘s two seasons tell the story of a group of Counters, humans with supernatural powers, as they hunt down evil spirits that are terrorizing the real world.

Do Ha Na (Kim Sejeong) is a bold and independent counter who on the outside, seems cold and distant, but carries a more personable and compassionate side inside of her.

8. My Name

My Name tells the story of Yoon Ji Woo (Han So Hee) as she seeks revenge against the person or group that killed her father.

Yoon Ji Woo is hot-headed and determined to reach her ultimate goal, being willing to do whatever it takes to make sure her father’s death was not in vain.

9. Crash Course in Romance

Crash Course in Romance follows the owner of a side dish store and her daughter as they navigate the world of university admissions and the last year of high school together.

Nam Haeng Seon (Jeon Do Yeon) is the owner of the side dish shop who is determined to make sure her daughter, Nam Hae Yi (Roh Yoon Seo) is able to succeed with her university goals.