20 Most Iconic K-Drama Female Leads of All Time, Ranked
From The Glory to Extraordinary Attorney Woo, these iconic female leads shaped the golden era of Korean drama with unforgettable performances and empowering stories.
Kim Ji-won as Hong Hae-in in Queen of Tears — one of the most powerful K-drama female performances of all time.
Korean dramas (K-dramas) have produced some unforgettable leads for women in the worldwide television scene. They are wonderful characters registered into the genres that include both romantic heroines and fierce avengers. Whether they were going through heartbreak, chasing their dreams, or changing destiny, these women have been some of the most memorable female leads ever shown on the screen.
A look at the top-ranking 20 K-drama female leads of all time would be a must when bearing in mind their impact, performance, and lasting legacy.
20. Moon Dong-eun – The Glory
Played by: Song Hye-kyo
Moon Dong-eun was viciously bullied; she since channelled her entire life towards revenge. Being among the scariest K-dramas ever made, The Glory follows the evolution of Dong-eun, whose transformation and shades of gray spell unforgettable.
19. Cha Jeong-seok – Doctor Cha
Played by: Uhm Jung-hwa
After such a long time being a housewife, Cha Jeong-seok restarts her medical career and regains her personal identity. The inspiring late-life comeback in Doctor Cha shows that it is never too late to pursue your dreams.
18. Lee Ji-an – My Mister
Portrayed by: Lee Ji-eun (IU)
Lee Ji-an's tale speaks of survival and quiet strength. Trapped by debt and abuse, she manages, yet My Mister goes deep into exposing her humanness behind the agony.
17. Lee Min-kyung- Mad for Each Other
Portrayed by: Oh Yeon-seo
Lee Min-kyung's paranoia and trauma are approached with rare compassion in this unusual rom-com. Her chemistry with Jung Woo and well-deserved emotional healing journey make Mad for Each Other a secret fave.
16. Cha Ji-won- Flower of Evil
Portrayed by: Moon Chae-won
Being a detective who may discover that her husband is a murderer, Cha Ji-won maintains her composure amidst the unimaginable betrayal that places her among the most resilient female leads in K-drama.
15. Koo Se-ra – Memorials (Into the Ring)
Portrayed by: Nana
14. Hong Hae-in – Queen of Tears:
Kim Ji-won portrayed a woman full of sorrow being addressed as terminally ill. Chaebol heiress Hong Hae-in finds her estranged husband and falls in love once more. The heartbreaking performance of Kim Ji-won turned "Queen of Tears" into a contemporary classic.
13. Seo Ah-ri – Celebrity
Played by: Park Gyu-youong
Seo Ah-ri, once an underdog in social media, comes to expose the dark side of influencer culture, and Celebrity keeps cunning and strong survival instincts viewers hooked till the end.
12. Nam Haeng-seon – Crash Course in Romance
Played by: Jeon Do-yeon
Haeng-seon is a devoted single mother who sacrifices for her family and whose grounded warmth gives realism to one of K-drama's most relatable love stories.
11. Kim Bok-joo – Weightlifting Fairy Kim Bok-joo
Played by: Lee Sung-kyung
10. Oh Mi-joo - Run On
Played by: Shin Se-kyung
Independent and intellectually curious, Mi-joo is a woman to be envied as a translator who sets her desires above her love life, making Run On a modest triumph of self-actualization.
9. Kim Mi-so – What’s Wrong With Secretary Kim?
Played by: Park Min-young
With grace, wit, and emotional intelligence, Park Min-young as Kim Mi-so disrupted the modern-day workplace romance heroine.
8. Na Hee-do – Twenty-Five Twenty-One
Played by: Kim Tae-ri
The coming-of-age events of Na Hee-do as a fencer and dreamer in Twenty-Five Twenty-One capture youth, ambition, and bittersweet nostalgia unlike any other series.
7. Yoon Ji-woo – My Name
Played by: Han So-hee
My Name is perhaps one of the grittiest revenge dramas in the realm of K-drama, with its basic premise of a daughter killing people in vengeance for her father's murder, imparting an atmosphere of intense melancholy.
6. Jang Man-wol – Hotel del Luna
Portrayed by: Lee Ji-eun (IU)
From managing a hotel for spirits with bitterness to somehow growing into a state of tranquility, Jang Man-wol’s emotional journey is one of the most poetic tales in fantasy K-drama.
5. Lim Ju-kyung – True Beauty
Portrayed by: Moon Ga-young
Escaping the torment of bullying through makeup, Ju-kyung's road to self-love made True Beauty a strong statement about accepting one's flaws.
4. Yoon Sae-bom – Happiness
Portrayed by: Han Hyo-joo
The immunity and gentleness from the very virus outbreak situation make Yoon Sae-bom a shadow of the brave cop through a dystopian thriller much alive with a concern on humanity rather than on horror.
3. Yeo Mi-ran – Love to Hate You
Portrayed by: Kim Ok-vin
Yeo Mi-ran is a stereotype-breaker with her fiery feminism and fierce independence; she's strong, flawed, and unapologetically herself.
2. Cheon Sa-rang – King the Land
Played by: Im Yoon-ah
Cheon Sa-rang’s radiant smile hides her struggles in a demanding workplace. King the Land celebrates her perseverance and unbreakable optimism.
1. Woo Young-woo – Extraordinary Attorney Woo
Played by: Park Eun-bin
Extraordinary Attorney Woo is an attorney of remarkable intellect, setting the drama apart from others in terms of representation and empathy. Her warmth, intellect, and honesty make her the most inspiring K-drama heroine to date.
