I'm tired of kdramas where the female lead just flaps her hands uselessly in a crisis waiting for the man to come and save her/fix things.  Basically I don't want to end up end up thinking 'Don't just stand there, do something!' as I'm watching.  The female lead doesn't have to be all powerful/unlikeable and never need help, but she should at least give as good as she gets.  Anybody have any recommendations?

Baby-faced Beauty
I Do, I Do
Ms. Temper & Nam Jung Gi
Kdrama:
Please Come Back, Mister ( Han Hong Nan )
Sassy Go Go (Kang Yeon Doo, Nam Jung Ah)
Angry Mom (Jo Kang Ja)
Empress Ki (Empress Ki )
Arang and the Magistrate (Arang)

Cdrama:
Nirvana in Fire (Princess Ni Huang, Consort Jing, Xia Dong)

Jdrama:
Hard Nut! (Nanba Kurum)
Yae no Sakura (Yae Niijima)
Doctor X (Daimon Michiko)

I second Ms. Temper and Nam Jung Gi!!!
Wow, nice recommendation from everybody. Let me add Haken no Hinkaku and Zenkai Girl, both are Japanese dramas. And for Korean drama, What's Up Fox might fit your bill.
Second angry mom
Mask (starts pretty weak and cries easily, but becomes stronger each step of the way)
white lies (again grows stronger throughout)
Nemureru Mori no Jyukujyo (grows stronger)
+1 Arang and the Magistrate
Gu Family Book
49 Days
Go Princess Go
It's Okay, That's love and, maybe, Healer .. I liked the female lead in that drama
1. It's Okay, That's Love
2. Protect The Boss
3. School 2015, Who are You
4. Angry Mom
5. Empress Ki
H.I.T. (tough female detective), Queen Seondeok (great female protagonist vs. great female antagonist - both are awesome!), Capital Scandal (the second female lead in particular), and Jumong come to mind. I also second (third?) Angry Mom.
the imperial doctress
the sound of desert
vigilants in masks ( cecilia liu)