Female Leads Who Defy Kdrama Stereotypes

It's no surprise that there are certain stereotypes we see in every Kdrama and every lead character. Some stereotypes we hate, some we love, and some we refuse to admit we love. However, lately in my drama watching, I've noticed a lot of female leads whose characterizations are new and innovative and breaking a lot of these stereotypes! This article will highlight just a few of these amazing ladies!

Oh Hae Young - Another Miss Oh

What I loved about Oh Hae Young was not only that she was unapologetic about her emotions, she was apologetically vocal about them and wasn't trying to hide them for the sake of the male lead. From a plethora of drunk tears, to running back home in the middle of the night after hearing what she wanted from Park Do Kyung. Hae Young's emotions were constantly changing and super realistic. Sadly, realistic emotions aren't something we always see in Kdramas, but her emotions were real and raw and all over the place and that makes her a super unique character in my books!

Yoo Hye Jung - Doctors

Obviously, the first thing that sets Yoo Hye Jung apart is her ability to kick ass! While she's not the only female lead we've seen like this, it is still a trait that's few and far between and it's always nice to see a woman who doesn't need to depend on anyone else for protection. I also think that Yoo Hye Jung acknowledges her past, her mistakes, and all of her shortcomings. While she apologized where apologies were necessary, she never apologized for who she was, what her goals were, or what her choices were. She was strong both mentally and physically and it was wonderful to see. I also think that it was wonderful to see Park Shin Hye in a role we've never gotten to see her play before.

Ra Bong Hee - Missing 9

Ra Bong Hee is a wonderful mix of sweet innocence and unexpected strength. I don't think anyone expected the amount of strength Bong Hee has displayed throughout the series, especially after our first introduction to her where we saw her scurrying around desperately trying to keep her job. However, on the island, we saw her take her place as the leader of the group. She was essentially the reason they were able to survive. Also, since she's returned from the island, we've seen her resilience numerous times, even to the point defiantly staring down a murderer who's almost twice her size. Bong Hee is such an incredible character on a sadly underrated drama, and I can't wait to see how she finishes out the drama.

Kim Bok Joo - Weightlifting Fairy Kim Bok Joo

I think it's safe to say we all fell in love with Bok Joo's quirky and charming personality. Aside from the fact that she was meant to be an "unconventional beauty" (despite Lee Sung Kyung being an absolute goddess), that's not really what makes her an unconventional female lead. Bok Joo is sweet and funny and her personality really sets her apart from other Kdrama leads. She doesn't adhere to the feminine standards that we always see in Kdramas, but that made her no less deserving of love. We get to see her realize this and it's just such a sweet and innocent storyline to have in a drama. Bok Joo warmed all of our hearts and I hope we get to continue to see female leads like her in future dramas!

Those are just a few of the amazing, unique female leads in dramas over the past year or so! Who are some of your favorite unconventional female leads?