A drama with a smart and caring underdog female lead ?

Hello,

I would like to ask for advice to the community about what dramas (or even animes or TV-shows) to watch next.

I seem to stumble a lot on dramas where the heroin is considered attractive either for being dumb or cruel.

I would like to find dramas where both leads are intelligent *and* considerate of others (or one could be like this from the start and the other would come to be like this).

Dramas with a female lead who meets struggles simply because life hasn't offered her the right opportunities. An heroin with an admirable value system which she sticks to and who actually reflects and tries to communicate, and one who isn't overly violent and nagging or sulky or clueless or seducing most of the time. Being clumsy because of overwhelm is ok.

Also, I would like the drama itself not to have a sad ending and not to be too dark, but to be often heart warming and fun even when sometimes the situations are very tough and heart-wrenching.

I would like the scenario to have some depth and subtelty, I'm not interested when most of the interaction between the main characters consists in meaningless picking to arise sexual tension. (I found Coffee Prince frustrating that way).

I am very interested in a beautiful, exciting love story though. And the lead male should not be overly arrogant and boasting... Nor overly cold and cruel... Proud, smart and business oriented maybe, but not like that last "You are my destiny" male lead who ruined the show for me.

Finally I really dislike when the storyline and the chars personalities are not logical and consistent. For instance, when a terrible situation happens because of something that makes no sense at all - like, the heroin just has to say one obvious thing to fix everything but she stays silent for no reason at all and we can only watch her sink. It's like the scenarist was trying to make more episodes when he has run out of ideas :/ I'm ok with fun wtf situations though.

I like plots where underdogs gradually progress towards fullfillment thanks to mutual support, work and some luck.

I enjoyed for instance dramas like these :

• - She was pretty  - the main char was rather perfect for me, maybe a bit overboard sometimes
• - Warm and cosy - It was quite heart warming, nice story, nice male lead
• - Beautiful Gong Shim  - Nice story, great male lead
• - Something in the Rain until the 11th episode
• - Radiant office 
• - Good Doctor
• - Dr Romantic

TV shows, animes and movies that I enjoy :

• - How do you know : I just wish introspection and communication was always like in this movie !!!
• - A.I.C.O., Salvation, Mars, Interstellar : deep and credible scientific concepts, righteous and kind female lead, interesting and exciting social dynamics and events.
• - Boys over flowers : exciting love story, leads a little too clueless and violent

What I midly enjoyed

• - Meteor's garden, the chinese version's first season, it's not 100% what I am after but I still enjoyed the love story
• - Lie to me : I liked everything but the female lead who is way too selfish
• - Angry Mom : I missed a successful love story and the lead isn't smart enough and too violent for me, I liked all the rest
• - I'm not a Robot : dumb female lead, story a little bit too silly
• - Memories of the Allhambra : I loved the story but the male lead was way to cold and the female lead was way too clueless
• - Dr stranger : the male lead was really too fickle and arrogant and char's actions weren't consistent, the plot was raging, there were strong emotions and some depth though
• - Blood : the scientific background was interesting but the leads were not able to reflect and communicate, and some things were not credible while not even being fun (opening for instance)
• - Age of youth : it was cute but missing some depth and intensity for me
• - Love in the Moonlight : too slow

What I didn't enjoy

• - Marriage contract - would have been nice, if it hadn't been overly depressing....
• - Coffee Prince : lack of meaningful communication between the maiin roles - I am aware that it's what the concept is about - the communication between the second roles was great though
• - You are my destiny : the male is way too arrogant
• - Love rain : too depressing
• - Something in the rain after the 11h episode
• - Dream high : the lead doesn't reflect and communicate at all I basically hated her, the plot throws the chars left and right without any consistency
• - Nice guy : both leads stop believing in their values
• - Violet Evergarden : self introspection is way to light, progression is way too slow

Ok, those were most of the shows I watched during the last year.

I hope someone can provide pointers :)

Thank you for reading! Take care!!

Hello Kura2ninja,

Those all seem interesting to me, thank you, I'm grateful!

I appreciate that you described them too.

I don't care about the origin as long as the content has the right ingredients for me, J-Dramas are an occasion to train my Japanese so it's perfect for me :D.

If you feel like adding some more you're welcome to do it. But I don't want to be too greedy, this list is already a nice gift.

Cheers!

Lena

I can totally relate to your request and I know those types are hard to find in dramaland ! I like the same dramas you've mentioned (maybe I'll start again with Beautiful Gong Shim ^^).

- Well, I second this one : "Soratobou Kouhoushitsu", I think it ticks of all the categories you'd want to. It's inspirational and talks about unachieved dreams. One of my favourites ! 

- "A poem a day" : Cute, realistic, FL is clumsy but not dumb. ML is cold at first, but grows on you after, and becomes really cute. And it's inpirational.

- "Like for likes" : a heart-warming movie with multiple couples.

- "Yutori Desu ga Nani ka" : this isn't focused on romance, but wow, it shows relatable couples from nowadays. Really funny too.

- "Nemureru Mori no Jukujo" : An older woman/ younger male romance. They're discovering each other through letters, a very pure romance. It also talks about divorce, working after being a housewife, ...If you want originality, go with this one.

- "Tempest", a historical drama, with again a slight, beautiful pure romance. A smart FL & ML.  A really underrated drama. 

-"Honjitsu wa, Ohigara mo Yoku"- Romance isn't the main subject of this drama, but the ML support the FL in her dream to be a speech writer.

- "Chief Kim"- Slight cute romance involved, with a self-growing 2ML 

- Ashi Girl- Okay, she's clumsy but brave. The ML is a nice one and so sweet. An other cute romance.

- From Me to You - Nice & cheerful ML and shy FL. Cute !

- Queen In Hyun's Man : Nice romance with time-travel.

- Queen Seon Duk : I'm currently watching it, and I don't know how it will end, but it's refreshing having a not frustrating FL and not a pushy ML.

- One More Happy Ending : Funny FL and Nice ML ! Not a teen drama.

- The Package : funny, inspirational and refreshing, but a bit slow. Clumsy ML.

- Miss Hammurabi : Talks of injustice, feminism. Sassy/brave FL, nice/cold ML.

- The Good Wife : Very independent and smart FL. Nice and smart ML.

Not Asian shows : 

"Our girl" - UK series. ML and FL admires each other. ML is a bit mean at the beginning ^^' The FL works as a soldier.

Some of my recommendations may not fit all of your categories, but they're near, I hope you'll like it !

Romance is a Bonus Book is the closest I could think of. Its on netflix.