+1 for Search WWW, Fight for My Way, Marriage Not Dating(my favorite drama), Cruel City & Hotel Del Luna. I haven't finished Single Cunning Lady or The Beauty Inside yet but agree that the characters there fit the mark.
If you are okay without romance being involved with this character somehow (I've learned I, personally, am not but everyone's different) then The Queen of Office has the COOLEST calm and collected badass female lead that comes with some serious emotional baggage. Straight up: she is intimidating. I REALLY liked some of the screenwriter's other work (Flower Boy Ramen Shop & Because This Is My First Life) so if you enjoyed those, then check this one out as well. She salsa dances, too! So hot.
My Only Love Song: She's such a brat, this character! (Said with fondness) ;D She's a famous actress who KNOWS she's attractive & is so used to getting her own way that when she doesn't, she throws temper tantrums. She gets thrown back into the Joseon era to soften her rough edges a bit & while the drama is pretty much complete romantic comedy fluff, she's outspoken, forceful, "gorgeous and fully aware of it, dressed up and full of herself" (as per the request) and begins to wrap the ML around her little finger with her unfiltered honesty, not realizing she's trapping herself as well. She's the closest to a "mean" FL that I can think of...
Witch's Romance: She's a reporter (ugh, just get through the 1st episode b/c I tried to watch this 2-3 times at first & couldn't get through it but once you do, it's great) who finds herself at a crossroads in her life: get back with the successful ex or be with the new, younger guy who isn't as established as she is--financially, socially, etc. A nice noona romance with a cutie patootie young Park Seo Joon. SHE puts the moves on HIM, haha. She knows she's intelligent, attractive and a great catch. She's more direct and confident than she is "mean," but she doesn't take crap from anyone & makes her own choices-- which is how I interpreted that request from you. ;)
I am in the middle of My Lucky Star & while I have no idea if I'll like how it turns out since it's so off-beat & quirky, this character fits your description as well. She took the rap for her loser-thief boyfriend & serves time in jail (yeah! first time for everything...) before meeting the ML in a crazy circumstance. She's manipulative, conniving and petty at the same time she is forgiving, kind and accepting. I'm fascinated to see how she grows!
I would disagree with While You Were Sleeping only because Suzy didn't sell it for me. (But she didn't sell the badass for me in Gu Family Book, either...hmmm....maybe it's just me & Suzy?) Her character was SUPPOSED to be awesome but wasn't. Go Go Squid was another feminist fail to me due more to the direction of the writing rather than the actor's portrayal of the character. At least for me.
