Actresses who have impressed me and where.
This is also the list of all the female characters I loved.
The actresses below were good enough to shine even in series that could otherwise be average or mediocre as a whole. They inspire me to check out their other works.
The top 7 is in order, the rest is listed randomly.
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Moon Chae Won
South Korean
In Flower of Evil (main) and Good Doctor (main). She played the female protagonist I adore: sweet and lovable, yet tough and determined. She had great chemistry with her co-stars and all her emotions rang true. She showed her experience in her mature and natural way in handling her scenes. She's now my favourite actress.
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IU
South Korean
In Moon Lovers: Scarlet Heart Ryeo (main) and Hotel del Luna (main). She was able to show a broad range of emotions with ease and lit up the screen every time she showed. A naturally sophisticated actress, who handles multi-layered characters well.
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Gong Seung Yeon
South Korean
In My Only Love Song (main). This actress can be fantastic when she tones down her acting. Her outbursts didn't ring true, but when she needed to show vulnerability, she shone, just like she did in Circle (main). I think once she finds a role that talks to her, she'll truly blossom, but she needs to find some more complex characters to play.
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Shin Ye Eun
South Korean
In He is Psychometric (main). You know how sometimes you just like an actor/actress, but can't quite explain why? That's what it is with her. She got me on her side straight away, as a tough, yet likeable policewoman.
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Lee Yoo Bi
South Korean
In Pinocchio (support), and Twenty (main). The characters she played there were cheeky, confident, funny, full of life and a little bratty, and I loved them.
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Kim Ga Eun
South Korean
In I picked up a Star on the Road (main). Her character was not realistic...and yet I adored her. She could have appeared irritating or silly on paper, but she was instead fresh, lively and like a ray of sunshine. Her smile and expressions never failed to make me want to cheer for her.
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Aragaki Yui
Japanese
In Zenkai Girl (main). Her character was so realistic and raw, without any gimmick or crazy background and no unnecessary drama surrounding her. The simplicity and natural of the plot reflected in her down to earth acting. A charming actress.
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Kyung Soo Jin
South Korean
In Mouse (main). A complex, mysterious character. Her emotions do not fly high because of her sad/hard past. She reminds me of a cocoon, self protecting, but unable to go any further until her goal is accomplished. A little asocial, and definitely sullen and determined. Great character.
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Tsuchiya Tao
Japanese
In Alice no Borderland (main). An energetic, determined, strong yet feminine and a little shy protagonist. This actress' soft voice illustrated perfectly this mix of sweet yet bada**. I engaged with her from her first appearance on screen.
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Won Jin Ah
South Korean
In Just Between Lovers (main). This is my first drama with this actress and she gave me a long lasting impression. First of all, I loved the way her character was written, very sweet but tough, determined and resourceful. Jin Ah was likeable from the beginning, so I do want to check her other projects now, both past and future.
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Chae Soo Bin
South Korean
In I'm not a Robot (main). Played a character that I easily connected with, and easily fell for. Her acting looked effortless.
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Park Min Young
South Korean
In Healer (main). I prefer her when she plays a girl next door like in this drama, rather than a classy, high end professional. But either way, she always appears naturally sweet and friendly on screen without falling into the cutesy behaviour. I just wish she wasn't typecast in rom-com so much, in order to gauge her real abilities.
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Ryu Hwa Young
South Korean
In Mad Dog (main). Played my favourite main female character so far. Fearless, stubborn, a little cheeky, yet still sensitive inside. Not the kind of boring beauty who has all the male characters falling at her feet either. I just wish she had more screen time!
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Lee Si Young
South Korean
In The Guardians (main). A role that really talked to me, a mother who lost her child and seeks revenge. She was tough, fierce, honest but never lost her humanity or care. This actress showed her experience.
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Kim Hwan Hee
South Korean
In When the Weather is Fine (main). Only a teenager, but I loved the character she played there. She was a fun, happy-go-lucky brat yet adorable. She managed to do naughty without being annoying, and her cheery personality rang so true! I always looked forward to her scenes: she brought life to a mellow, soft drama. It needed her energy every so often to break and recharge the overall slow pace.
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Bang Min Ah
South Korean
In Beautiful Gong Shim (main). Such a breath of fresh air she was in this. Natural, funny. loyal and a little quirky, like the best friend every girl would love to have.
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Puff Kuo
Taiwanese
In Just You (main), where her character was so full of life, that her emotional scenes crushed me. Luminous on screen, in a best friend sort of way.
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Kimura Fumino
Japanese
In Boku, unmei no hito Desu (main). A perfect role for her: she was sweetness incarnated, reserved and scared to open up after her heart got broken. Very realistic, mature acting.
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Kim Soo An
South Korean
In Train to Busan (main). I know she's young, but her performance in that movie was exceptional, especially considering I usually don't rate children's acting. She blew me away. Her potential is ginormous.
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Lee Jung Eun
South Korean
For When the Camellia Blooms (support). Although I could also comment on her role in Stranger than Hell, I think her best performance was in WTCB. She played an older mother with a shameful past and she carried the torture of her guilt in each scene. Her expressions were subtle but always on point. Amazing actress.
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Jang Young Nam
South Korean
In The Smile has Left your Eyes (support). So, so natural, a little cheeky, a little feisty, and very engaging. I just loved her.
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Kim Mi Kyung
South Korean
For Healer (support). Only a side character, but what an truly magnificent one. Everything about her got me kook line and sinker. I love quirky, sassy characters and she played that one faultlessly.
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Ahn Eun Jin
South Korean
In Strangers from Hell (support). I loved how she played a very realistic woman: brave, but not too much, friendly, but not too much, pretty, sweet, clever etc...but not too much. She was neither kick a** nor a doormat/naive. I adore this kind of female character, and I engaged with this actress immediately.
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Na Moon Hee
South Korean
In Just Between Lovers (support). A kooky, fiery, sassy grandma with a heart of gold. Always ready for a sarcastic retort, but her generosity and care for others was palpable. Loved her character.
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Jung Hye Young
South Korean
In Gu Family Book (support). Her role of a tough courtisan was a well written character of course, but she really owned it and managed to show the various layers of someone who could be seen at first glance as simply ruthless and merciless.
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Kim Sun Young
South Korean
In Her Private Life (support). God I hated her character. She was slimy and cringe worthy and if that isn't the proof of great acting, I do not know what is.
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Ok Ja Yeon
South Korean
In The Uncanny Counter (support). She didn't show up for that long, but what an appearance. Her take on a demented psycho resonated so true it was scary. SHE was scary. Every bit of her, her eyes, smile, body position, everything screamed madness. Wow.
