GIRL POWER!!!

It's 2018 and finally, we're seeing a rise of Asian Dramas that celebrate empowered women and have strong feminine themes, so I thought it would be really nice to know or discover more of these so-called dramas.

Initially, I'm looking for those that focus more on this theme (e.g. story of women in positions of power/influence/authority), but I realized later on that "girl power" is actually quite subjective as it could mean or resonate differently to some people, which is why I'm keeping my options open for basically any dramas that greatly inspired and motivated you as a woman—or even as a person—at some point or as a whole.

It doesn't need to have the typical strong female lead (although that would be very appreciated, too) since truthfully, "strength" could come in different forms.

BONUS if these dramas have any of the following:

-Female lead as the Main Protagonist
-Strong and Supportive Friendships (girl friendships!)
-Great Romance, if there's any (I'm also fine with no romance, though)
-Tackles the struggles of and being a woman in real life
-Solid Plot (doesn't matter what genre as long as it's goooood) and Satisfying/Happy Ending

Few examples: (Korea) Misty, Queen Seon Duk, Jewel in the Palace, I Hear Your Voice, and Sungkyunkwan Scandal; (Japan) Doctor X; (China) Sound of the Desert

Mondai no Aru Restaurant - focuses on a group of women/friends fighting with male hierarchy in the workplace. 

Honestly, I wish that there were more Asian dramas that featured empowered females and feminine themes!

There have been lots of female-centric K-dramas lately and I love it. More and more are being announced, too!

It looks like you've seen some of these but I'll post them anyway for others to see.

Mother: It's a story all about motherhood, and the many different types of mothers out there. All of the women in this show are wonderfully complex, and I love that it shows that not all women who can have children should, and just because you're not blood-related to your family doesn't mean that your ties aren't just as strong.  Just a truly fantastic show all around and definitely the best of 2018 so far. Good luck at Cannes, Mother! <3

Age of Youth: The 5 roommates start out butting heads, but they form strong bonds as the show progresses and I thought it was a really nice way of showing how 5 completely different girls can become friends and support one another.

Because This is My First Life: This show explores many themes and has many strengths, but one of the best parts is the friendship between the 3 girls. They are extremely supportive of each other, and it's one of few shows where the ex-girlfriend is a wonderfully fleshed-out character and isn't just a bitch. The show also explores the challenges that women experience in the workplace, especially sexual harassment. Bonus: male lead who actually respects female lead.

Dal-ja's Spring: One of the few dramas where the show's focus stays in the heroine all the way through. She starts out insecure and a bit judgmental, yes, but that all changes by the end. It really is a story about, well, her spring, and she exhibits remarkable character development. It takes her a while, but she gets there. It also explores the lives of many different types of working women, which I appreciated. Also one of the few shows that demonstrates that men and women CAN be "just" friends. Another show where the male lead actually respects the female lead. My favorite noona romance.

- Witch's court

 fanitha:

• Ms. Temper & Nam Jung Gi
• 1 litre of tears
• Live up to your name
• Soratobu Kouhoushitsu

I'm almost finished w/ Live Up To Your Name (What a fun drama, I love it)

I've been keeping my eyes on Soratobu Kouhoushitsu for a long time, soooooo I guess this is a sign for me to finally watch it :)))))

Thanks for Ms. Temper & Nam Jung Gi! It kind of fits my description, so I'm very curious how well it goes (Added it to my PTW list). Not yet sure with 1 Litre of Tears, on the other hand. I know it's a great motivational drama but I think I'll still need to find a perfect time and mood to prepare myself for it. Thank you for these recommendations, nonetheless!

 rad_lisette:

Mondai no Aru Restaurant

Oh, I live for this kind of dramas! I usually stay away from cooking/food related shows (mostly because they make me hungry, which is most likely their point) but nothing appeals to me more than a strong bond and friendship between women. Thanks for the recommendation! Hopefully, we'll see more of this trend this year!!! :)

 Jeana:

I'm rather interested in this topic as I was just thinking recently that there are a lot of dramas that seem to have the same kind of lead female character

Exactly my thoughts! That kind of bothers me as well. I don't know if they are intentionally doing this (maybe that caters more to a bigger audience?) or they are simply running out of ideas and creativity when it comes to female leads.  Realistically, more women watch dramas than men, so shouldn't that be a reasonable factor for them to offer diverse characters and personalities at least? Nonetheless, I'm also looking for that kind of drama! I really want to watch something that focus more on the journey or growth of a woman in terms of her career, relationship, and life (e.g. self-discovery/acceptance, character development, empowerment, and etc.) I'm not sure though if there's a lot of this out there??? 

 Mindy:

I love that it shows that not all women who can have children should, and just because you're not blood-related to your family doesn't mean that your ties aren't just as strong.

I've been contemplating whether to watch Mother or not (I was a bit skeptical with the abuse tag), but thanks for including this drama on your list, I now have more reasons to watch it. Added to my PTW list!!!

 Mindy:

It really is a story about, well, her spring, and she exhibits remarkable character development. It takes her a while, but she gets there. It also explores the lives of many different types of working women, which I appreciated. Also one of the few shows that demonstrates that men and women CAN be "just" friends. Another show where the male lead actually respects the female lead

My friends also recommended Dal-ja's Spring to me! What a coincidence!! I initially thought it focuses more on the "noona romance", which put me off a bit (not because I hate noona romance dramas, but because I thought there's nothing unique or interesting about it other than that) so again, thanks for adding that. I'll also add this on my PTW list! :)