Favorite Female Characters From the Dramas I Watched

Yun Ji Ho— Because This Is My First Life

Yun Ji-ho is a character who truly stuck with me. She was the first one I remember calling genuinely strong — confident but not arrogant, independent but never cold or detached.
She carried self-respect, knew her worth, and was written with such nuance that even with all her complexity, she felt easy to understand.
Some viewers felt her choices in the final episodes didn’t fit her, but to me, they were perfectly in line with the values she always lived by — the same values that shaped her bold decisions earlier on.
So for me, her ending was completely true to her character. Not that I necessarily agree with it, but that’s who she was — and that’s what made her unforgettable.

Park Wan— Dear My Friends

She was such a unique character. She carried many roles — a writer by occupation, a woman navigating a complicated romantic relationship — but what truly stayed with me was her relationship with her mother.
The way she portrayed that love–hate bond between a daughter and parent was so raw that I had to pause the drama during some scenes just to take it all in.
She wasn’t flawless at all — in fact, she was full of flaws — but isn’t that exactly how we are with our parents? Our flaws show most naturally in front of them, because they’re the people we never bother to hide from.
One of her quotes sums her up perfectly, and honestly, I think it speaks to most of us children, if not all : “All the children in the world don't deserve to shed a single tear for their parents. Because all of us are so shamelessly selfish.”

Goo Se Ra — Into the Ring

Goo Se Ra as a character was all kinds of chaotic, but in the best way. Honestly, at first I found her more irritating than likable. But somewhere along the way, she grew on me.
Messy, impulsive, and often making mistakes, yet everything she did came from a good place. What really struck me was how she threw herself into politics.
I’ve always believed politics matters, yet it’s so often ignored by ordinary people and exploited by those in power. Watching her fight through it, flawed but determined, hit something personal for me. Because if we had more people like her in power, the world really would be better.
And a line spoken to her fits her perfectly: “If you have just one person on your side, you can keep your beliefs alive. I wish that you'll become someone who keeps someone else’s beliefs alive.”

Adachi Momoko — Our Sister's Soulmate

Okay, now this character almost feels like she belongs in a fantasy genre — she was that good. Honestly, she was the greenest flag FL I’ve seen, practically flawless. But don’t confuse her with those typical “nice” leads who just let everyone walk all over them. Nope, she was nothing like that.
She felt believable, like someone you might actually meet (though sadly, I haven’t met anyone even remotely close to her ).
What really clicked for me was the way she handled her relationship with the ML — the way she navigated his trauma and fear with patience and maturity.

Toda Mariko — Shogun

Some characters command a presence from the very first moment, and Toda Mariko was exactly that. She was steadfast, layered, complex and unforgettable.
What made her so compelling was the way she lived within contradictions. She longed to die to avenge her father, yet chose to live in anguish to spite her husband. That duality defined her—resolute yet vulnerable, full of faith yet never free from doubt.
And I think this line spoken by her from the drama captures her best: “A man goes to war for many reasons. Conquest, pride, power... But a woman is simply at war.”

Oh Mi Joo - Run on

If there was a character I could call an ambassador of self-love, it would be Oh Mi-Joo. She valued herself more than anyone else — clear in her thoughts and fully aware of her worth. Witty, straightforward, and refreshingly self-aware, she was confident yet kind, practical yet a little dreamy. She didn’t chase validation or bend to fit in; she simply lived as herself — unapologetically and beautifully so. She was such a refreshing and well-written character that I could hardly find anyone like her in dramaland, let alone in the real world.

Seo Dan Ah - Run on

What I’ve usually seen in K-dramas is that chaebol characters are one-dimensional, mostly fitting the same typecast mold. Seo Dan-Ah is a refreshing exception. She quietly commands attention without trying too hard — ambitious, sharp, and endlessly perceptive, yet thoughtful and deeply caring beneath it all. She notices the little things others might miss, balances confidence with warmth, and feels real, layered, and relatable. Seo Dan-Ah isn’t just another chaebol character; she’s memorable, well-written, and utterly unforgettable.

Queen Im Hwa Ryung - Under the Queen's Umbrella

I believe the ideal mother is someone her children love the most—but are also a little afraid of. There’s a fine line between the two, and walking it is one of the hardest jobs in the world. That’s why mothers are held in such high regard. And if there’s one character who embodies this perfectly, it’s Queen Im Hwa-Ryung. She’s not just a mother to her own sons but to every prince in the palace. What makes her so captivating is how she balances grace with grit. Strong, emotional, and brilliantly real — she’s a mother first, a monarch second, and unforgettable in both.

Omameda Towako - My Dear Exes

Omameda Towako may not pull you in with grand gestures, but with her everyday chaos—and that’s exactly her charm. She’s smart, witty, and wonderfully unpredictable—fascinatingly clear about her choices, yet never free from life’s little confusions.
What makes her truly compelling is her quiet strength. Independent but not detached, she doesn’t rely on anyone for happiness. Her life seems simple, yet it’s layered, complex, and beautifully real.