Damsel in distress no more. These Korean drama protagonists prove they are in control. All is fair in love and war, after all
Korean dramas are still abuzz all over the world owing to unfathomable plots, over-the-top set design and exceptional casting. And as dozens of new shows are released through streaming platforms month after month, K-drama creators are becoming increasingly progressive, veering away from cliché themes by producing more stories that break society and gender norms. There has been an obvious shift in focus from the typical Cinderella-like storylines to shows that highlight strong, independent women who clearly know what they want—a far cry from the usual damsel-in-distress who needs constant saving by Prince Charming or a knight in shining armour. Take a look at our round-up of K-drama female protagonists who are not afraid to make the first move.
Read also: Honest K-Drama Review: The Best and Worst Dramas of 2021
Woo Young-woo played by Park Eun-bin | "Extraordinary Attorney Woo"
Do not underestimate Woo Young-woo (Park Eun-bin), the genius lawyer with autism spectrum disorder from the latest hit legal drama, Extraordinary Attorney Woo. Headstrong and intelligent (by that, we mean an IQ of 164, graduating as the top student in Seoul National University and getting an almost perfect score in the bar exams), she thinks creatively and clearly knows what she wants and what she can do. She speaks her mind freely with #nofilter, so asking her co-worker Lee Jun-ho (Kang Tae Oh) if he likes her—not once but twice—was easy-peasy. But who says she is a damsel in distress? With her heart of gold and emotional maturity, it is not hard to love her back.
Extraordinary Attorney Woo sets a record with a ten times increase in ratings from its pilot episode—an all-time high for the cable network, ENA. It owes its popularity to its respectful and refreshing depiction of someone with a developmental disability—something that has been lauded by viewers all over the world, making it the most viewed non-English show on Netflix in July 2022. A US remake is also reportedly under negotiation.