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In the sea of shows offered by the South Korean entertainment industry, there has been more than a handful of female-centric K-dramas. There's no doubt that the industry rolls out some of the most unique and diverse genres of shows, giving its own twist and turns to even the most generic plots.
While at it, the entertainment industry has also made sure to ascribe enough recognition and importance to women, their narratives, and their representation. This specific genre has particularly been garnering attention from the audience, as the industry continues to put forth several K-dramas focusing on women leads and their stories.
For instance, My Name, the K-drama starring Han So-hee, showcased the lead's tough personality and strong willpower, while the titular character of Extraordinary Attornery Woo broke the stereotypes set for autistic women. These are some of the many female-centric K-dramas that received much praise and appreciation from the viewers.
8 best female-centric K-dramas that you should add to your watchlist: Hotel Del Luna, My Name, and more
1) Strong Woman Do Bong-soon
The 2017 show, Strong Woman Do Bong-soon, starring Park Bo-young and Park Hyung-sik is first on the list of female-centric K-dramas.
Strong Woman Do Bong-soon revolves around the titular character who receives her supernatural strength from her mother's side, and carries the curse of the female-borns in the family being given a special power to contribute positively to society.
2) Mr. Sunshine
Mr. Sunshine, which stands second in line, was released in 2018. The show draws on historically fictional backgrounds, during the 1871 Shinmiyangyo incident that took place in Korea.
It chronicles the story of an aristocrat's daughter, Go Ae-shin, played by Kim Tae-ri, who strikes up a relationship with a U.S.-returned Korean man. The character showcases a balanced lifestyle as she navigates through her complicated love life while intricately working within the politics of her time period.
3) Extraordinary Attorney Woo
Bringing yet another dimension to female-centric K-dramas is Extraordinary Attorney Woo, which was released in 2022. Starring Park Eun-bin and Kang Tae-oh, the story revolves around an autistic woman who carries an impressively high IQ.
As the titular character navigates through her dream of being an attorney, the show reveals the battles she has to overcome to prove her knowledge, owing to society's perspective on autism.
4) Hotel Del Luna
Another empowering show on the list of female-centric K-dramas is Hotel Del Luna, released in 2019. The show, starring IU and Yeo Jin-goo, reveals the narrative of a 1000-year-old woman who runs a hotel to send dead souls to a higher realm after they spend their last wishes inside the premises of the hotel.
While her immortality irritates her, she can't seem to remember the crime she committed a thousand years back, which resulted in the punishment of tying a hotel to her fate. The story, therefore, unfolds the events that led to her curse and how she must single-handedly navigate through the battles along the way.
5) My Name
On a more thrilling side of female-centric K-dramas is My Name, starring Han So-hee in the lead role.
The short yet eye-catching series was released in 2021, and narrates the life of a high school teenager growing into a woman after her father was murdered. With the help of a mafia boss, she builds her life with revenge-filled intentions to track the people who killed her dad.
6) It's Okay To Not Be Okay
Released in 2020, It's Okay To Not Be Okay is next in the list of female-centric K-dramas.
The show, starring Seo Ye-ji and Kim Soo-hyun, revolves around the life of a children's book writer whose antisocial personality disorder leads her to pen down rather unconventional stories. As she sets on the path toward healing from her past traumas, she also finds herself falling in love with a health worker.
7) Weightlifting Fairy Kim Bok-joo
Released in 2016, the show breaks several female stereotypes set by society with respect to their bodies, passion, career choices, and more.
Starring Lee Sung-kyung in the titular role and Nam Joo-hyuk as the male lead, the show reveals the multiple dimensions of a woman weightlifter as she navigates the challenges of growing up and dealing with hormones, teenage life, love struggles, and more. It aims to focus on the ups and downs of one's passion, offering a young adult's perspective to the same.
8) Her Private Life
The last on the list of female-centric K-dramas is Her Private Life, which was released in 2019.
Steering away from negative assumptions and stereotypes about fangirling, the show narrates the life of Sung Deok-mi, played by Park Min-young, who aims to keep the details of her idol-loving lifestyle a deep dark secret. Deok-mi, who holds the profession of a talented gallery curator, also has her boss falling head over heels for her.
As the industry continues to roll out more diverse and exciting female-centric K-dramas, fans have been positively engaging with them while also looking forward to more such gems in the future.
