Gone are the days when men were the centre of every storyline (thank god!).
No more heroes holding up the universe, no more knights saving the damsel, no more half-baked female characters written only to cry prettily, mess their mascara and wait to be rescued.
Women are rescuing themselves and yes, still fall in love eventually because, WHY NOT?
We are absolutely here for this new era!
The kind whose flaws make them believable, whose struggles make them relatable, and whose strength makes us sit up and fight through that 2 a.m. realisation that tomorrow is Monday
These are the characters we rewatch to sometimes remind us that we can be just as glorious.
1. Yoon Se-ri (Crash Landing on You)
Yoon Se-ri is everything we love about a modern rom-com heroine.
She’s bold, funny, fashionable and whip-smart, but she’s also messy in the most human way.
Her tough exterior slowly softens as she learns to trust, love and let people into her carefully guarded life. Watching her navigate a completely foreign world shows both her vulnerability and her resilience.
Se-ri isn’t just a pretty face in the rich world – she literally made the entire show.
2. Moon Dong-eun (The Glory)
Moon Dong-eun is one of the most haunting, unforgettable female leads in recent K-drama history (in our deeply amateur and humble opinion).
She is quiet but fierce, calm but burning on the inside, broken but still standing.
Her story is painful and heavy, shaped by relentless cruelty, yet she carries herself with a determination so intense you cannot look away.
Dong-eun’s revenge is purely about reclaiming power that was stolen from her, and that is why it’s beautiful.
3. Hong Hae-in (Queen of Tears)
Hong Hae-in is elegance with a storm underneath. At first glance she seems cold, even untouchable, yet as her story unfolds, we see how deeply she feels and how fiercely she loves.
She fights through unimaginable heartbreak, family pressure and her own fears in her own way (something we know too well). Her character reminds us that strength isn’t always loud and advertised.
At times it looks like holding yourself together even when the world is exhausting.
Hae-in gives us one of the most emotional character arcs in recent memory.
4. Nam Ha-neul (Doctor Slump)
Nam Ha-neul might be one of the most relatable leads to every woman who has hustled her way through life.
She is smart, capable and hard-working, yet she is exhausted from trying to live up to everyone’s expectations.
Ha-neul shows us what burnout really looks like and how healing begins when you finally allow yourself to stop acting strong all the time.
She’s funny, awkward and just so honest. Her journey back to joy is gentle, real and so comforting to watch.
5. Kang Hyo-min (Beyond the Bar)
Kang Hyo-min is the kind of woman who walks into a room and immediately commands your attention without raising her voice.
As a lawyer, she is sharp, composed and incredibly capable, but what makes her truly compelling is the emotional world beneath that polished exterior.
She carries her own scars and doubts while still showing up for the people who need her, even when she is falling apart quietly behind the scenes (hint: deaf twin sister sent to live with deaf uncle and aunty plot).
Hyo-min is strong because she has survived disappointment, heartbreak and the weight of responsibility.
The fact that she is incredibly soft-hearted means she still chooses fairness and empathy in a world that doesn’t always reward either.
She is a goofy, loveable, feminine young woman with the kind of strength that only women can emit.
Era of Heroines
We love these characters because they show different shades of what strength can look like – even when we don’t understand their language.
Some fight with fire. Some fight with strategy. Some fight with love. Some fight by simply continuing to live. But all of them are beautifully written and relatable (maybe without the dramatic effect of exaggeration).